Online Conference 29 June 2023 on ‘Identifying, Conserving and Presenting Artifacts from your Mill’
Online Conference 29 June 2023 on ‘Identifying, Conserving and Presenting Artifacts from your Mill’
Unfortunately the recording is not complete and starts in the first presentation
Introduction about the topic of the conference ‘Identifying, Conserving and Presenting Artifacts from your Mill’
by Jon Cook, Chairman of the UK Traditional Cornmillers Guild, Miller & Member of the Craft of the Miller Steering Group
Presentation 1 about ‘Mill artifacts in Flanders
by Rebecca Vanysacker, restoration architect, volunteer miller at the windmill Gistel
Presentation 2 about ‘Historic conservation in Groningen’
by Johan van Dijk, historian, miller at the Dutch Guild of Millers and advisor at ErfgoedPartners
Presentation 3 about ‘Conserving artifacts’
by Luke Bonwick, Conservation Officer for Kent County Council and Mill Heritage Consultant
The conference was on 29 June 2023, 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm CET.
For this conference, we explored ways to identify, conserve and present objects found in our mills.
Our milling heritage is made up of different elements – the mill building, the mill machinery and the tools the miller used and continues to use and of course, the stories and people who have been involved with the mill over many years. This conference focused on the objects which make up this heritage, items which often get forgotten when a mill is repaired, even lost when people do not realise how important they are. We explored how we identify, protect, conserve and display these objects.
We heared presentations from mills in Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands, helping us understand how they:
- – Identify objects
- – Decide how to protect objects
- – Learn how to make a record of objects so that even if the artifact decays, we have a record for future generations
- – Learn how to conserve or repair objects without re-making them
- – Learn how to display them so that visitors today and “tomorrow” can appreciate them, understand how they were / are used
Our workshop included presentations (see below) and discussion in small groups.
Speaker
Jonathan Cook, Chairman of the UK Traditional Cornmillers Guild, Miller & Member of the Craft of the Miller Steering Group
Speaker
Rebecca Vanysacker, restoration architect, volunteer miller at the windmill Gistel
Speaker
Johan van Dijk, historian, miller at the Dutch Guild of Millers and advisor at ErfgoedPartners
Speaker
Luke Bonwick, Conservation Officer for Kent County Council and Mill Heritage Consultant
Moderator
Nicole Bakker, director Dutch Mill Society
Who are we?
The craft of the miller is on the Representative List of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. To support the craft of the miller worldwide we aim to develop an international network of millers and mill societies. Therefore we bring together wind- and watermill parties from all over the world to share knowledge and skills.
Our Mission
Our Mission is to safeguard and promote the craft of the traditional miller – defined as “a miller who works with mills driven primarily by wind, water and animal power”.
Our Aims are:
- To safeguard the craft of the miller
- To share knowledge, experience and information amongst our community to promote best practice and the safe repair and operation of our mills
- To encourage all involved with mills to protect and respect the original fabric of mill buildings and machinery
- To promote the protection and repair of our global milling heritage, by helping others see a positive future for that heritage, returning mills, where appropriate, to production, keeping the mill working in its original function
- To create a network of millers and associated societies to deliver our Mission
Are you a miller or interested in safeguarding the craft of the miller, join the Craft of the Miller Network by creating your own member profile. If you have other questions, please send an e-mail to: craftofthemiller@molens.nl.
Look here for the recording earlier conference.
The international network on the craft of the miller is initiated by:
