Category Archives: Old Images

The Riddings Mills

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Windmills ridding

The twin mills in Ridding, Derbyshire, c.1926.

The Riddings windmills were built in 1877 by local landowner James Oakes to run the Oakes Flour Mills. They were given the names James and Sarah. The mills last worked in 1925 and were then used as storerooms. Both mills were demolished in the mid 1960s and a housing estate is now located on the site once occupied by the mills.

windmills ridding

A picture postcard featuring the two Riddings windmills, c.1916.

Riddings is a village not far from Alfreton in the county of Derbyshire, England.

Ruffles Windmill

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haverhill windmill

An old photographic picture postcard of Ruffle’s Mill in Haverhill, Suffolk, England.

Ruffle’s Windmill in Haverhill was built in 1797 and converted to a eight-spoke circular sail in around 1861. Although this form of sail was used in France it is believed to be the only mill with a circular sail ever used in the British Isles. Unfortunately the mill was demolished during the Second World War as it was thought that it might be used as a landmark by enemy aircraft.

The Windmill in Jakobsdorf (Jakubkowice)

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windmill Jakobsdorf

A super looking windmill in Jakobsdorf (Jakubkowice), Silesia, c.1930. Click to enlarge image.

Today’s scan from our picture archive dates back to 1930 and features a windmill and farmworkers in the village of Jakobsdorf, in what was Silesia, Germany. In 1945, Jakobsdorf, was renamed Jakubkowice and became part of Poland. Alas, the windmill itself has long since disappeared.

Thaxted Windmill

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windmill thaxted essex

A lovely old picture postcard of the Alms houses and Windmill in Thaxted, Essex, c.1912.

This is the so-called John Webb’s Windmill, which was built in 1804. It has been restored and is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and on Bank Holidays, from Easter to end of September. The mill is currently owned by the local Parish Council and staffed by volunteers.

The low thatched building in the foreground was built as a Priest’s House but converted into an almshouse building in the 18th century. The building on the right was built around 1711 as an almshouse and is still used for that purpose to this very day.

Weare Tower Mill in Allerton

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allerton windmill

A wonderful photographic (RP) postcard showing the mill in Stone Allerton in a state of disrepair. This mill can be found on the road between Wedmore and Cheddar. Click image to enlarge.

A photograph of what was left of the Weare Tower Mill in Weare / Stone Allerton, Somerset, c.1910. Shortly after this photograph was taken the mill was converted into a private dwelling house and remains such today. Legend tells of a horse rider being thrown from his horse and killed after it was frightened by the whirling sound of the sails. The mill was last worked in 1880.

Compare this with a recent photograph of the same Allerton mill with attached house (taken from the opposite direction).