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July 04, 2018

05/07/2018: St. John’s Roller Flour Mills, Cork, Ireland

by Mildred Cookson, The Mills Archive, UK
 
Mildred Cookson

An article in The Miller in February 1903 was written in recognition of the setting up of the Irish Association of Millers. The Irish millers had a good reputation for proficiency and commercial enterprise in their craft as well as "their plucky efforts to compete not only with the large mills on their island, but also against the great imports of American flour, and a fine fight they did".

 


In the city of Cork, the well-known St. John’s Roller Flour Mills belonged to Messrs George Shaw and Sons. The milling engineers ER & F Turner had fitted out their mill with an excellent five sack plant. The installation was on the most modern lines and described as working very satisfactorily. The milling arrangements in Ireland were not the same as England. The visiting reporter pointed out that the arrangement of spouts, machines and flow of material had required a great deal of business acumen in order to ensure the absolute perfection to be seen at the model plant of Messrs George Shaw and Sons.

There was practically no sale for even secondary brands, and the problem presented to the engineers, who were so successful here, was not an easy one to solve. However, this did not deter Turners. The firm had apparently entered into the work with "their customary energy and verve" and the result was highly commendable. Mr Pertwee from Turners had the work in hand and showed the visitors round the mill while Mr Brown, the managing partner, was left to running the mill, whose prosperity demonstrated that he was a fine first class practical miller. He was very willing to exchange views and give the benefit of his observations on flour mills and flour milling science.

The mill itself had the customary array of elevator bottoms on the ground floor. The spouts connecting these with the roll hoppers were built in very symmetrical style, the room being around 14 or 15ft high. The loftiness, always a good starting point for milling engineers, cleared the way for building a plant on economical lines. In the whole mill there were only three short worms for by products, the rest falling into their appointed hoppers and elevators by gravity. There was plenty of walking space around the elevators and shafting on this bottom floor, another good point.


Read the full article, HERE.
 

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