by Mildred Cookson, The Mills Archive, UK
An account in “The Miller” in November 1886 described the opening of another mill risen from the ashes, this time in France. In July 1885 a disastrous fire claimed the mill belonging to the Société Nouvelle des Moulins de Prouvy, a company established in 1884 in the village five miles from Valenciennes.
The mill already had an international pedigree, with elements uniting France, England and Belgium. Representatives of each country attended the opening ceremony including, from England, Bryan Corcoran, Gilbert Gilkes and William Marriage.
The original mill had been erected around 1874, taken over in May 1984 by the Société and fitted with 36 pairs of stones. By the end of 1884 12 pairs of stones were thrown out and replaced in early 1885 by a roller plant capable of producing twenty 280lb sacks of flour per hour.
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| Mildred Cookson |
An account in “The Miller” in November 1886 described the opening of another mill risen from the ashes, this time in France. In July 1885 a disastrous fire claimed the mill belonging to the Société Nouvelle des Moulins de Prouvy, a company established in 1884 in the village five miles from Valenciennes.
The mill already had an international pedigree, with elements uniting France, England and Belgium. Representatives of each country attended the opening ceremony including, from England, Bryan Corcoran, Gilbert Gilkes and William Marriage.
The original mill had been erected around 1874, taken over in May 1984 by the Société and fitted with 36 pairs of stones. By the end of 1884 12 pairs of stones were thrown out and replaced in early 1885 by a roller plant capable of producing twenty 280lb sacks of flour per hour.
A spectator of the fire in July reported "(the mills) were brick built and slated, worked by water and steam, having four large waterwheels inside the mill. The engine and boilers were in separate compartments, having a window one foot square only to communicate by. The mills were lofty, well built, clean, well lit with large windows and lighted by gas at night.”
Undaunted by the disaster, the company resolved to rebuild the mill and to replace the Carter roller plant, destroyed in the fire, by another of like capacity. Mr Carter completed the work in the last days of September 1885. The mill was well connected with the town of Prouvy by rail, tramway and the River Escaut and thus with the greater part of France and Belgium.
The calculated capacity of the mill (18 sacks/hour) was rapidly exceeded and on the opening day reached nearly 20 sacks/hour followed later by 21 sacks/hour.
The motive power for the mill, screen room and warehouse came from a pair of twin engines and four water-powered four turbines. The River Escaut was connected to the mill by means of a headrace, which took the water above one of the locks.
After passing through the turbines and under the mill, the water rejoined the river about half a mile below the lock. The resultant fall was around 7ft with the supply of water about 16,000 -20,000 cubic feet/minute. Sir Frederick Bramwall, Past President of the Institute of Civil Engineers, had advised the use of the "Vortex Turbine" made by Gilbert Gilkes & Co of Kendal. They ordered four 60 hp turbines to be placed immediately below the main drive. The power was transmitted by means of morticed bevel gearing, so arranged that any of the turbines could be thrown in or out of gear without stopping the mill.
Read the full article in Milling and Grain magazine, HERE.
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