There are twenty or more sources (mostly of archival nature) from which information of every description can be collected by the enthusiastic researcher concerning the old mills. Each source providing different detail but all useful knowledge as required by their particular creator. The small assortment of (‘primary’ but complex) documents that were required for the ultimate completion of Griffith Valuation of Tenements in Ireland about 1854 are specially suited to the research-person with interest in Ireland’s industrial heritage as is exemplified in the old mills, wherein ancestors toiled in sometimes harsh conditions.
As the detail found in the Valuation Office documents (dating from 1833) namely - Field Books, House Books and Mill Books provide a substantial amount and a fine variety of mill information this 2012 publication is concentrated almost entirely on this source. These valuable and interesting records are now preserved in our national archival centres.
During a lengthy period of research most helpful co-operation has been received from members of staff, together with the permission kindly granted for approval to publish, at National Archives, Dublin; Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast; Northern Ireland Environmental Agency, Belfast; Queens University, Belfast; and the Royal Academy, Kildare Street, Dublin, for which William E. Hogg is most grateful.
Colleagues and particularly committee members (hereafter mentioned) of the Society of Mills and Millers of Ireland, established in 2001, have provided valuable help and encouragement for the publication of these special volumes and are thankfully acknowledged namely: James Tallon, Chairman, Martry Mill, Co. Meath; committee members from across Ireland, namely Noel Killen, Co. Down; Norman Kerr, Co. Down; Stephanie Bourke, Co. Dublin; Patsy Connolly, Co. Monahan, John Delaney, Co. Roscommon; Oliver Delaney, Co. Meath; Evelyn and Burt Kennedy, Co. Antrim; Simon Lancaster, Co. Dublin; Steve Pilgrim, Co. Galway and Marcus Sweeney, Co. Tipperary.
Milling was not simply the grain trade and its extensive business but rather the entire industrial scene of times past. From various record sources more than 70 different varieties or names of mills have been noted, they are:
- ALABASTER
- BARK
- BARLEY
- BEETLING
- BERE
- BLADE
- BLEACH
- BLUE
- BOLTING
- BONE
- BOSHEEN
- BREWERY
- CARDING
- CHARCOAL
- CHEMICAL
- CHINA
- CHURNING
- CLOTH
- COPPER
- CORN
- COTTON
- CUTLING
- DAMASK
- DISTILLERY
- DYESTUFF
- FLAX
- FLAX-SPINNING
- FLOUR
- FRIEZE
- FULLING
- GIG
- GLUE
- GRIST
- GORSE
- GUNPOWDER
- HACKLING
- HAMMER
- HORSE
- INDIGO
- IRON
- LEAD
- LEATHER
- LINEN
- LINGERY
- LOGWOOD
- MARBLE
- MALT
- MUSTARD
- NAPPING
- OAT
- OATMEAL
- OIL
- PAPER
- PATCH
- PRINTING
- RAPE
- REAPING-HOOK
- RIND
- SALT
- SAW
- SCUTCH
- SPADE
- SPINNING
- STARCH
- TILE
- THREAD
- THRESHING
- TREAD
- TUCK
- WASH
- WEED
- WHIN
- WOAD
- WOOLLEN
- and of course: WATER AND WIND