BRITISH WINDMILL MANUFACTURERS

# = An image of the mill is available via e-mail.

ABACHEM LTD

   This company started in 1981 as a manufacturer of abattoir equipment. Originally at Northern Road, Newark, Notts before moving to Jesop Way in 1986. [The previous addresses may be incorrect as the Northern Road address is noted in a 1993 publication] They attended Wakes & Lambs clearing sale in 1985 and there picked up equipment and some of the other companies former employees. Shortly after they began servicing the existing Newark windmills and were manufacturing new units by 1986.

• ABACHEM WINDMILL #     The basic Newark design was still being used in 1997 with some changes, gear boxes were changed from cast to fabricated mild steel. Some have been exported. Three or four legged towers are supplied. Wind wheel sizes supplied were 2, 2.5, and 3 metres on one size gearbox, and 3.75 and 4.25 metres on a larger size gear box. They were manufacturing 5, 5.5, and 6.25 metre wind wheels at least until 1993.

BURGESS, GRAHAM WINDPUMPS

   Previous name of GB WINDPUMPS. Their address under this name was 22 Innox Hill, Frome, Somerset. As GB in 2000 they offered the 3.5 and 5 metre model. Address as GRAHAM BURGESS is 24 Cresswell Avenue, Taunton, Somerset. Sole UK manufacturers of the Poldaw windpump c1997. Address c2002 as GB was Willowbrook, Kilmington, Axminster, Devon.

• POLDAW WINDPUMP    Available with a 3.5 metre paddle type wind wheel. Direct action crank and rocker arrangement with 100mm stroke. Weights are placed on the wheel to smooth the operation of the mill under different load conditions. Governs with an offset hub shaft balanced by a lifting gravity tail system. Furling equipment not fitted. Lubrication was by grease nipples for the ball bearings. Still operational in 1999.

CANADIAN IMPERIAL WINDMILL SYNDICATE

    London firm which manufactured the Canadian 'Goold, Shapley & Muir', 'Canadian Imperial' windmill under licence from 1903 to 1904.

CLARK & STEINMETS

    A Bedford manufacturer. C.F.Bamford, of Bedford, England, exhibited a 12 foot model of theirs, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials.

DICKEY

    Manufacturer in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire. The principal was William Wilson DICKIE. Company said to have existed for about 100 years. Still a big employer in 1947.

GB WINDPUMPS

   The company was formerly known as Graham Burgess Windpumps and then GB Windpumps while it was being operated by Graham Burgess. Graham sold the company to Thorne Marketing Services Ltd in October 2002. The company continues to run as GB Windpumps supplying the Poldaw range of Windpumps.
GB Windpumps is the sole UK manufacturers of this type of Windpump in the UK. They supply 3.5 metre units, 5.0 metre units and now 1.8 metre units. The 100mm stroke is only on the 3.5 metre unit. The 5.0 metre unit has a 200mm stroke and the 1.8 metre unit has a 40mm stroke. Their address in 2006 is Willowbrook, The Street, Kilmington, Axminster, Devon, EX 13 7SH Tel. 01297 631672 . website email

• POLDAW WINDPUMP    Available with a 3.5 metre paddle type wind wheel. Direct action crank and rocker arrangement with 100mm stroke. Weights are placed on the wheel to smooth the operation of the mill under different load conditions. Governs with an offset hub shaft balanced by a lifting gravity tail system. Furling equipment not fitted. Lubrication was by grease nipples for the ball bearings. The name Poldaw came from the designers Sandy Polak and Paul Dawson. Sandy Polak now works at Neale Consulting Engineers Ltd.

GODWIN, H. J. LTD

    Of Coln St., Aldwyn, Quenington, Gloucester. Established circa 1877.

• HERCULES OIL BATH WINDMILL    Standard oil bath double, back geared windmill. Ball bearing wheel shaft and turntable. Machine cut gears and steel pinions. Ran pitman arms to a crosshead with round bar hoop guide. Available in wind wheel sizes from 6ft to 18ft.
• HERCULES JUNIOR WINDMILL    For light duties.

GRAHAM BURGESS WINDPUMPS

   - see - Burgess, Graham Windpumps
   - see - GB Windpumps

INTERMEDIATE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT GROUP

    This group initiated the project which led to the IT windmill. In 1977 they began collaborating with 6 non governmental organisations in developing countries, with an interest in manufacturing direct action windmills. These organisations were 'The Rural Industries Innovation Centre' in Botswana, 'Bobs Harries Engineering Ltd' in Kenya, 'Merin Ltd' in Pakistan, 'Voltas Ltd' in India, 'The National Research Centre' in Egypt and a multi-national oil company in Oman. By 1979 five of these had begun manufacture. In 1981 an associate company, IT Power, took over the project.

IT POWER

    Took over the windmill project for developing countries from the 'Intermediate Technology Development Group in 1981. Contracted by the 'UK Overseas Development Administration'[ODA] to finalise the design of 6 and 7.5 Metre wind wheels. In 1990, due to demand for smaller windmills, It Power began development work and installed a 3 metre prototype in 1993.

KINGDOM & COMPANY

    London firm which manufactured the Canadian 'Goold, Shapley & Muir', 'Canadian Imperial' windmill under licence from 1913 to at least 1915.

McBAIN, John & SON

    Engineering works of Chirnside, Berwickshire, Scotland. In existence for over 80 years. They exhibited a 12 foot model of theirs, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials. It had steel fittings.

• MONARCH WINDMILL #     Oil bath windmill available with 6, 8, 10 and 12 ft wind wheels. Twin gear design. Hub shaft uses two single thrust bearings and the hub is held with a nut. Band brake provided on hub. Conventional pitman arms with the crosshead running in a slide plate. Oil rings used to lubricate the crosshead. The blade section type wind wheel was galvanised with the crimped sails in front of the rings. Flat section steel spokes 6ft = 4 with 12 blades, 8, 10 & 12ft = 6 spokes with 18 blades. Governing by offset wheel and tail coil spring.

McLELLAN, P. & W.

    Scottish manufacturer from Glasgow. Clutha Iron Works. They exhibited a 18 foot Clutha windmill, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials.

• CLUTHA WINDMILL    Advertised in Australia. It appears to be a Dandy Irrigator made by CHALLENGE Company in the USA.

MID WALES WELDED PRODUCTIONS LTD

    Of Westgate Street, Llanidloes, Powys, Wales. Existed in 1993.

• MID WALES WELDED OIL BATH WINDMILL #     Geared windmill. The wind wheel uses spokes made of flat section steel for the 6, 8, 10 and 12 foot model, and angle section for the 14, 16 and 18 foot models. The 6 - 14 foot wheels have 6 spokes and 18 blades. The 16 and 18 foot wheels have 8 spokes and 24 blades. Mast pipe design with grease cup lubricated bottom tower bearing. Governing is accomplished with an off centre hub shaft balanced with a spring on the tail spar. They may not have been making the 18 ft version in 1993.

NEALE CONSULTING ENGINEERS LTD

    Appears to have also been known as T. A. POLAK, NEALE CONSULTING ENGINEERS LTD. Address in 2006 is Highfield, Pilcot Hill, Dogmersfield, Hants. Designers of the Poldaw Windpump. They didn't manufacture the mill themselves but licensed its manufacture to various world wide entities. In the UK they are made by (formerly)Graham Burgess Pumps, now GB Windpumps. Available in 3.5 and 5 metre versions. website

PEMBROKESHIRE ENGINEERING SERVICES LTD

    This company situated at Haversford West, Pembrokeshire, ceased windmill production in 1981.

• BEAN HILL 2 / 27 WIND PUMP    Direct action with a 6ft 6inch wind wheel governed at 17 mph by a force balance system using an auxilliary slide fin and spring loaded tail. The wheel is carried on taper bearings in the oil bath head and grease lubricated bronze bushes are fitted. An unusual feature is the aluminium pump push rod.
• BEAN HILL 3 / 88 WIND PUMP    Direct action with an 18 blade 10ft wind wheel governed at 17 mph by a force balance system using an auxilliary slide fin and spring loaded tail. The wheel is carried on taper bearings in the oil bath head and ball bearings and broze bushes are fitted throughout. An unusual feature is the aluminium pump push rod.

PICKING - HOPKINS

    Unusual design windmill of which little is known.

POLAK, T.A., NEALE CONSULTING ENGINEERS LTD

    - see - NEALE CONSULTING ENGINEERS

RICKMAN & COMPANY

    London firm which manufactured the Canadian 'Goold, Shapley & Muir', 'Canadian Imperial' windmill under licence from 1904 to 1913.

ROBERTS, E. & H. LTD

    In 1903 they were at Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire, England. Imported the Decorah windmill from the US before manufacturing their own design.

• HERCULES    It used a sleeved wrist pin moving in a slotted rocker arm [similar to the Decorah design]. Exhibited a 12 foot model at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials.

ROLLASON WINDMOTOR COMPANY

    One of their 16 foot models was exhibited, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials. Vertical axis windmill with 6 blades.

RUSSELL & COMPANY

    They exhibited a 10 foot model, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials.

SANDERSON, H. P. & COMPANY

    Of Bedford, England. They exhibited a 20 foot open back geared model, and a 16 foot rotary drive vertical axis model at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials.

SYKES, Henry

    Of London. He exhibited a 16 foot direct action model, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials. The wind wheel was tilted back over the tower at about 15 degrees and had 48 narrow blades held with a steel band around the outside. It utilised a side vane governor. The blades were twisted at 37 degrees at the outside of the wheel and 50 degrees on the inside. The tail was hinged at its centre.

TELFORD, GRIER and McKAY

    Glasgow, Scotland firm active in the first few decades of the twentieth century.

• AEROLYTE WINDMILL    Made primarily for the generation of electricity, but could have been adapted for pumping. They were made with wind wheels up to 30 foot. Lubricated by a cannister on top of the head. Canted hub shaft but otherwise a conventional wind wheel and tail.

THOMAS & SONS

    Of Worcester. Exported to South Africa from about 1904. Appear to have been taken over by STEWARTS & LLOYDS, a South African company in about 1942. The mills were later made (by 1986) by WYATT Bros.

• OPEN GEARED MODEL    They exhibited a 16 foot back geared model, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials. See - Windmill Display
• 1925 OIL BATH MODEL    Apparently available with 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 foot wind wheels. Partially designed in South Africa. The twin gear sets were machine cut. An asbestos mix was used for the brake band liner. Regulated by an offset hub shaft, working against a coil spring. The normal crosshead design used oil rings but an oil pump was tried for a short time.
• 1937 LONG STROKE MODEL    Increased the back gearing ratio from the 1925 model. The 6 foot 1925 model was kept on and all other sizes were in the 1937 pattern.
• 1939 MODEL    Various changes were made. An oil pump was fitted into a hollow crosshead guide bar. The 6, 8 and 10 foot previous models now had replaceable bearings for the hub shaft, the crosshead was altered to fit the pump rod centrally between the guide rods.

THORNE MARKETING SERVICES LTD.

   - see - GB Windpumps

TITT, John Wallis

    At Warmister, Wiltshire, England in 1903. He was producing windmills by 1887. Operated into the 1920's.

• IMPERIAL WINDMILL - Direct action    They exhibited a 16 foot model, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials.
• IMPERIAL WINDMILL - Back geared    They exhibited a 16 foot model, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials.
• SIMPLEX DIRECT ACTION WIND ENGINE    Available early in the 20th century with 14, 16, 18, 20 and 25 foot wind wheels.
• SIMPLEX GEARED WIND ENGINE    A large transitional design windmill which used a separate, either single or double wind wheel tail to keep the machine into the wind. Available with 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 foot wind wheels.
• TITT WIND ENGINE    Probably one of the above. They exhibited a 30 foot model, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials. It had 10 foot long, canvas covered adjustable pitch metal sails and a rotary drive mechanism.
• WOODCOCK WINDMILL    Direct action windmill available with 10 or 12 foot wind wheels.

TMS

   - see - Thorne Marketing Services Ltd

WAKES & LAMB LTD

    Founded in Parliament Street, Newark, Notts in 1850 by John WAKES. Sometime later he took his son - in - law, William Henry LAMB into the business and the company became known as Wakes & Lamb. Somewhere between 1897 and 1900 the business shifted to new premises at 64 Millgate, Newark. They produced windmills from at least 1897. Large numbers were exported to Africa etc. In July 1978 the company was sold to TRICOTE Ltd of Gainsborough. The works stayed at the old site in Newark until April 1985. The windmill was still in production at this time and capacity for its continued production was supposed to have been moved to Gainsborough. They however must either have ceased windmill production shortly after or never made them at the new site. The windmill production was taken up by ABACHEM LTD in c1985.

• EARLY MODEL    Illustrations of 1897 show what appears to be a multi - slat spoked wind wheel with single arm spokes and a double tail spar. The assumption is that it was a pre oil bath design.
• NEWARK WINDMILL    Available with 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 foot wind wheels. Oil bath windmill using a single set of machine cut spur gears, back geared approximately 3 to 1. Power is transferred through a rocker arm activated by a pitman from the main gear. The whole hub shaft assembly can be removed from the windmill without taking down the head. Ball bearings were used for the hub shaft. The wind wheel used flat rings and steel angle spokes. Governing is accomplished with the use of a slightly off centre wind wheel shaft coupled with governing spring attached to a quadrant at the head. The turntable for this mast pipe design uses a ball thrust washer.

WARNER, John & SONS LTD

    Address in 1896/7, given as 27 Jewin Crescent, Cripplegate, London.

• VARIABLE PITCH WINDMILL    They purchased the patent rights to a design which had been developed by Henry CHOPPING as early as 1838. They are known to have produced a mill using this design in the mid 1880's. It appears from an 1896/7 illustration to have a fixed tail and oblong tale sheet. Weights controlled the relative position to each other, of the two, parallel inner wind wheel rings, to turn individual blades into or out of the wind depending on wind wheel speed. In 1911 the blades are described as canvas covered frames, pivoted between two angle iron rings and connected with spiral springs. To orient the wheel to the wind in the smaller sizes a tail was used and in the larger sizes a subsidiary fan and gear was used.
• WARNER'S OPEN BACK GEARED WINDMILL    Had a spring governor. They exhibited a 16 foot model, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials.
• WIND PUMPING ENGINE    This could be a variable pitch windmill by the description. They exhibited a 20 foot model, at the 1903 Royal Agricultural Society of England trials.

WEBSTER, Jonas

    Of Bolton, Lancs. Also made a power mill.

• PARAGON WINDMILL    Steel mill with conventional wind wheel. The single tapered vane sheet was held between two tail spars.

WYATT BROS

    Business in Whitchurch, Salop. Took over the manufacture of CLIMAX windmills from 'THOMAS & SON' sometime around or before 1986.
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