The group behind Brixton’s famous windmill are searching for people to come forward with their very own ‘Mill Memories.’
Ashby Mill, better known as Brixton Windmill, is the last surviving windmill in Lambeth and became a popular visitor attraction following a recent renovation.
The Friends of Windmill Gardens group want to know what are your earliest memories of Brixton Windmill? Do you remember finding out that Brixton had a windmill? Or maybe you used to play in Windmill Gardens as a child and just took for granted that it was always there? They also want feedback from people who have memories of grinding flour or producing bread elsewhere.
Through Mill Memories, the group are keen to record and gather recollections, memoirs, photos, written records, poetry and art that people may have of Brixton Windmill and the surrounding Gardens. The information gathered will be shared in a book, exhibition and theatre performance.
The volunteers hope to organise an event to bring as many people together to interview either individually or as a group, with some interviewees being filmed in order to also produce a visual record.
Jean Kerrigan, chairwoman of Friends of Windmill Gardens, said:“We are keen to pull together as many memories as possible that people might have of Brixton Windmill. This will enable us to record these reminiscences for future generations and add them to the information we have about the windmill.
“We know from the visitors that we meet on our tours at the Windmill that many are coming back as they have childhood memories or a member of their family has talked about Brixton Windmill. We have had visitors from all over the world so we know there must be lots of people who will share their recollections.”
As part of the project the group are also looking for voluntary interviewers to help collect people’s stories. This will be of particular relevance to anyone who is interested in interviewing techniques, especially for collating historical data, or communications and media students. Full training will be given by a professional oral history expert at a training day taking place on April 28 in London.
To find out more about Mill Memories and contribute a memory, or volunteer as an interviewer, visit www.brixtonwindmill.org/memories or email memories@brixtonwindmill.org.uk
Some memories have already been recorded and can be seen on the Brixton Windmill website at www.brixtonwindmill.org/collected-stories.
