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Rex Wailes Collection Russell, John (1888-1958), miller, millwright and engineer
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Research notebook - Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester

A government-supplied Shorthand Note Book labelled, 'Rex Wailes. No Mills. 1963. Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester' with notes on a variety of topics including:
Lecture series: Notes on talks given to: the Northampton Natural History Society (19 March 1963); the Nonsuch & Ewell Antiquarian Society (26 March 1963); in Canterbury (6-7 April 1963). These were seemingly given to generate support for forthcoming survey-work. The Canterbury notes also include observations on the Kent mills listed at 'Place access points' below. Draft letters to those attending/organising these events also feature, including one with respect to a proposed visit to 'Pilgrim's College'.
Nottinghamshire pumping stations: Notes on pumping stations at Bestwood, Papplewick, Boughton, near Ollerton, and Basford, with reference to the relevant manufacturers (e.g. Ashton Frost and Hathone Davy). Also contains a list of mills in the Southwell area of Nottingham, focusing on the River Greet and Dora Beck.
Canals: Notes taken at Manchester Public Library on surveys of the Greater Manchester/Lancashire canal network and the rivers serving them.

Wailes, Reginald (1901-1986), engineer, known as Rex

Research notebook - Northamptonshire and Suffolk

A Reporters' Notebook containing:
Northants: notes taken from 'Northants Notes & Queries, New Series, Vol.4, 1912-1920' relating to: a 1609 grant by James 1 of a post mill at Kettering; the history of an unindexed tower mill (located on the site of a former post mill on Rockingham Road, Kettering) which was demolished in 1893; 18th c. maps of Kettering showing the location of various mills and a 19th c. print showing a post mill at Peterborough; also notes about the post mill at Seaton, Rutland which was demolished in 1917 as well as the nearby watermill, Henry Royce being said to have worked at both mills as a boy.
Suffolk: research notes relating to Suffolk windmills including construction dates, operational status in 1926,1939 and 1955 and including the notable features listed in 'Subject access points' below.
Windmill restoration: eight pages of draft narrative rehearsing the demise of wind and watermills since the late 19th c. and extolling the efforts of John Russell to restore and preserve Union Mill, Cranbrook. The narrative rehearses the preservation efforts made by a number of local authorities (counties listed in 'Place access points' below) arguing that it should be essential for such work to be their responsibility.
Windmills still in operation: notes running from back-to-front in the notebook listing, 'How many still in use', which are 'Workable' and 'When used and why'.

Wailes, Reginald (1901-1986), engineer, known as Rex

Jack, Union Mill, Cranbrook

Noted on reverse: 'Formerly property of Mr William Warren, Hawkhurst: now in possession of Mr John Russell, Union Mills, Cranbrook, Kent.' Now in the Science Museum, South Kensington.

Simmons, Herbert Edward Sydney (1901-1973), mill researcher

Cranbrook Union Mill

Postcard sent with good wishes for Christmas to Rex Wailes from John Russell (JR).

R A (Postcards) Ltd

Photos and notes on Derbs, Leics and Notts windmills

Substantial photographic, technical, and newspaper information on windmills in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. The material appears have been collated by P J H Baker and then passed to Rex Wailes. Photographs were taken by several people, including Rex Wailes, Sid Simmons, and Richard Neville.

Baker, Paul H J

Kent

Two estimates for repairs to Cranbrook Mill, 1939; Report on Willesborough Mill, 1964; Note from John Russell re Sutton Valence Windmill.

Smock mill, Willesborough

"Sologlaze" series E.A.Sweetman and Son, Tunbridge Wells.
"If weather is fine I hope to put sweeps up on Friday 27th
We jacked up shelf last week. JR
postmark 24 Au 1937

Unknown photographer