Ravenswood, the mill at Woodend

Press, 27 May 1978, Page 15

Ravenswood, the mill at Woodend

• J. HARRIS looks at Woodend‘s flour-mill? — the earliest in Canterbury — in the first of two articles.

The Rev. John Raven, the vicar farmer who was the first settler at Wood-* end. built Canterbury’s earliest flour-mill north of Christchurch, about 1856. On hts 1200-acre farm he had a considerable area of crops, including wheat. The Waiora stream, flowing through his property, was diverted north by a one mile and a half water-race to supply power for an overshot waterwheel on a terrace. Previously, the stream had flowed past his home-

stead into the Woodend Lagoon. The water-race carried the main flow into the Kaiapoiha Pah Lagoon, but the mill water rights provided for a limited flow in the old course, and this still continues from the diversion point on the Millbrook property of R. G. Rainey. A mile upstream from Raven’s mill Thomas Steadman started the Mandeville flour-mill in 1864. Another, taller wooden building was erected there by Jones and Co. in 1869.

This was designed for flaxmilling by day and flourmilling at night. John Bowie, soon after his arrival from Ayrshire in 1862, took over Raven’s farm, which became known as Ravenswood, a portion of which still carries the name. The two mills were located on the original holding, which continued to be farmed by Bowie’s family after his death in 1869. His son, John, worked both the Ravenswood and Mande-

ville flour-mills at different times.

Aaron Brantley took over the former mill from 1866 to 1870, later being a millwright and builder in the district.

He was followed by Thomas Smith, who moved to Rangiora to buy the Cam Mill, and was replaced by W. H. Burton. Flourmillers at the Mandeville premises included Alfred Curtis and George A Smith in 1865, and Thomas Turner until his death in 1877. Charles

Chinnery took over this business in the 1880 s, though during the long time he and his family were in occupation, flaxmilling was-the more important industry. Some flour was sold in Christchurch when it was a day’s work for Arthur Chinnery and Tommy Pascoe, taking three horses to haul a dray load. Nathaniel B. Archer, who came from Belchamp Walter in Essex in 1870, joined his older brothers, Thomas and Harry, who were already working in milling. Experience was gained by working with them at Malvern mill on the Hawkins River, and the SouthbruOk mill at Rangiora. A third generation o' the family continued in business at the latter place. Nathaniel Archer in 1882 bought the sevenacre Ravenswood mill property, which" included a two-storey cottage-style millhouse, two detached grain stores, and an extensive orchard. The accompanying photograph indicates that the mill was built in several stages. At the righthand end, the original section, containing the mill stones, became a store shed when the premises were extended. This was probably during the 1890 s, when the changeover to processing by steel rollers became general and required taller buildings for more elaborate machinery. Production was then one sack of flour per hour. When a second milling machine was installed the water supply was not adequate until a two-acre mill pond, 2ft deep, was excavated. This made it possible to work two seven-hour shifts, which finished at 10 p.m. The pond, for the children, was a source of recreation, including boating and eeling. When the youngest of Nathaniel Archer’s daughters was aged

four she slipped into the millrace and was carried into the revolving water wheel. She was injured but survived the ordeal after being treated by a doctor from Kaiapoi. The children attended Waikuku School, and the mill, on the North Road

between Woodend and Waikuku WtS listed under both districts. Apart from the family only casual labour was employed. Barnard Archer assisting his father and later taking over the business. Wheat was widely grown locally and on the

Coldstream property of Malcolm Macfarlane ninety stacks were once counted by Jack Stokes. He recalled that about 1914 he had a contract to cart 1000 sacks of grain from the Ravenswood mill to Kaiapoi. One day the load became stuck in a

sand-hole near the present golf links. Barnard Archer ceased milling in 1923. when it was no longer economic. All the mill buildings, including the original millhouse, had been demolished in 1953, when the property was bought by

Alan Sheppard, the present ownci. He unlike previous occupiers who were millers, is not required to maintain the long waterway. John Raven’s millrace is one of the few that continue to flow as permanent streams.