NEW ZEALAND WINDMILLS /
EUROPEAN TYPE WINDMILLS IN NEW ZEALAND
WATER, HORSE & OTHER MILLS IN NEW ZEALAND
North Island / South Island / Other Islands
Much credit goes to Ian Jonson for his work on this topic.
A basalt tower mill built in 1844, with a pair of French burr millstones. It worked as a flour mill until 1859, then was used to grind bones for fertiliser until 1863. The mill was demolished in 1929.
A brick, four bladed, clockwise running, tower mill built in 1851. A fantail was fitted. Steam flour milling and biscuit machinery were installed in it in 1856, and a second lot of machinery was purchased in 1911 from the MAULE family of Orston, Nottinghamshire. It was extended in 1915. 1898 image
The previous mill was considerably extended in height in 1915. Electric motors supplemented the sails from 1931. It was the last commercially operating wind-powered flourmill in New Zealand and was operated by Joseph PARTINGTON, a son of the mill's builder, until his death in 1941. The mill was demolished in 1950. A New Zealand 80 cent postage stamp released in November 1988, depicted a view of Auckland in 1852 and PARTINGTON's mill can be seen on the horizon. 1920's image | 1950 image
A small anti clockwise turning, four sail post mill was built there in 1854 to service settler families and Maori.
Mr. John Bycroft started as a flourmiller in 1845, in the old stone windmill at St. Andrew's Road, Epsom. This possibly referred to Joseph BYCROFT's younger brother, John BYCROFT. 1925 image
A clockwise turning, four sail tower design with no winding. It was built before 1914 on the beach, out of timber covered with flattened four gallon kerosene tins. Used to grind wheat for flour and shells for poultry grit. It was blown down in a storm sometime before 1940. image | 1922 image
A wooden, three storey, four sail smock mill built in late 1843. It had one pair of millstones and a tail pole windings.
A small windmill built on Kaiarara Island in 1858. It only worked for a short time before a storm carried away the sails.
Owned by Francis Alexander MOLESWORTH (1818-1846) and Alfred LUDLAM (1810-1877). Built on MOLESWORTH's farm on the Hutt River in 1845.
Built in March 1843, this flourmill was owned by Charles SIMMONDS (1822-1902) and Thomas William HOGGARD (1817-1862). It was a smock mill with exterior framing built at the foot of Majoribanks Street and Kent Street junction. The drive was conveyed to a nearby building where it operated one pair of stones. This was New Zealand's first commercial windmill and later became the site of the Embassy Theatre at the foot of Mount Victoria. further information and images
On William FOX's farm at the original homestead. There in 1864.
A four sail post mill built before 1864.
A small, four sail wooden smock windmill built in the 1860's. The cladding was arranged vertically. The cap may have been moveable. It drove three steel mills, grinding wheat and maize. It also drove a thresher and chaff cutter. It fell down in the 1940's.
TOPA small non commercial windmill was built there in 1854, but was not built strongly enough to be successful.
1856 - 1863. A four bladed, anti clockwise running, wooden smock mill built in 1856, with machinery from Whitmore & Binyon, brought back from England after a short visit there by early settler William Derisley WOOD. The mill was located in Windmill Road [now - Antigua St]. It used two pair of French burr millstones. It was not long before it could not keep up with demand. WOOD decided to replace it with a watermill. In 1863 it was moved to Leithfield, to make way for steam equipment.
Details of this mill are unknown. It is possibly WOOD's mill.
This was built in 1853 to service the early settlers on the Canterbury Plains.
New Zealand's only annular sailed flour windmill was built using American components in 1880, on top of a three storey steam powered flour mill to defray the high cost of coal. It failed after a short time because of lack of wind. The building was also flooded several times.
It was moved from Christchurch, 36 miles away, in 1863. The journey took 6 weeks. The mill was demolished in 1880. image
A wooden smock mill, with four common sails and fantail winding built in 1852. It was last used in 1863, and was burnt down in 1867. It was equipped with one pair of French burr millstones and one pair of grey stones. There was a store room around the base.
This limestone block tower mill with four patent, anti clockwise running sails and fantail winding was built in 1866. It was fitted with Ransome & Sim's patent crusher for oats and an Ashby's patent smutter. Three pairs of French burr millstones were used. It last worked in 1888 and was demolished in circa 1907-09 after a boy fell from the tower whilst collecting bird's eggs. The company name was JAS HASSELL & Co. 1870 image | c1900 image
A small non commercial mill was built by William WEBB.
A steam and wind powered flourmill, built for 3000 pounds NZ in the early 1850's. It originally failed to work because of being set up incorrectly. After the stones were recut and other matters sorted out it commenced operation. further information
An 1846 newspaper detailed a settlers intention to erect a mill.
[1871 - 1888]. A brick tower mill with five patent sails, fantail winding built in 1871 and demolished in 1888.
TOPGerman missionaries built a windmill there.
TOP