From a safe distance, Jamie the Scottish Terrier, supervised the crew at Mostert’s Mill, which he noted was back in working order earlier this month.
After nearly three years of dedication and skill, the sails of Mostert’s Mill are singing again, thanks largely to the passion of Boland millwright, Andy Selfe of Grabouw.
Andy was thrilled when a strong South Easter blew, gently turned the elegant sails, whose energy then passed to the millstones which crushed wheat into fine meal.
It was the first Mill Day since a runaway fire burned down the historic windmill on April 18, 2021.
The millstones had been found outside a mill in Barcelona and shipped to Cape Town. Everyone was holding thumbs that the two large stones would work together.
“Not only do they have to meet, they have to make love to each other,’’ said Andy, with a huge grin on his face.
The grinding noises certainly sounded like two ancient creatures making love. Which indeed they were, as Mostert’s is the only windmill in Africa which crushes wheat, a unique cultural heritage, dating back to 1796.
Also there on Mill Day (Saturday March 2) was the chairman of the Friends of Mostert’s Mill, former Harbour Pilot, John Hammer.
He was joined by architect John Wilson-Harris and Jon Stevens (who was responsible for much of the rebuilding).
Support for the restoration was also thanks to Sven Verbeek, a Dutch miller, who had crowdfunded in the Netherlands.
He raised funds to buy second-hand millstones from a watermill outside Barcelona and new sailcloths (which he brought to Cape Town in his luggage).
The team decided to do as much as possible locally, and employed two Boland carpenters, Charel Rosseau and Juan Blom to make the mill furniture.
This included the hopper (a funnel for the grain), the horse (a frame supporting the hopper) and the tun, a beautiful round wooden box enclosing the mill stones.
Jon Stevens of Maitland made the roof structure known as the cap, new doors and shutters. He also made the wooden lattice work for the sails, reusing steel which had been rescued.
Mike Sutten of Solid Engineering Solutions in Grabouw made the round parts, the curb and the gears and Kimon Mamacos from Hout Bay made the wind-shaft and beams and floors.
All four men (three Johns and one Andy) used their Norwegian Steam (sailor’s slang for muscle power), to turn the big capstan wheel at the rear or the mill, in such a way that the cap was facing the full brunt of the wind.
John Hammer, a former sailor, joked that they would need to make up a shanty song to help them along (Hey, Ho and up she rises).
John Hammer’s Scottish Terrier, Jamie, acted as foreman.
The Scottie dog is the symbol of the Restoration Team, and can be seen on the end of the brake pole, cast in iron.
Next all three men held onto one of the sails, while John Hammer shinnied (**CHECK**) up.
He treated the sail as a step ladder, with 20 rungs, a sail cloth loosely draped around him, which he fastened at the top.
Showing no sign of fear, he proceeded to climb up all four sails in turn. As the wind was picking up, they decided to reef each cloth into the shape of a dagger point.
This would enable them to control the speed of the sails. ‘’We don’t want the sails to go lickety-split,’’ said Hammer.
Andy went inside the mill to check the progress. Fresh grains of wheat had been poured into the funnel at the top, known as the hopper.
The grain had been donated by Johan Mostert (no relation to the original Mostert, but as Henry Ford junior used to say: ‘’my name is on the building’’).
Andy climbed down the new staircase, passing beneath the beautiful wooden parts, made from 25 different kinds of wood, by himself and master craftsmen.
He scooped up the ground meal at the spout, where Jon scooped up the fresh product into paper bags. Andy ran his fingers through the meal, some of it as white and soft as talcum powder.
John Hammer took home a packet and baked a delicious loaf of healthy bread. Well satisfied, he noted that not many people could say they had milled it and baked it.
Jamie the Scottie looked on. If he could talk he would say: “Makes me feel humble and kinda proud’’.
The restoration of the iconic structure was noticed by the Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, who has awarded the Restoration Team of the Friends of Mostert’s Mill a gold medal for their community service.
