Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The first steam flour mill in London

The steam engine was early used in flour mill, in malt mills for breweries, in flint mills for the earthenware and china industry and in mills for crushing sugarcane for the West Indian refineries.

The firm of Boulton and Watt began in 1783 to build, in London, steam powered flour mill, known as Albion Mills.

In 1786 London’s first steam mill was erected on the bank of the Thames. These mills equipment was arranged by Watt himself with help of John Rennie, who later was to design Waterloo Bridge.

The mill began operating with one engine in 1786 and the second engine was not brought into operation until 1789.

Barges delivered the grain directly into the basement of the unimposing building. Inside the mill, two 50-horsepower steam engines together moved 20 pairs of millstones.

The output was expected to reach sixteen thousand bushel of flour a week. The Albion Mills were said to be means of sensibly reducing the price of flour in the metropolis, whilst they continued at work, for they occasioned a greater competition amongst the millers and meal-men than had ever existed before.

The Albion Mill was so productive that it provoked the resentment of its competitors. After five years, in 1791 a fire broke out, accompanied by the derisive howling of the London mob.

Although the Albion Mill was destroyed, may other steam engines continued to operate in and around London.
The first steam flour mill in London 

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