Object number
63/521
Collection
Description
A mill bill is a hammer-like hand tool consisting of a bill (steel wedge) and a thrift (wooden handle). It is used for dressing millstones by the process of 'cracking' so that the correct grinding action is achieved between the upper stone, or 'runner', and the lower 'bed-stone'. This mill bill was collected by the donor's father, who was interested in rural crafts. The donor's father was one of the Bushell Brothers, Charlie and Joseph, who ran a canal boat building and repair business at Gannel in New Mill, Tring, on the Wendover Arm Canal, until their retirement in 1952. They also did general coach-building.
Archival history
MERL Miscellaneous note, Greta Bertram, 1 March 2013 – The Bushell Brothers, Charlie and Joseph, ran a canal boat building and repair business at Gannel in New Mill, Tring, on the Wendover Arm Canal. The business was founded by their father, Joseph Bushell Senior, in 1875. They took over its running in 1912, and the business closed in 1952 when they retired. This Collection comprises tools and other objects used at Bushell Brothers, as well as other various old tools that one of the Bushell brothers, who was always interested in rural crafts, collected druing his retirement. The majority of the Collection was donated by the daugther of one of the Bushell brothers, while other items were donated by a former employee.
Object name
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_5378.tif - High resolution image
