Garrison Theatricals

This is the fifth in an an ongoing series of short posts by Dave Burnett, who trained as a real-life miller, and who also plays the old miller, Kelmar, in The Miller and His Men.

The Army Comes to Town by Dave Burnett

It was advisable for the miller to be on good terms with the local garrison. Many of the commanders had the authority to administer water rights and land holdings—both critical to the mill. The military also came with cash to purchase the flour and food produced by the pioneers in the community.

George Russell Dartnell, Old saw mill on the Thames River, from Blackfriar's Bridge, London, Canada West. 25 Oct 1842. Library and Archives Canada, accession number: 1995-28-20

Actor Andrew House, playing the dishonest Miller, "Grindoff", in The Miller and His Men

This is the fourth in an an ongoing series of short posts by Dave Burnett, who trained as a real-life miller, and who also plays the old miller, Kelmar, in The Miller and His Men.

The Only Game in Town by Dave Burnett

Unfortunately, there was often only one mill in each settlement, so one was stuck dealing with a less than honest miller. Grain or timber were often the only commodities that the pioneers could turn into ready cash, apart from their labour. One common complaint among settlers was that they would deliver top grade wheat to the mill only to receive poor quality flour in return. The miller would be accused of keeping the best for himself. This attitude even exists today among some farmers.

Dave Burnett with millstone in front of Miller Barn, Fanshawe Pioneer Village (Photo credit: Michael Gelman)

This is the third in an an ongoing series of short posts by Dave Burnett, who trained as a real-life miller, and who also plays the old miller, Kelmar, in The Miller and His Men.

The Miller’s Reputation by Dave Burnett

Ten bags of wheat to the mill did not mean returning home with ten bags of flour. Several factors contributed to the inefficiency of the process, including honesty. Today, the industry is tightly regulated, but each miller and mill in the 1800s had their own standards.

Since many pioneers had limited cash, the miller would hold back some of the flour as payment for his troubles. The considerable variance in the miller’s take gave rise several decades later to our contemporary standards.