At our Speaker meeting on 14th July we had a most interesting and entertaining speaker in Sarah Harris who talked about Windmills and Windmillers in Somerset. We learned that the Romans brought the technology of wind power to Britain, and then the technology came from Yorkshire to Somerset. The Post Mill, common in Somerset, is the earliest type of European windmill. Its defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single central vertical post. Post mills were only for grinding corn. Sarah told us that the miller in those days was like the white van man from the Middle Ages. Although a necessary member of rural communities, the miller was often unpopular, regarded as mean-spirited and sometimes a cheat, taking more money than he was entitled to. In Somerset, the 18th century Ashton Mill

  On Monday evening, SI Bristol enjoyed a lively gathering at our monthly Supper Meeting, where we welcomed new and potential members into our group.     We were also delighted to host our guest speaker, Nick Wray, curator of the renowned Bristol Botanic Garden and recipient of the prestigious RHS Associate of Honour for his distinguished contributions to horticulture. With over 30 years at the garden, Nick was instrumental in creating the new garden at The Holmes, located near the Bristol Downs. Remarkably, this was the first major redevelopment of a botanic garden in the UK in nearly 40 years. Nick, a passionate traveller, took us on a fascinating “whistle-stop tour” of the gardens and landscapes of Sicily. From the ancient city of Palermo to the white sandy beaches of Mondello, he shared insights into the island’s rich history, diverse cultural influences, and stunning architecture. Sicily—Italy’s largest island—is known for its unique blend of Norman,

    Rob Bayly, was employed by the BBC for over 33 years and was a producer on many of the BBC’s most popular factual TV programmes such as ‘The Antiques Roadshow’.   Rob entertained us with stories about how the programmes were created. During his talk he shared many ‘behind the scenes’ stories not least working with the Roadshow team of antiques specialists and presenter Fiona Bruce. Needless to say he kept us all entertained throughout! The BBC trained Rob as a Studio Manager, specialising in sessions for shows like John Peel. He then went into TV production. Rob started his working life in the future with the TV programme ‘Tomorrow’s World’ & finished working for the BBC in the past producing the ‘Antiques Roadshow’. He is also a balloon pilot, having flown with Bristol’s Don Cameron, so that’s possibly a theme for a