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Brookside Flour Mill
Description
TitleBrookside Flour Mill 
DescriptionIn 1872, Charles Withell leased land by the Irwell River to John Cole, who built a water driven flour mill.
John Cole’s son, John worked the mill until it was leased by George Trapnell from 1894.
In 1910 William Withell ran the mill and George Heslop, a miller from Irwell, bought it in 1916.
He worked it until 1921, when it was bought by George Trapnell .
The mill underwent a number of changes over the years to keep it up to date.
The wooden water wheel gave way to turbines which generated electricity for the mill and the mill house, next door.
The milling process was converted from stone grinding to roller milling, producing high-quality Trapnell’s RADIUM flour.
Flour was supplied to Stacy and Hawker and Boon Brothers Bakers.
The wheat was sourced from within 12 miles of the mill and was a mixture of Tuscan, Hunters and Pearl wheat varieties.
The flour was carted via Selwyn Lake Road to the Irwell Railway Station.
A seed cleaning plant operated alongside the mill and a grinder produced pig feed.
A unique feature of the mill was the large pipe organ built by Stanley Trapnell, who ran the mill and was the organist in St. Luke’s Anglican Church.
The pipes were made of English oak, turned by Stan on his own lathe, and they extended up through the three floors of the mill.
The mill closed down in 1947, was dismantled in 1954 and a large crowd from all over Canterbury attended the dispersal sale of machinery and timber.
Photo: The Brookside Flour Mill Courtesy of Allan Chapman
Wendy Dalley
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date25 May 2017SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationBrookside
DescriptionIn 1872, Charles Withell leased land by the Irwell River to John Cole, who built a water driven flour mill. John Cole’s son, John worked the mill until it was leased by George Trapnell from 1894.
In 1910 William Withell ran the mill and George Heslop, a miller from Irwell, bought it in 1916.
He worked it until 1921, when it was bought by George Trapnell .
The mill underwent a number of changes over the years to keep it up to date.
The wooden water wheel gave way to turbines which generated electricity for the mill and the mill house, next door.
The milling process was converted from stone grinding to roller milling, producing high-quality Trapnell’s RADIUM flour.
Flour was supplied to Stacy and Hawker and Boon Brothers Bakers.
The wheat was sourced from within 12 miles of the mill and was a mixture of Tuscan, Hunters and Pearl wheat varieties.
The flour was carted via Selwyn Lake Road to the Irwell Railway Station.
A seed cleaning plant operated alongside the mill and a grinder produced pig feed.
A unique feature of the mill was the large pipe organ built by Stanley Trapnell, who ran the mill and was the organist in St. Luke’s Anglican Church.
The pipes were made of English oak, turned by Stan on his own lathe, and they extended up through the three floors of the mill.
The mill closed down in 1947, was dismantled in 1954 and a large crowd from all over Canterbury attended the dispersal sale of machinery and timber.
Photo: The Brookside Flour Mill Courtesy of Allan Chapman
Wendy Dalley
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date25 May 2017SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationBrooksideClick on the image to add
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Brookside Flour Mill (25 May 2017). Selwyn Stories, accessed 29/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5357