Millstone Dresser - Thomas Devey (1977)

Thomas Devey spent all his employed life at Worsbrough Mill near Barnsley and was at the time of filming retired. The film shows him demonstrating the craft of millstone dressing which is ‘the act of cutting, then maintaining the pattern of furrows and flat lands between them which sit on the grinding faces on the millstones’. Although his trade served flour milling, dressing stone in this manner was also relevant to other trades across South Yorkshire.
One of the series of South Yorkshire County Council sponsored films commissioned from Sheffield Independent Film and the Sheffield City Polytechnic to document ‘little mester’ trades. This film was No.4 in the series entitled 'Trades & Crafts'.
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[@scrimdog3328]

Honest work for honest men. Privileged to now have this memory 👊💪

[@atmywitsend1984]

The patience and love of this mans craft,is sadly all but forgotten. This video should have millions of views in the 4 years it has been on here. I never even knew that this was even a thing. I feel embarrassed by my education. Our history classes mainly covered wars and royalty,this is what i would much rather have been taught,social history fascinates me. I am so grateful that this was filmed. I would have loved to actually hear the miller talking though. The narrator was very good,but to actually here it from this amazing guy,would have been lovely.

[@davidswanson5669]

It’s possible that when we were kids, we didn’t have the patience, or interest, or perspective that accrues as you age. Yes we were also bombarded by mountains of useless knowledge (certain math and science classes had absolutely zero legitimate value being required in grade school), but I think the real thing lacking was more classes on constitutional rights/laws, and how to properly act and react in a world of different opinions and contentious interactions.
As for the great subject matter here, aren’t we glad that RUclips exists and is filled to the brim with things that kids might seek out or be led to? Sure mountains of crap too, but so is the real world.

[@tonywatson987]

Heartbreaking to see Thomas struggling with his Parkinson's to cut the grooves accurately - but he sticks at it, despite the shakiness of his grip, good on him!

[@acmhfmggru]

Maybe he was an alcoholic?

[@andrewschrotenboer9445]

My grandfather used to work in the DeZwaan windmill where he occasionally dressed the stones for milling. First American miller of the mill in 1965.

[@christopherckarkson5605]

Hello, love these old films, and the craftsmen in them

[@SiskinOnUTube]

I made sculpture from Yorkshire millstone grit when I was a student. It was tough going.

[@adrianaaraujo8634]

Nice record :O)

[@shedasaurus]

Surprised how coarse the grain of the stone is. I thought they would have used a much finer grain stone

[@4570Govt]

Likely for animal feed

[@SusanPearce_H]

1970s CNC?