Andy Selfe (1968F) may well be South Africa’s foremost molinologist – an expert in the study and operation of mills – and in December he was recognised by the City of Cape Town for his work on restoring Mostert’s Mill. He spoke to Deborah Rudman about his rare expertise

Regular visitors to Bot River near Hermanus are familiar with the sight of Andy Selfe  in action in the historic water mill at Beaumont Wines. On select Saturday mornings, Andy fires up the 250-year-old mill, which he carefully restored for the Beaumont family over a 10-year period, and puts it through its paces. It’s an absorbing spectacle and the finished product – freshly ground wheat flour – is available for purchase on the farm after his demonstration. (See Beaumont.co.za for dates.)

“Since I started the restoration of the water mill in 2006, I’ve made a study of mills worldwide,” he says, “helping out with problems at others in South Africa, notably La Motte in Franschhoek, Phoenix Roller Mill in Grahamstown, the Watermill at Elim, a spelt mill at Groenfontein in the Koue Bokkeveld, Josephine in Newlands, and the Big One – Mostert’s Mill!”

The restoration of Mostert’s Mill in Mowbray, Cape Town has been the most protracted and challenging of his projects to date. Andy had been helping the Friends of Mostert’s Mill (FOMM) team with technical issues over several years, correcting problems which were “never right” following a 1995 restoration carried out by a Dutch team. The faults were dealt with in stages, but milling continued in between the restoration work, to maintain public interest and ensure that money kept flowing in from membership subscriptions.

But on 18 April 2021, just as the team was completing their work, a vegetation fire broke out on the slopes of Devil’s Peak and quickly spread. A spark blew over the M3 highway and set the mill’s thatch roof alight. All the wooden machinery was destroyed, leaving only the masonry tower, the sails, the millstones and the original ironmongery. (For photographs of the devastating fire taken by Jean Tresfon (1992F) and Patrick Ryan (1985O), see Issue 7 of The Old Diocesan.)

“Our last upgrade, and the last on our list – never say ‘last’! – was the relining of the brake wheel and re-sizing of the brake blocks, which we finished the afternoon before the fire,” says Andy with a wry smile. “After the fire, a small restoration team was assembled, including FoMM chairman John Hammer, treasurer Clive Thorpe, architect John Wilson-Harris and myself. The first step to tackle the damage was to sift through the ash for metal pieces before ‘anyone else’ could… We did so the next day and on the public holiday in that same week.”

The technical stuff

“The restoration was divided into two sections. The tower, beams, floors, stairs, doors, shutters and the thatched cap and its framework was handled by Fagan’s under the direction of John Wilson-Harris. My responsibility was the milling machinery: the curb ring on which the cap with wind-shaft and sails turn to face the wind; the distinctive angular external beams which are used to turn the cap; the mobile framework which rests on the curb and which supports the wind-shaft, sails and brake-wheel; the vertical shaft which transmits the power down to the millstones, and the wooden enclosure for the stones called ‘furniture’. I selected a team of carpenters and joiners, each sharing part of the restoration, depending on their skills, wood and machinery availability and willingness to work with rudimentary plans! I also undertook to do part of the work myself, like wire-brushing and painting burnt metal components and some of the woodwork (‘Vandy’ wouldn’t let us call it ‘carpentry’ unless we were qualified in that trade!).

“On the volunteer side, we kept the group small, it’s a building site after all, and accidents can happen. I am doing my own input – mostly some easily made wooden parts – John Hammer has assisted on many fronts from the first day, and more recently Jakes Wallage has given valuable volunteer time.”

International participation

“The main breakthrough was contact with Pieter van der Poel from Ruperts. Through their willingness to pick up the tab for the main items, we could approach the very best carpenters, woodworkers, builders and engineers and ask them to do the best they could, with the best materials they could lay their hands on, and charge a normal fee, without having to ask for discounts. Other donors include the Roland and Leta Hill Trust, Afriforum, and our German au pair from my family’s time in London when I first went to school!

“Some funding has been secured but more is needed. A considerable amount of money has also been collected overseas by crowd-funding. We hope to use that in Holland by having specialists make the brake-wheel and pinion and the sail-cloths. April 2024 will be the third anniversary of the fire and I think (and sincerely hope) we’ll be running by then!”

A sung hero

Andy’s work was recognised at the Cape Town Civic Honours Ceremony in December 2023, where he, along with the Restoration Committee of Mostert’s Mill, received a Mayor’s Medal.

“To be even vaguely associated with the likes of co-award winners Albie Sachs, Athol Fugard, Basil D'Oliviera, Bennie Rabinowitz, Brenda Fassie, ‘Sailor’ Malan, Desiree Ellis, Breyten Breytenbach, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Jonathan Butler, Pieter-Dirk Uys, Krotoa and Archbishop Thabo Makgoba was a huge honour!” says Andy. “Then groups like ours, all volunteers, received medals. It was very moving.”

Andy is the only South African member of The International Molinological Society (TIMS). At present there is interest in his work at La Cotte in Franschhoek and Nieuwe Molen inside Alexandra Hospital, Maitland.

For more info, see Andy’s blog, which now runs to 19 chapters. To read more click on THIS LINK.

The interior of the water mill at Beaumont. 

Above a video clip of the brake block in operation.

The Beaumont water mill - an exterior view, showing its 250-year-old design, still robust and aesthetically pleasing.

Mostert’s Mill on 19 April 2021. Photograph courtesy of Bruce Jack’s Jack Journal.

A decorative nut from the vertical shaft of Mostert’s Mill, which was discovered in the ashes and subsequently re-used.

Mostert’s Mill today. Photograph courtesy of Bruce Jack’s Jack Journal.

 Congratulations to Andy Selfe and his Team.