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Peter McGill's Flourmill at Tapanui
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Peter McGill erected for John Patterson a large store and flourmill in Tapanui with new machinery powered by a water wheel.
McGill deserves more than a mention for erecting the Tapanui Flourmill. Born in Wigtonshire in 1826 he arrived in Otago as a third steward on the �Mooltan� in 1849 and helped to build the first mill in Otago owned by Valpy in 1852. Planned by James Adam, who arrived on the �Phillip Laing�, it was situated at the Water of Leith where McGill worked for four years as miller, saving sufficient funds to build his own mill. This he did at Tokomairiro, with the help of James Elder Brown who helped erect Valpy�s mill. Brown had arrived on the �Ajax� January 8th, 1849, as had Valpy, his wife and family. Brown worked with McGill and William Henry Valpy for twenty months. Valpy was the first person to travel overland from Christchurch to Dunedin in 1852 in the company of two shepherds Donald and Duncan Cameron, taking twelve days. In 1853 Valpy drove the first mob of horses from Dunedin to Christchurch.
McGill, felling the necessary timber for his mill and house started in 1856. The gristing began eighteen months later on September 19th, 1857 using waterpower from the Tokomairiro River, grinding with a pair of stones, 1500 bushels of wheat in the first year, he sold flour and oatmeal.
In September 1873 McGill constructed a flourmill at Ettrick. In order for operation a water race was needed and applied for unfortunately finding an objection lodged by John Fry Kitching, Clarke�s manager on Moa Flat Station. The necessary liquid flowed from the Benger Burn Creek, running on the freehold property.
The above notes are part of my book West Otago - 150 Years, Farming and Families. If you would like to read more about Peter McGill and John Patterson or Kitching and Clarke, the book will be available towards the end of 2008. You can contribute and have your family included in the book if they lived or worked in West Otago.
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