Chimney Demolition
In 1959 the new owner of the mill, agricultural Engineer John Soper, had the 120ft chimney demolished. Charges were set and the tower felled onto what is now the football pitch. The Soper family collected the bricks and John and his wife, Phyllis, chipped off the mortar so they could be reused to build the family a new home, which still exists today. There were thought to be some 33,000 bricks!
See the newspaper articles page for an article from 1960 in the South Devon Journal.
The chimney, giving an idea of height
Setting the charge
Close up of the charge
Health and safety in 1959
Beginning to fall
Coming in to land
Breaking up on the way down
Bricks strewn on the football pitch
Soper kids climbing on the bricks
Soper family with bricks
Phyllis Soper cleaning bricks
John Soper cleaning bricks
A young Soper
Starting building work
Buiding work
Child labour
Buiding progressing
Build going well
Roof going on
Family inspecting progress
Roof work continuing
Porch construction
More health and safety
Finished in snow
The finished house looking splendid