Poole Lifeboat station has had a somewhat peripatetic existence. The first station was built at North Haven in 1865, and the boat was launched from Sandbanks beach.
In 1882 it moved to the building featured here at Fisherman's Dock, now known as the Old Lifeboat Station. In 1939 Poole received its first motorised lifeboat, the Thomas Kirk Wright
which is still housed in this building.
Then in 1974 the lifeboat station moved to Lilliput Marina, before finally ending up back on Poole Quay up by the lifting bridge in 1989.
As well as the Thomas Kirk Wright, the Old Lifeboat Station now houses a small museum and RNLI shop.
It is open most days in the summer. Check the official site detailed below for details.
Poole Old Lifeboat Museum and Shop
A single page of information on RNLIs' official site, with details of opening times, etc. https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/museums/poole-old-lifeboat-museum
Tucked away at the back of a small industrial estate (built, no doubt, on the old station yard) is one of the few remaining station buildings from the long lamented Somerset and Dorset Railway.
Now being lovingly restored by volunteers, it is open for external viewing every weekend.
There has been a mill on this site since at least the eleventh century, when it was owned by Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight. The current building dates from about 1900 and was driven by a 50" turbine made by a local Ringwood firm, Armfield Engineering. The building and all the machinery are substantially intact but disused. Rumour has it that public access is arranged from time to time by the Friends of Throop Mill.
There is a footpath past the mill and over the weir to a pleasant stretch of riverside walking.
I remember Throop Mill from when I was a young child. It has a fascination for me and my brothers. My mother forbid us to go near the river or mill without her. Of course we would go there as with all children water attracts. The Mill owner in those days was a Mr. Richard Parsons. I remember seeing the men inside the mill on a hot day, covered in white. On a summer Sunday the mill wouldn't be working so the water coming through from the wheel was a shallow stream where we children could paddle with mother watching.
Karen
I too remember this mill from my childhood - my father used to take us with him to collect flour used to make the batter for his fish and chip shop in Winton. We often used to walk over the walls looking down at the rushing water and on over hte meadows.
The current building dates from around 1760, although there is some evidence to suggest that there was a mill on the site prior to this date. It probably had two undershot waterwheels which were replaced around the turn of the last century with an Armfield "British Empire Turbine".
All the machinery was stripped out when milling ceased in 1966, and it became in turn a coal yard, a builders' yard and a furniture showroom. It was bought by the local District Council in 1983, and is now a craft showroom and workshops.
External Links and References
External Links
Walford Mill Craft Centre
Comprehensive coverage of all the activities at the mill. http://www.walfordmillcrafts.co.uk/
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