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The International Molinological Society (TIMS) is active since 1965, and is the only organization dedicated to mills at a worldwide scale. TIMS has around 400 members in over 35 countries.

In Memoriam Dr. T. Lindsay Baker

Our dear mill friend T. Lindsay Baker passed away on June 11, 2026, as the result of a car accident. He was seventy-nine years old.

Lindsay was born on the 22nd of April 1947, in Cleburne, Texas. As a young boy he became interested in windmills. His grandfather had a farm with a Baker’s 702 Model Aermotor windmill pumping water. Throughout his childhood, he enjoyed identifying the different windmill manufacturers based on the shapes of the tail vanes and the names stenciled on them.

Lindsay became the expert on American windmills. His most famous book is “A Field Guide to American Windmills” with over 500 pages. Even more impressive is his work as editor/publisher of the Windmillers´ Gazette, from 1982 onwards with 4 issues every year!!

He was a very active TIMS member, presenting papers on all symposiums he attended, and from 1993 to 2000 he served as TIMS Council Member representing USA. He also edited BM18 “A Guide to United States Patents for Windmills and Wind Engines 1793-1950”.

Some of us might have attended Lindsay’s final international presentation, “Wind Machines Pumping Water in North America” to the Craft of the Miller Network in Europe, in April 2026.
And we can be sure, Lindsay was planning to come to the 2027 TIMS Symposium in Poland.

With the passing of Lindsay we miss a passioned molinologist who put the American windmill on the stage. He was a kind and friendly man who stimulated others and always had a positive word for his fellow molinologists. TIMS is grateful for all the contributions he made to our society. We will deeply miss him.

TIMS Online Presentations 2026

Our next TIMS Online Presentation will be in September or October (details will follow).

All previous presentations can be found in the Digital Library . . .

PL2027 - The 17th TIMS Symposium in Poland - Introduction

The 17th TIMS Symposium will take place from the 10th to the 16th of May 2027, and the Post-Tour will be from the 17th to the 21st of May.

The venue of the Symposium will be the National Museum of Agriculture and Food Industry in Szreniawa, which is about 14 km south of the city of Poznan. Poznan can easily be reached by car, and has excellent railway connections, as well as its own airport.

Our Symposium Chairman is Marcin Stefaniak, who is working at the Museum of Milling and Water Equipment of Rural Industry in Jaracz, a branch of the National Museum of Agriculture and Food Industry in Szreniawa.

Of course, a visit to Marcin's museum is planned during the Symposium.

The theme for the Symposium is “Documentation and Restoration of Historic Mill Buildings”, so papers on this topic will be appreciated. Of course, papers on other topics are welcome as well.

The Symposium hotel will be Hotel Delicjusz, about 3 km south west of the Symposium venue.

PL2027 - Invitation to the 17th TIMS Symposium in Poland

PL2027 - Call for Papers

We call on all TIMS members and others to present their molinological research as a formal paper and/or as an informal, short contribution. Papers on all molinological topics are welcome.

It is our intention to let the theme “Documentation and Restoration of Historic Mill Buildings” be the guiding theme throughout the Symposium. Therefore, we especially would appreciate papers on this topic.

Please let us know, when you plan to submit a formal paper or to present a short/informal contribution, by means of a filled-in "Paper Submission Form". 

Deadline for submission of papers is the 15th of January 2027. Please read and follow the “Formal Paper instructions”, as well as the "Instructions and Information for Presenters".

In memoriam Yolt IJzerman 1950-2026

At the age of seven, Yolt IJzerman was made a member of the Dutch Windmill Association (Vereniging De Hollandsche Molen) by his father. This gift caused quite a stir. In South Holland, as a child, Yolt just managed to witness the last professional millers on polder windmills. He became fascinated by mill culture in the broadest sense. From his studies at Wageningen University, Yolt immersed himself in the Veluwe springs, artificial streams, and the watermills situated along them. From 1982 until his passing, Yolt was an active board member of the Bekenstichting, which is dedicated to preserving this green and mill-related heritage. He was also a voluntary miller and a member of the examination committee for new millers in the province of Friesland. Although born in Amsterdam he spoke fluent Frisian.

Yolt was already a member of our society around 1970. He was still a student when the symposium was held in the Netherlands in 1973. The symposium chairman allowed Yolt to participate and to sleep in his student room in Wageningen. Since then, Yolt was a passionate fan of TIMS. This resulted in active participation in symposia, writing papers, and inspiring others. Yolt's three most important contributions are: his chairmanship of TIMS from 1993 to 2000, the organization of the TIMS Symposium in the Netherlands in 2007, and the professionalization of International Molinology.

As he wrote himself: there is still so much to do, but I have had a beautiful life. 

With Yolt, we lose not only a great expert on windmills but also a valued friend. 

Ton Meesters,
TIMS President

Latest issue of E-News available for download

TIMS E-News Issue 40 (Spring 2026) is now available for download.

Enjoy reading!!