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WILFRED FOREMAN trained as an architect but the recession of the 1930s drove him to exploit another talent, developed through brass band training. He became a professional trumpet player, working in Europe and, eventually, joining the Cape Town Municipal Orchestra.
He served in the South African army during the war, after which he became a member of the South African Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra in Johannesburg.
On retirement he returned to Oxford with his wife Sylvia and family of four.
He served in the South African army during the war, after which he became a member of the South African Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra in Johannesburg.
On retirement he returned to Oxford with his wife Sylvia and family of four.
His interest in wind and water mills developed late in life and he applied his early architectural training to the production of a series of measured drawings of mills both in Oxfordshire and elsewhere. Several of his diagrams of Combe Mill still exist. His scale drawings of the 1852 Thomas Piggott Combe Mill Beam Engine, used as Illustration 8 by George Watkins in his book The Stationary Steam Engine published in late 1960s, are still available from the Combe Mill shop.
Wilfred was a long time member of the Combe Mill Society serving at one time as Chairman and afterwards, as lifetime President until his death in 1997.
For his work on Oxfordshire mills he received the Watermill Award of the Society for Preservation of Ancient Buildings, in 1980 and his book Oxfordshire Mills is still recognized as a definitive work on the subject.
Wilfred was a long time member of the Combe Mill Society serving at one time as Chairman and afterwards, as lifetime President until his death in 1997.
For his work on Oxfordshire mills he received the Watermill Award of the Society for Preservation of Ancient Buildings, in 1980 and his book Oxfordshire Mills is still recognized as a definitive work on the subject.
