Monds & Affleck

Monds' mills at Carrick, 1900 (AOT, PH30/1/4460)

Monds & Affleck was a Launceston flourmilling company built on the achievements of Thomas Monds (1829–1916) and Thomas Affleck (c 1837–1898). Monds, son of a convict, worked at mills around Launceston and in Hobart before buying the Carrick mill in 1867, turning it into one of the premier mills in the colony. Affleck migrated to Tasmania in 1860, soon becoming head miller for David Ritchie at the Scone Mill at Perth. In 1871 he leased, and five years later bought, the Newry Mill at Longford, and built it into one of Tasmania's largest mills. Both firms introduced roller milling plant in 1890 and by 1908 had established mills in the centre of Launceston, to handle imported wheat.

Following the 1918 amalgamation of TW Monds & Sons and T Affleck & Son, the Monds Mill on the Esplanade was used for the production of flour and Affleck's Crown Mill in Cameron Street for oatmeal, split peas and pearl barley, until the latter building was sold in the 1970s. Monds & Affleck expanded to Hobart in 1960, building a new mill at Salamanca Place. When in 1972 the firm took over Gibson's Mill in Hobart, and in 1973 bought Launceston's Ritchie's Mill, it became the only flourmilling company in the state. In 1995 the firm was bought by mainland interests, who closed all but the Esplanade mill, now renamed the Tasmanian Flour Mills.

Further reading: J Cassidy & K Preston, Thematic study of the Tasmanian flour milling industry, Launceston, 2000.

Jill Cassidy