The Blokker or Blokweerse molen is one of nineteen Kinderdijk mills. These mills are located in the Dutch province of South Holland. Unlike the other eighteen, this mill is just off the territory of the village of Kinderdijk, which belongs to the municipality of Molenlanden, but in the neighbouring municipality of Alblasserdam. The mill is also known as 'Blokkerse Wip', and this is because it is a seesaw mill. It was designed to drain the Blokweerse part of the Alblasserwaard.
There was already a mill on the site of De Blokker in the Middle Ages. It was set on fire by Spanish troops during the Dutch revolt. The current mill dates from 1630. Rebuilding took place in 2001 after it was partially burnt down in 1997.
The Blokker is built on a brick parapet. The flight is 26.9 metres and the scoop wheel has a diameter of 5.7 metres. Exceptional for a seesaw mill is the presence of an outside catching pole for operating the vang (brake).
Owner of the mill is Kinderdijk World Heritage Foundation.
As a schoolboy, I sat with my father in the darkroom to print class photographs in black and white. As a reward I got some pocket money. This is where love for photography came into being, and that is how I learned the art in the analogue age.. Read more…