French, Flour Bag Seal, J. Raffray, Image & Found by Giles Spencer.
Found in Hampshire, 18mm.
Wheat sheaf, J.RAFF(R)A(Y) around // five pointed star in ring of pellets, (AN)GERS around
A French flour bag seal from the Angers area.
Identification by Philippe Lanez who sent the following links:- La famille Richou : de la meunerie à la banque en Anjou, "The windmill of Bel Air in MontreuilBelfroy is transmitted by Richou François (1736-1806) and Marie Guilleux their daughter MarieAnne,who sold it in August 1814 to his cousin Rose Richou (1782-1861) married to Jacques Raffray. The Bel
Air mill was accompanied by a mansion sold by Louis and Rosalie Richou Arthus in January 1863."
Moments de Presqu’île, ""In 1880, Charles Anger small miller of the edges of the river Orne in Bully, joins with the son of his owner to create a mill kicks Victor Hugo, on the port of Caen, near the future electric plant.
At that time, there were 50,000 mills, or so, in France, among which 2,000 moved by steam. Ten hydraulic mills were settled along the river Orne between the villages of Evrecy and Bully.
In 1915, childless single , he is succeded by two nephews Edmond and Joseph Lemanissier. Joseph is Doctor of Medicine and a grandfather of the current director(manager). The company name becomes: E and J Lemanissier."
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"The mill was destroyed by fire caused WWII aerial bombardments on D-Day and followings in june 1944.
The reconstruction will last a number of years, because of the importance of the clearing of all the city of Caen and the scarcity of building materials.
In October, 1948 the mill restarts under the brand of Lemanissier - Dupuis flour-mill."
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In 1986, the Lemanissier-Dupuis limited company joins the family group Celbert ( Francine), who, after the acquisition of the mills of Saint Gabriel Brécy, merges both entities in Caen and creates AMO mill of Calix.
In 2008, the Celbert family group quits milling activity and sales all mills to an agricultural cooperative group named AXEREAL"