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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Suffolk => England => Suffolk Lookup Requests => Topic started by: suffolkboy_ on Thursday 26 June 14 12:57 BST (UK)
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Hi everyone,
I've just bought a site in Debenham with the stump of the former Debenham Tower Mill on it. I've done some research and found loads of information (over 30 photos and some reports and lists of millers); it's been so interesting!
Finding out about Debenham Tower Mill has made me intrigued about Cretingham Post Mill as the site sits on the edge of my family's land.
I've looked around on the internet and in various books but can't seem to find much about it at all. All I know is that it was built in 1837. After that there seems to be no record of it, or when it was demolished. I seem to remember an elderly gentleman (who has since died) telling me that he thought it was bomb damaged in WW2 and then demoished soon after.
Any information about it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
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There's a notice in the Ipswich journal dated 17 Mar 1877 about a forthcoming sale of "the Entire Machinery" arising from taking down the mill. This included two pairs of sails and three pairs of four foot French stones. The sale was to take place on 23rd March. The notice said it was to take place at the mill immediately after the sale of Mr Cooper's furniture by the direction of the Devisees of the late Charles Austin esq. So it looks like Mr Cooper and Mr Austin are connected to the mill - miller / owner??
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Hi Lizzie,
Thankyou so much for taking the time to look this up.
What you have found makes some sense. The Austin family lived in the village until about 30 years ago. In the mid 1800s i believe they owned a lot of property in and around the village. In the pub in the next village they have an old auction listing selling off much of the Austin's estate, including many acres of land and 2 (maybe 3) farms.
It seems like the mill wasn't standing for very long then, maybe only 40 years or less.
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Just had a browse through 1871 census for Cretingham, listed as millers are Isaac A Smith age 50 b Ipswich and Absolom Myson age 25 b Boyton, Suffolk. Absolom is listed as Isaac's son, but I think it must mean step son. Also listed is Isaac's wife - Mary Ann Smith age 48 and Grace Smith (daughter) age 10.
The census doesn't actually say Cretingham Mill, address is given as Ipswich Lane Cretingham.
What is really strange is that I first looked at this post because my husband's maternal line are connected to mills in Suffolk, but he has Mysons in his paternal line who we've now found also originally came from Suffolk.
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Thanks again Lizzie.
One thing to bear in mind is there was also a tower mill in Cretingham (on the edge of the boundary of Earl Soham I believe). Again I don't have any information on this except it was built in 1834.
On a side note, if anyone has any information on Debenham Tower Mill i would be very appreciative. I have already found out a lot, but there mut still be information I've missed.
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The address immediately after Isaac Smith in Ipswich Lane was in Ashfield road, if that makes it easier to pinpoint which mill.
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That sounds like an address close to the Tower Mill to me.
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The Austin family also lived at Brandeston Hall, very close to the border with Cretingham. Our friend's farm is on the boundary, back door in Cretingham and front door in Brandeston ::)
SM ...
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Isaac Smith the miller is also in Cretingham in 1861. Here the address is Brandeston Road
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Great, thanks Lizzie.
The mill and the house that still stands is on Brandeston Road. Might have to try and find a bit more out about Isaac Smith.
On a side note, I just bought a new metal detector, so if the weather stays good I might have a search around the Mill Site tonight to see what I can un-earth!
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Going back to 1851, the miller was Edward Oxborrow. Looks like same mill as Isaac Smith was at 10 years later.
And in 1841, there is a Mill Road listed with two households immediately before Brandeston Road. The miller is Isack Boon.
And a few pages on in 1841 Robert Symonds with occupation listed J Miller (poss journeyman?). He is living in what is helpfully listed as "Street". it comes a couple of entries after "Corner" and what looks like Vicarage House There are only four households after him before the parish ends.
So unless he assisted Isack Boon and lived some distance away from the mill, it's the first time I've found two millers in different places in the village
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1844 Whites directory has Edward Oxborrow as miller, so it changed hands between 1841 and 44.
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Hi everyone,
I really must check RC more often!!!
My database has following at Cretingham Mill (the old open-trestle mill). This is a list of millers & owner
Mofs (1789-1807)
Cooper (1807-1812)
Woods (1830-1832)
Been (1841) --- Edward Oxborrow(owner)
Oxborrow (1844-1855)
Smyth (1858-1874)
Ownership comes from 1841 Apportionment Book. Cooper reappears (along with Austin) in 1877 when the old grinder was pulled down
As for Tower mill; I'm unconvinced that she was built in 1834. She was for sale (Ips Journal) in 1834, but with no "newly erected" so it would seem she was built earlier than 1834. I also have following:-
Smith (1860) --- Wm. Edwards, dec'd, then Thos. Girling (1860).
This could be same Smith as Smyth?
Otherwise I currently have very little on this mill.
Cheers,
Windy
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I have a possible ancestor (Charles Pyett) who married in 1764 at Kettleburgh.
His parish is noted as Cretingham. Does anyone have any further information on him as I cannot seem to locate Cretingham registers.
Thanks
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I wonder if
Mofs (1789-1807)
is Moss with a long 's' and a short 's' ?
SM ...
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I have a possible ancestor (Charles Pyett) who married in 1764 at Kettleburgh.
His parish is noted as Cretingham. Does anyone have any further information on him as I cannot seem to locate Cretingham registers.
Thanks
Hello and welcome to Rootschat.
I suggest you start a new thread about your ancestor in Cretingham as it might not get seen in this thread about windmills in Cretingham.
If you navigate to the Suffolk main board and click on "New Topic" near the top it will start a new thread.
good luck!
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I have a family named Rice in the 1851 census who was a master miller. Is this the post mill or the tower mill ?
1851 Census, Street, Cretingham, Suffolk RG8 107 1802
Isaac Rice 25 malster master employing 1 man Little Horkesley
Caroline Rice 28 Haverhill
Charlotte C Rice 1 Cretingham
Emma Staff 12 servant Framsden
He was in Bradfield St George, by at the latest 1857. He married in the Cretingham area in 1849, but originated in Essex.
Julie
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I have looked at my db of Suffolk millers and cannot find anything for Isaac Rice. Could not find him in BNA archive either, only as a maltster.
Windy
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Edward Oxborrow is the only miller at Cretingham in Kelly's county directory for 1853, when Isaac Rice was a maltster (p. 345).
At an insolvency examination on 10 July 1858, Bury County Court heard that former maltster and farmer Isaac Rice went to live at Bradfield St George, as a maltster, in 1855, leaving no creditors at Cretingham (Bury and Norwich Post, 13 July 1858, page 2, column 7). Having fraudulently failed to inform the Inland Revenue of his malt-making in 1857, he had been in gaol at Bury St Edmunds for the past seven months and was apparently destined to remain there until February 1859.
David