Monewden Parish Registers look up

[kettleburger]

Hi Hotrodpansy. I am the recorder for the parish of Monewden so perhaps I can help you.The Court Baron of 7th July 1830 shows William and his wife Agnes being copyhold farmers The first Kitson mentioned in the registers is William marrying Elizabeth Carter on 15/02/1779, daughter of Henry & Elizabeth Carter, and the last is the baptism of Rosabella on 22/04/1859. The records for Monewden mill are sketchy until the 19th Cent and the name does not appear so I don't think they were millers. I am writing this fairly late on 23rd Dec so I haven't delved very deeply. Hope this helps, Kettleburgher.

[kettleburger]

Hi, I now have had time for a closer look at what I have got on your Kitsons.The earliest entry I have is for a baptism of an Elizabeth Kittson (sic) on 21/10/1733 The court baron entry I spoke of,(07/07/1830) is William & Lydia surrendering their copyhold farm in Monewden and moving out as there are no Kitsons living in the village at the time of the Tithe map of 1838. I think you will have to be very careful of the repeating names William & Elizabeth! Against the burial entry for William 24/12/1780 & Elizabeth 04/06/1780 there is a note saying "both lived at Easton" (approx 2 miles from Monewden). The year before, 15/02/1779, William married Elizabeth Carter whose parents were Henry and Elizabeth.William was educated and could sign the register but Elizabeth could not. The family have one branch living in Monewden until the 1830s and the wedding of William, described as a farmer, to Lydia Philpot on 30/05/1809 appears to be a "shotgun" affair as there is a birth,Elizabeth, on 13/08/09. They go on to baptise Sarah,, 1811,William,1814,Benjamin Philpot,(27/07/1817),Henry Carter,(12/07/1818)Lydia,(08/04/1821),Mary Ann,(09/05/18240 & John,(08/04/1827). To end with,there were Kitsons farming at the adjacent village, Charsfield,until the 1990s.Regards, Newdenpete. 

[kettleburger]

Hi Hold everything! I have just had a look at Windy Millers excellent site and he speaks of the dissolution of a partnership of Monewden mill between William Kitson and James Durrant in Feb 1803 Quote "the partnership consisted in the flour trade only which will be continued by James Durrant on his own account" So you were correct in your assumption. Regards Kettleburger

[kettleburger]

Hi Hotrodpansy, As promised, a bit more on your Kitsons. I was in the S.R.O today and found the following adverts in the Ipswich Journal.
14/12/1822. By order of William Kitson all live and dead stock in Monewden. 3 carthorses, a chestnut colt, 2years old by Mr Clokes horse of Framlingham, 2 milch cows, 2 cowbuds,2 sows, one with 10 piglets, 7 small shoats, a capital road waggon, harvest waggon, 3 strong three quarter load tumbrels, a luggage cart, a turnip cart, a set of iron scarifiers, 3 ploughs, 2 gangs of harrows, 2 rollers, farm utensils and working tools.
Household. Mahogany and common bedsteads, 5 good feather beds, wool and hair matresses, a handsome 8 day clock, 30 hour ditto, a bureaux and bookcase, elegant sofa, mahogany and other sofas, chairs and every other article found in a well furnished farm house.

5/12/1829. Valuable farm house, stables & other buildings in good repair with 47 acres more or less of capital arable and pasture land with a new built cottage situated in Monewden in the occupation of the proprietor, William Kitson. This estate is part freehold & part copyhold.
N.B. Shoat= a young hog, Milch cow =one yielding milk, cow bud= a heiffer, a scarifier =probably a horse drawn rake to break up the soil. I haven't located the actual farm yet but I am pretty sure that it is Folly farm,a moated site and the oldest in the village. Some more meat on the bones

[hotrodpansy]

Hi Kettleburger, thanks so much for taking the time to look through the paper.....it certainly puts "meat on the bones" I will be able to add this to the life & times of William Kitson......Interesting, that you are convinced that it is "Folly Farm"  what makes you so sure? as there are plenty of other farms around?  I know that William's wife Elizabeth Carter, her father Henry Carter was a well repected Farmer of Monewden and had some vague connection to the mill their, but I cannot find anymore info on him atall...It's ashame that no farm names have been recorded on the documents.

I will continue looking/researching and let you know if I find anything interesting.

By the way, if there's anything that you wish me to look out for then just ask...I will be only to willing to help.  Regards Hotrodpansy

[windy_miller]

Hi Kettleburger & hotrodpansy,

Do either of you (or anyone else) know if Durrant's mill was the same mill that stood in the village till about 1928?  I suspect it was but it would be good to get confirmation.

Cheers,
Windy

[hotrodpansy]

Hi Windymiller, I thought that the mill that William Kitson was in was called "mortimers" but I could be mistaken??  I have definately heard of Durrants Mill but cannot think where....I will have a search around and let you know if I find anything....meanwhile Kettleburger may be able to help.  Regards Jenny

[windy_miller]

Thanks Jenny,

I'm leaning towards Kitson's & Durrant's mills being one and the same.

Windy

[kettleburger]

Hi Windy & Hotrod, I am 100% sure that you are correct Windy. Having lived in the village for more than 45 years and having spoken to the "gud owd boys" They never referred to it by any personal names but always as "the mill". As you know both Durrant and Mortimer had connections to the building although nearly a century apart. The Late Clifford Arbon. the last wheelwright who worked for his uncle in the wagon making business until it closed in the 1920s, told me that the Mortimers were a bit "above themselves". One of the daughters was short in stature and, according to Clifford, would stuff hay in her shoes to make herself look taller! As far as I know Mortimer was the last miller and, in the village hall, there is a photo of him standing on the mill steps. Interestingly enough Windy we have a field in the village which is referred to in a Manorial document of 1558 as "mellmount field" suggesting that this may be where the older mill stood. All evidence has been ploughed out but it would be placed about 400 yards from the later mill.Fascinating all this history isn't it? Regards, Peter.