Debenham Tower Mill

[Rezillo]

Hi Nick,
Very interested to hear that George B. Morphy may have ended up in the workhouse (not unusual in those days).  Any idea which workhouse and when?
Cheers,
Windy

Answering for Nick as I chipped in with the family history stuff, but it is the Union Workhouse, Rushmere St Andrew in 1901 where someone with his name and age is listed as a miller. Before that, he was a miller at Grundisburgh and Nayland.

[nickmorph]

Rezillo
thank you for the interesting information about the Websters.  (George) Benjamin Morphey was my great grandfather.  He had 8 children of whom I know about 2 - Hugh Webster Morphy was the youngest and was my grandfather and Benjamin born in 1878 in Grundisburgh was my great uncle who was married to Mary Ellen Purchas and had one child called Sybil who was my father's cousin.  My father was also called Hugh Webster Morphy. I think that Samuel Webster is also my greatx3 grandfather via Mary Ann Webster. So you are probably my 4th cousin!

Windy
(George) Benjamin Morphey was in Ipswich workhouse in 1901. I wasn't aware of the George but there are quite a few anomalies in the Ancestry records.

[windy_miller]

I've just checked my database for "Morphy" and it appears Benjamin M. was a tenant miller in Shotley in 1896 and 1897.  A storm in 1896 damaged the mill, the following year Morphy was being pursued for the rent (£18 per annum).  The case went to court and he lost.  This might explain why he ended up in the Workhouse?

Windy

[Rezillo]

Edmund Webster also represented him in a case about disputed costs of effects when Benjamin left Grundisburgh mill. Plus there is a court case best not posted about here.

[nickmorph]

Very interesting about the storm damage in 1896.  I know there is an apocryphal story in my family about a relative whose windmill blew down! Also intriguingly mysterious about the court case. Was there something dodgy going on?
I looked at all the records sents to me by Rezillo and they mostly fit together with what I have found out already.  It is confusing that the names in the records seem to get changed randomly so you have Morphey, Morphy and Morphew.  Also that second names seem to get transposed to first names like Benjamin Edmund. 
I have contacted my cousin who is more closely related to Sybil Florence to see if she knows anything about Benjamin and Mary Ellen splitting up.   

[Rezillo]

On a related subject, is anyone on Rootschat familiar with the use of Framsden Mill?

The Websters have a long association with the mill, from Sam, to his father Edmund, to his grandfather Edmund and his great grandfather Samuel (my 3Xgreat grandfather). The last two appear to be master millers employing men in 1851 and 1861 at Framsden but this seems to contradict the millers record in the Wikipedia entry for the mill.

I became aware of this when cross checking for someone in SFHS who is compiling a list of Suffolk millers.

[windy_miller]

Hi Rezillo,

I should be able to help you here, but have to go and watch the MIGHTY SPURS spank the Arse this afternoon.  If everything goes to plan then may this evening...unless I drowning my sorrows!

Windy

[Suffolk Mawther]

Noticed a new metal covering to the top of the mill at Framsden on the way home this week, looks inconguous, Have you seen it Windy?

Pat ...

[windy_miller]

Hi Rezillo & Mawther,

Well football could have been better, but we are still in the running.
The Websters did hold the mill from about 1853 until 1938.  Samuel Webster having taken on the mill following George Hovell Waller's bankruptcy in 1849 (any further dates would be nice).
There also seems to be a Samuel Webster in Thornham Magna in 1853 until about 1855 (was he a relative?).
Horatio Webster owned a mill in Badingham in 1838.
Not seem Framsden mill for a while; planning to pop over in the spring.

Windy