|
White Mill or Thirsk's Mill
(Low Mill in some references) |
|
| In a reference in the Minster library, Thomas Dolman (1617) leased the Deanery Estate, his house in Market Place, and white mill at s-w end of town. The water mill was called White or Hodgson Mill. The name Low Mill was also used on some maps and references, but after 1895 was known as Thirsk's Mill. for centuries, the mill was owned by the Dean of York and leased to tenants, but was in private hands by 1850. Water was supplemented by steam by 1893, and by gas by 1913, and the stones were replaced by rollers by 1892. |
|
1910 Ordnance Survey Map
(Note the Railway Line to Pocklington Station)
|
|
The York Herald, June 30, 1792 |
| |
|
The York Herald - February 5th, 1844 |
|
Leeds Mercury, Sep 28, 1850 |
|
The York Herald - April 16th 1887 |
|
Hull Daily Mail - Saturday 24 February 1917 |
|
This photograph is of the Thirsk family with kind permission from Melanie Hutchinson.
James Thirsk is the older gentleman to the right of the photograph.
The small boy in the front of the photo is Thomas James Thirsk (Tommy) a well known golfer. He was born in Pocklington in 1900. |
|
| The Thirsk milling and farming dynasty was formed in the C19th by James Thirsk. He was one of at least 14 children who grew up in the family grocer's shop in Beverley. His siblings had a variety of occupations in various localities, including farm labourer, blacksmith, corn merchant, clerk and photograph, but James and two of his brothers ended up working in corn mills in Scotland. He returned to East Yorkshire c1880 to take on Westwood Union Windmill, now part of the clubhouse of Beverley Golf Club. In the early 1900s the business expanded to include White Mill in Pocklington, and other mills at Nafferton and Driffield, while another branch of the family had a windmill at North Newbald. |
| The photograph above of mill workers would have to be after 1887 when the Thirsk family bought their Pocklington mill on West Green, and they took on Station Mills at Nafferton in the following decade. The Beverley Westwood mill closed in 1897 but the family could have moved to another elsewhere in Beverley. This could be members of the Thirsk family in the late 1890s/early 1900s. |
| |
|
Advertisment in the programme for the 1911 Synod held at the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Union Street |
| |
|
Town Guide from 1930's |
| |
| |
| Millers of Low or White Mill |
| |
|
| 1951 T & C |
Thirsk & Sons, West Green |
| 1937 Kelly's Directory |
Thirsk & Sons, millers, corn, cake & seed merchants, Anglo-Hungarian flour mills (T N 12); & at Nafferton;
Beverley; York; Driffield (TN 12) & Bridlington.See Advt. Index
°Thirsk Harry farmer, The Groves farm, West Green. TN 12 |
| 1933 Kelly's Directory |
Thirsk & Sons, millers (suction gas, steam & water), corn, cake & seed merchants, Anglo-Hungarian flour mills, West Green (T N 12) ; & at Nafferton ; Beverley ; York ; Driffield (T N 12) &. Bridlington. See Advt. Inden
*Thirsk Harry farmer, The Groves farm, West Green. T N 12 |
| 1929 Kelly's Directory |
Thirsk & Sons, millers (suction gas, steam & water), corn, cake & seed merchants & farmers. Anglo -Hungarian Flour mills, West Green (T N 12); & at Naflerton; Beverley; York; Driffield (T N 12) & Bridlington. Sea Advt. Index °
Thirsk Harry, farmer. West Green |
| 1921 Kelly's Directory |
Thirsk & Sons, millers (suction gas, steam & water), -corn, cake & seed merchants & farmers, Flour mills, West Green; & at Nafferton; Beverley; York; Driffield & Bridlington. |
| 1913 Kelly's Directory |
Thirsk & Sons, millers (suction gas, steam & water), corn, cake & seed merchants & farmers, Anglo-Hungarian flour mills, West Green; & at Nafferton; Beveriey; York; Driffeld & Bridlington. |
| 1909 Kelly's Directory |
Thirsk & Sons, millers (steam & water), corn, cake & seed merchants, Anglo-Hungarian flour mills, West green ; & at Nafferton ; Beverley ; York; Driffield & Bridlington. |
| 1905 Kelly's Directory |
Thirsk & Sons, millers (steam & water), corn, cake ft seed merchants, Anglo-Hungarian flour mills,West grn |
| 1897 Kelly's Directory |
Thirsk James & Son, millers (steam & water), Anglo-Hungarian flour mills, West green |
| 1892 Bulmers Directory |
Thirsk James & Son., Anglo-Hungarian Boiler mills |
| 1889 Kelly's Directory |
Thirsk James & Son, millers (steam & water), extra double superfine flour ; all feeding articles in stock ; farmers who
bring their corn can have it back with them ground &c. without delay, Anglo-Hungarian Flour mills, West green |
| 1887 The York Herald |
Sale of the Mill due to Fieri Facias (debt order) |
| 1879 PO Directory |
Moon Emery Cornelius, farmer & milIer, White mills West grn |
| 1862 Beverley Archives |
Particulars of sale relating to property in Pocklington DDPY/19/5 13 Nov 1862
Contents:
Property: water and steam corn mills called 'Factory Mills'; Carr Farm near Pocklington New Inn; land (170 acres two roods 36 perches in all)
|
| 1858 White's Directory |
ThackrayW. Factry.Ml |
| 1851 White's Directory |
Thackray W., Factry. Mill |
| 1851 Census |
|
| 1844 William's Directory |
Peart, James and Josh., West-green |
| 1841 Census |
|
| 1840 White's Directory |
Peart Jas. & Jph. Wgn |
| 1835 Yorkshire Gazette - 2 May 1835 |
POCKLINGTON.
To SOLD BY PRIVATE CONTRACT, or LET for a Term of Years.
ALL that complete WATER CORN MILL, very eligibly situate within a few hundred yards of the market town of Pocklington East Riding of the County York called known the name of the Low Mill, containing 1 pair French, 1 pair of Grey, and one pair of Shelling Stones ; 2 Drying Kilns, with Dressing and other requisite Machinery. Also Tenement adjoining. Mill Garth, Orchard, Stables, Sheds, and other useful Outbuildings. And also Three Closes of excellent Land, situate near the aforesaid Mills, containing 8 Acres or thereabouts. , The Mill supplied an excellent fall of Water, and turned by overshot wheel, nearly new. The above is a most desirable Estate either for Purchase or Occupation, being situated in a good Corn District, at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds, and a short distance from the Pocklington Canal. The Property is Leasehold under the Dean of York, the Lease of which has been renewed within few months, and is now in possession of Messrs. J. and J. Peart, to whom application for further particulars may made, either at Pocklington or York. Also be sold by Private Contract, a very good STEAM ENGINE, of Six Horse Power, with Boiler, &c. and complete every respect. Apply as above. York, April, 30, 1835. (One Concern.) |
| 1834 Pigot's Directory |
Peart James & Sons (& corn merchants) Pocklington, and at York |
| 1831 White's Directory |
Pate James & Sons, Wgn |
| 1823 Baine's Directory |
Peart James, Low mill |
| 1813 Letter Ref. Roger Bellingham thesis |
A letter from William Weddall to the Dean of York's representative in 1813. Weddall was anxious to prevent an increase in rent and was therefore endeavoring to put forward as many negative factors as possible. Thus his suggestion that his two tenants* 'depend upon Country Custom such as Grinding for farmers' indicates that these corn mills had a widespread clientele in nearby rural areas, but suggests that there was also a more profitable market that Weddall's tenants could not currently tap, perhaps York, but may be further afield. By 1813 it was a corn mill. |
| 1792 Newspaper references in Roger Bellingham's thesis |
John Weddall, probably William's father, in 1792 he advertised a corn mill at Pocklington as 'well situated for the cotton or woollen manufactory. In the event he appears to have gone into partnership with others and in 1796 it was said to be a worsted mill at which wool was probably combed and spun by machinery. |
1563 Thomas Bishop
'Yorkshire Fines: 1563', Feet of Fines of the Tudor period [Yorks]: part 1: 1486-1571(1887), pp. 273-279. URL |
Manor of Pocklyngton and 60 messuages, 60 cottages, and 3 watermills with lands in Pocklyngton, Fangfosse, Beurnebye, Byelby, Meltonby, Yeolthrop, Owstroppe, and Waplyngton, which, after the decease of Thomas, remain to Francis Bysshop, his son, and his lawful issue, failing such, after his death, to Thomas Bisshop, the second son of Thomas, and his lawful issue, failing such, after his death, toRichard Bysshop, the third son, and his lawful issue, failing such after his death, toMargaret and Alice Bysshop, his daughters, and their lawful issue, failing such, after their deaths, to the lawful issue of Thomas Bysshop, the father, and failing such, to Thomas, Earl of Northumberland, and his lawful male issue, failing such, after his death, to Henry Perey, kt., and his lawful male issue, failing such, after his death, to the Queen, and her heirs and successors. |
**1634 - YAS Vol.14 p.124
(Note the words water and water course as part of the tenancy) |
"All that the water milne and mill howse called the White Milne als hog^gs (sic) on mill and the water and water course to the Same belonginge withe the garthe or yeard called the milne garthe or milne Close withe the appurtenncs Sett lyeing and beinge at the South west side of Pocklington aforesaid and all that the howse or Tenement in the markett steade (sic) in Pocklington aforesaid now or late in the Tenure or occupacon of Henry Turner or his assignes "
n.b Leadman may have mis-transcribed and it should have read All that the water milne and mill howse called the White Milne also known as hodgson mill and the water and water course...
This would fit in with earlier references below.
|
1626 from York Minster Library research by John Rushton
|
-(90) 1626 to Thomas Dolman, Pocklington Gent for a sum
Water mill called White or Hodgson, milne garth, House in Market place.Pocklington late i/t Henry Turner and garth, Chamber and garth or garden in Pocklington i.t.John Hide, tithes of Givendale and Millington, site of tithe barn in Millington, Tithe of windmill lately built by Mr. George Hall in fields of Allerthorpe etc etc |
1617 from York Minster Library research by John Rushton
(n.b. George Meriton was appointed Dean of York 27th March 1617, and it looks like he then leased the deanery estate to Thomas Dolman)
|
York Minster s/3(5) B. p38 . p21 Description of the Dean's estate References to wells, mill etc 1617 Dean Meriton to Thomas Dolman White mill and milne house and close at southwest end of Pocklington etc etc.
p21 is Meriton to Sotheby Coate house and clocke mill p29
1617 Meriton to Sotherby tithes including tithes of mills p38 Meriton to Danvers site of tithe barn etc
|
1136-1142
'Early Yorkshire Charters' about Adelulf/Athelwald's land grant to the Dean of York |
Grant by Adelwald, bishop of Carlisle, to the deanery of York and to William, dean, and his successors, of tithes of the mills of Pocklington and of his demesne and the whole soc, as- appointed and confirmed by Henry I..1136-1142. |
* Clock Mill was the other tenancy owned by the Dean of York
If you wish to add to the story of the Low or White Mill, or correct any of the above information, then please contact me.
|
|
|
