1880
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Acle
towermill |
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1880
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Acle tower mill stood on the west side of the town, on the site of the earlier Acle_postmill. The above photograph of the 30 foot high towermill was taken by the Acle photographer Fynch and recorded as Acle Mill and Stream Mill. Stream Mill is presumably an incorrect rendition of steam mill. |
The 30 foot high mill was built with 7 floors and was powered by 4 double shuttered sails, each with 9 bays of 3 shutters that were struck by rack and pinion via a tail pole. The boat shaped cap had a petticoat, gallery and an 8 bladed fan. A stage was set around the 2nd floor. The sails drove 3 pairs of stones, a flour mill and jumper. |
The mill sale particulars in 1889 included the steam mill with a Holmes 18hp vertical engine powering two pairs of wheat stones and one pair of grist stones. The steam engine could either run the stones in the steam mill or in the windmill using belting. |
The storm 29th November 1836 attacked the mill of Mr. WARD of Acle, turned it round, displaced the shaft & carried the cap completely away. Cost £100 to replace |
Tithe Award 1838 |
To be Sold by Auction by Mr. B. RIX (By order of the Trustees & Executors of the Mill of Mrs. SARAH BELL, deceased) On Wednesday 8 October 1845 at 4 o’c at the Bear Inn, Gr. Yarmouth The following valuable Property situate in the parish of ACLE, Norfolk Lot 1. A capital new brick-built tower WINDMILL with seven floors, patent sails, driving three pairs of stones, with flour mill, jumper & requisite going gears all in excellent condition. The Mill was substantially built within the last nine years & is in complete repair, she is well winded & stands exceedingly well for trade at a short distance from the street, in a fine corn district & has the advantage of water carriage from Acle to Yarmouth. This Lot is Freehold & subject to no outgoings. Particulars of Mr. Charles BELL, Solr. Yarmouth, of Mr. J. FRANCIS Solr. No. 1 New Boswell Court, London or at Mr. B. RIX’s office, Yarmouth. Norfolk Chronicle & Norwich Gazette - 27th September & 4th October 1845 |
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c.1900 |
ACLE, Norfolk To Millers & others To be let with possession at Michaelmas next an excellent brick TOWER WINDMILL in good repair driving three pairs of Stones, with from 40 to 90 acres of ARABLE & PASTURE LAND. Apply to Mr. Fred FOX, Solr. Surrey Street, Norwich. Norfolk Chronicle - 29th August & 5th September 1863 |
Preliminary notice ACLE FLOUR MILLS Messrs. SPELMAN have received instructions to Sell by Auction the latter part of April The well-known Steam & Brick Tower Wind Flour Mills with Bakery, with all the fixed & other Machinery, of which immediate possession may be had. Solicitors, Messrs. FOSTERS & BURROUGHES, Norwich. Norfolk Chronicle - 30th March 1869 |
STEAM & FLOUR MILLS |
| SPELMANS |
| Yarmouth Independent. - 6th April 1889 |
The well situate Steam & Brick Tower Wind Mills With Immediate Possession Messrs. SPELMAN have received instructions to Sell by Auction on Wednesday April 24, 1889 at 3 for 4 o’c in the Afternoon, at the Star hotel, Great Yarmouth, prior to the Marsh letting, the well placed Steam & Brick Tower Wind MILLS viz. Steam Flour Mill with top storage floor, middle floor divided into a storage floor & wheat floor, stone floor with two pairs of wheat stones & one pair of grist stones, barley meal floor & grinding floor. Boiler house & coal store, storehouse with pump & grindstone which are worked by engine; an excellent brick shaft detached. Wind mill, brick tower with seven floors, Communicating with the mill is a flour chamber. A bakery with recently built oven, a cucumber house next boiler house. Included in the Sale are the valuable MACHINERY as now in the Mills, consisting of HOLMES 18 horse power vertical steam engine with boiler & shafting to drive three pairs of stones in the steam mill or three pairs of stones in the windmill, with belting. The Mills are approached from the public road by a 10 ft. Roadway. The Land adjoining the Mill is ample for a Purchaser to Build upon it a House & Stabling suitable for the Mills, should he wish to do so. The Mills stand well for Trade, not far from the Railway Station or navigable river, in a fine corn country & the Auctioneers believe that a good living may be made by an industrious man of business. Immediate Possession may be had. Particulars of Messrs. SPELMAN, Auctioneers & Estate Agents at Norwich & Great Yarmouth & of Messrs. FOSTERS & BURROUGHES, Solrs., Norwich. Norfolk News - April 1889 |
To Millers & others ACLE, Norfolk Valuable Mill Property James WOOLVERTON will Sell by Auction by direction of the Mortgagees at the Star Hotel, Great YARMOUTH on Wednesday March 15, 1893 at 4 pm. precisely, the valuable well situate Freehold Wind & Steam MILLS, PREMISES & LAND at Acle, lately occupied by John SQUIRE the younger. Possession will be given. Particulars of the Auctioneer & of Mr. Thomas Edmund PAGE, Solr. Long Stratton. Norfolk Chronicle - 25th February 1893 |
To Millers & others ACLE, Norfolk James WOOLVERTON will Sell by Auction by direction of the Mortgagees at the Star hotel, Great Yarmouth on Wednesday March 15, 1893 at 4 pm. precisely, in One Lot, the well Placed Freehold STEAM & TOWER WIND MILLS, BAKERY; the Valuable MACHINERY consists of HOLMES 18 horse power Vertical Steam Engine, Boiler, Shafting to drive six pairs of Stones; PREMISES & about 0a.2r.9p. of LAND, lately occupied by John SQUIRE the younger. Possession will be given on Completion of the Purchase. Particulars of the Auctioneer & of Mr. Thomas Edmund PAGE, Solr. Long Stratton. Norfolk Chronicle - 4th March 1893 |
On March 16 at the Star Hotel, Yarmouth, Mr. James Woolverton brought to the hammer the steam and brick tower Windmill lately carried on by Mr. John Squire jnr., at Acle, Norfolk. The premises comprised steam flour mill (4 floors) brick tower Windmill (seven floors), boiler house, bakery, and two acres of land. The machinery comprised a 18h.p. vertical steam engine, boiler and shafting to drive three pairs of stones in each mill. The tenure was freehold. Bidding commenced at £200, and the lot changed hands at £340, Mr. Disney, of Burgh Castle, becoming the purchaser. |
John Squire jnr., Acle, Norfolk, Miller. First and final dividend of 2s. 7d in the pound. |
During the cyclone on Sunday March 24, part of Mr. Disney's mill at Acle was carried away, the wreckage being removed 40 yards from the structure. |
SEVERE STORM |
| A westerly gale of unusual severity broke on Wednesday night over Norwich & district … Taking advantage of the high wind which was blowing on Thursday (i.e. 6th) Mr. George DISNEY, the owner of the High Mill, Acle went at daybreak to start the mill. The strength of the wind was so great, however, that the sudden action of starting the machinery caused the “worm” governing the fly & sails to break. This was immediately followed by the breaking of the shafting between the sails & and cogs. The force of the wind taking full hold of the sails caused the whole of the head of the mill to lurch forward into the face of the wind & it was held there by its pressure. Norfolk Chronicle - 8th October 1904 |
On June 1 the Acle Flour Mills, in Norfolk, comprising a windmill fitted with three pairs of stones, sold under the hammer at Norwich for £250 to Mr. S. J. Tallowin. |
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Map redrawn by Harry Apling - 1977 |
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O. S. Map 1884 Courtesy of NLS map images |
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O.S. Map 2005 Image reproduced under licence from Ordnance Survey |
c. 1836: Mill built on the site of the demolished Acle postmill
October 1845: Mill sold at auction by order of the Trustees & Executors of Mrs. Sarah Bell, deceased)
1856: Robert Ward, miller & maltster
c.1900: Mill working with only 2 sails
8th October 1904: The sails were started during a gale resulting in severe damage to the cap and machinery |
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| Nat Grid Ref TG 39911044 |
Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2004 |