c.1910
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Gayton
towermill |
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c.1910
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Gayton towermill had an 8 storey, tall, slim tower with a pronounced batter that was white painted, before later being tarred black; a stage was set around the 2nd floor. The ogee cap with its gallery, 6 bladed fan and ball finial topped by a weathervane was the smallest noted in the county by Rex Wailes and only measured 13ft long by 7ft high. The upright shaft was known as a graft shaft and consisted of both iron and wood. Three pairs of French burr stones were overdriven by two pairs of double shuttered patent sails, each with 8 bays of 3 shutters and in later years, one pair of these stones had been exchanged for a pair of peak stones. The mill had an elaborate glut box that had a handle to tighten a wedge. A two oven bake office, dated 1862, was in operation on the site, producing 50 stones of bread each. |
In 1872 the mill was advertised for sale along with an adjacent steam mill, powered by a Clayton & Shuttleworth, 8 hp high pressure steam engine driving 3 pairs of stones and a flour mill. |
GAYTON MILLS |
Wanted immediately, a MAN to work a windmill; must have a good character. |
Wanted immediately, a JOURNEYMAN BAKER. Must be used to a horse & cart. Good character required. |
Gayton, Norfolk To Millers, Merchants & others VALUABLE ESTATE To be Sold by Auction by Messsrs. Cruso & Hawkins at the Globe Hotel, Kings Lynn on Tuesday September 23, 1875 at 4 o’c in the afternoon precisely. In One Lot All that BRICK TOWER WINDMILL situated in the centre of the village of Gayton, with patent sails & winding gear, working three pairs of stones & dressing apparatus, STEAM MILL adjoining working three pairs of Stones & BOLTING MILL driven by eight horse high pressure Steam Engine, together with Bakery also adjoining & communicating, fitted with two large ovens. Also Capital DWELLING HOUSE & two COTTAGES adjoining thereto, Granary, Stables, Cartlodge, Piggeries & convenient outbuildings, together with large & productive Garden & Two acres (more or less) of Pasture LAND adjoining, also 4a.0r.16p. or thereabouts of Arable LAND abutting upon the road leading from Gayton to Grimston east, upon lands now or late of .. Mitford, Esq. North & upon lands late of St. Andrew St. John, Esq., & now of his heirs or devisees towards the south & west. All the above are freehold, except the two Cottages which are copyhold of the Manor of Wickenhall in Gayton with Gayton Wendlings, & in good & substantial repair & in the occupation of Mr. Edward Lewis, who is under notice to quit on the 11th October next. Apply to the Auctioneers, Kings Lynn & Downham Market or at my Office, L.W. Jarvis, Solr. Lynn. Lynn, 9 September 1873. Lynn Advertiser - 13th & 20th September 1873 |
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c.1912 |
Situations Vavant |
Situations Vavant |
Journeyman Baker wanted at once. |
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Lynn Advertiser - 17th July 1908 |
MILLERS OUTING. The employees of Mr. A. Lewis's Gayton and Westacre_mills had their annual outing on Thursday 5th inst., to Yarmouth. The company went to East Winch by road, and completed their journey by rail in special saloons. The varied attractions of the seaside were heartily enjoyed, and home was reached about 10.30 p.m. |
OUTING. On Friday 12th inst., the work people at Gayton and Westacre_mills had their annual outing through the kindness of their employer Mr. A. Lewis. They went by road to East Winch station, and from there to Yarmouth by rail, two carriages being reserved for their use. They were accompainied by their wives and friends, and all spend an enjoyable day at the seaside. The homeward journey was made without a hitch, and Gayton was reached by 10 p.m. |
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Working via auxiliary power - 6th September 1937 |
| Red brick tower, tarred Tall, slim mill with pronounced batter Top battlemented Had 8 floors, 7 remain Built into more modern, but now disused, buildings No cap, sails or fantail Had double shuttered patent sails Cap with gallery, surmounted by weathervane Wooden stage at 3rd floor Wooden slatted ogee cap with finial, horizontally boarded, petticoat removed First 2 floors empty 1 wheatstone remains on 3rd floor Stones overdriven Iron mortise stone nut, wooden cogs Great spur wheel 12 tee armed, iron sectioned cogs drives sack hoist. Second iron wheel with iron cogs attached drove ..? Round wooden upright shaft On 5 th floor upright shaft in square wooden casing Diesel engine (Blackstone). Belt drive from nearby shed Drove 1 pair peak stones, 1 pair burr. In Lewis family. Gayton Milling Co. Gayton Mills Co. Ltd. Registered as Company 13 April 1919. Mr. J.A. Richards managing director. Note:- Stage (& stones ?) at 2nd floor In yard:- Peak runner stone, 4 ft. diam. 10 ins. thick French burr runner stone, 50 ins. diam. with plate – Wm. Garner & Sons, 72 mark Lane, London. (Tucker c. 1910) Mill had no chain pole 6-bladed fan Early Blackstone paraffin engine, later Blackstone 32 h.p. diesel engine drove windmill stones by belt with pinion driving great spur wheel producing excessive wear on pinion. Sails taken off 1924/25 by Kidds of Wisbech. Philip Unwin - 1972 |
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11th July 1970 |
William Copeman of Mill Corner Cottage, Walton Road, Gayton. (T.N. 435) worked at the mill for 52 years from the age of 14. |
Sam Hogger was a baker at the mill and his widow was still living in Gayton in the 1970s. |
Miss Pamela Lewis, daughter of Alfred Lewis died on 9th August 1973 at the age of 93. |
Alfred Littleproud, was the assumed illegitimate son of Sophia Littleproud who was the eldest daughter of Robert Littleproud of Cranworth smockmill. |
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1972 |
Red brick tower, tarred |
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1990
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Provisional plans of Roy Hirons & Margaret Hall in converting the mill complex to residential use included: |
King's Lynn Borough planning committee has approved conversion of granary and part of tower into seasonal holiday accommodation. Other parts already so used. |
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25th August 2003 |
My grandfather lived at Mill End opposite Mr. Copeman (who is mentioned on the page). Mr. Copemans daughters were bridesmaids to my Mother and Father at their wedding in Gayton Methodist Chapel on 4th June 1938 along with my aunt Thelma Wright (now Thorne and still living in Gayton) and a cousin, Lily Gray. From the bedroom window when we stayed we could see the mill. So glad to see it is still there. |
I lived at Gayton mill where my father was head miller. Roy Hirons never owned the mill house, my parents owned that up until they retired and sold it to Dave Ballard for its present use . Roy bought the mill flats where Mr. Horsfall (the mill farm rep) lived in the top flat and Mr. Collins the company accountant lived in the lower flat. Mr. J. A. Richards joined as managing director in about 1962 when I was a small child he took over from Mr. Rose who had taken over from William Carr. The bakehouse was converted into accommodation and Les Wells lived there and worked at the mill. Robert Thaxton bought most if not all the remainig buildings in the yard and ran his very successful computer company from there until a year or two ago my mother left many pictures of the old mill including pics of the sails removal and the names of the actual company that removed them which I believe was a Lynn company and the foremans name is on the picture. Robert's company had several pictures from us a few years ago when they were researching the old mill. |
O.S. map 1824: Windmill
White's 1845: Robert Matthews, corn miller & baker
Census 1901: Alfred Littleproud, miller Kelly's 1904: Alfred Lewis, miller (wind & steam), farmer & baker, The Church farm & West Acre mills (water) |
If you have any memories, anecdotes or photos please let us know and we may be able to use them to update the site. By all means telephone 07836 675369 or
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| Nat Grid Ref TF73271928 |
Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2004 |