Edward Woodruff / Woodroffe. Windmiller of Horringer Mill, Bury St Edmunds,SFK

[sploshkin]

Windy, - Jeremiah Plumb rings no bells with me. However, if you do not have him, John Girt  (Miller)  died 1782 In St Mary's parish. He married in Cockfield 1756 to Mary Asbee. Their children were all baptised in Bury between 1758  and 1775. I have a note "Mill on L/H side of Bury to Nowton Road". I'm not sure where Robin Rd is in relation to that. He is the only windmiller I can find other than the 2 I mentioned earlier. I do have a water miller iwho died in 1575 at Fornham St Genevieve, named Richard Rastell. Possibly followed by his son in law John Cocker depending on whether Richard R's wife could be called a miller. I think the lease passed to her.

Bert M. Sorry I couldn't help clear up why the will was where it was. always more questions than answers?

Hookleg. I do not have Ancestry,but I never could find any connection between Edward Woodroffe and any  of the 2 Woodroffe families which preceded him in Bury. There were 2 Johns who were  heads of households - I would have been happy with either if there had been a son  Edward. Perhaps I missed something or lost him during the Interregnum.
                                           Regards to all.
 

[hookleg]

Southgate windmill to the side of Nowton Road was located just south of what is now Steward Road. If you use the side by side maps I referred to in an earlier posting about West Mill you can see the exact position of the mill on the 1888 map and see its position on Google Earth at the same time. Just to the east of the Hardwick Shopping Centre and just north of the garden allotments off Nowton Road.

[windy_miller]

Sploshkin,

Thanks of the info on John Girt, I reviewed my database and found a John Girt in BStE.  He had recently died, had been a miller, and his freehold estate was being sold at auction. He had been living at South-gate-street.  Nothing related to his trade was included in the sale.  The last sentence suggests that the house was pretty close to the roadside...

"A FREEHOLD ESTATE, pleafantly fituated in the South-gate-ftreet, Bury St. Edmund's, Suffolk, late in the occupation of Mr. JOHN GIRT, miller, deceafed; confifting of a new meffuage, (chief part built with brick and ftone, and covered with tiles) ftable, hog-houfe, an excellent piece of rich ground planted with the beft of fruit-trees, &c.  The whole moderately affeffed, and an out going of 1s. 2d. per annum.  Alfo, An exceeding good WEIGHING ENGINE, compleat (fixed to the freehold) which is conveniently fituated for weighing hay, &c. as carriages from many villages pafs through the faid ftreet to all parts of the town aforefaid."

Ipswich Journal, 1782/02/09.

It would be great to link him to Jeremiah who became the next? miller!!!

Could I ask where you got the info on the marriage from?  I also have a few Asbey millwrights, though they are about 50 years later and most around Blythburgh.

Windy

[windy_miller]

Hah!

Found the mill!  I did not find it straight away because the advert did not explicitly say the John Girt (perhaps a son) was milling at the site.  Anyway there it is!  A small old-style postmill, probably with out a roundhouse...

"A POST WIND-MILL, with a Pair French ftones, &c. the whole in good repair, and fituated near the South-gate-ftreet, in Bury aforefaid.  The purchafer may have poffeffion within 14 days after the fale,  For further particulars enquire of Mr. John Girt, near the Sword in Hand Inn in the ftreet aforefaid."

IJ, 1783/12/06

Thanks for your help!
Windy

Windy

[hookleg]

Realise this has gone off the original topic but Hi Windy, Don’t know if you have this about Nowton Mill from June 1899. I've just come across it whilst looking for info on the 2x Button Haugh Mills at Gt Ashfield:-
Article in the Bury Free Press.   
Nowton Road, Bury St Edmunds. An eligible small freehold property situate on the outskirts of the borough, consisting of a neat small dwelling house, stabling, chaise horse, piggeries &c. a capital four sail windmill, driving 2 pairs of stones and an enclosure of arable accommodation or market garden ground containing in all 2a. 1r. 12p occupied by Mr Wm. James at the rent of £25 per annum which Salter, Simpson and Sons are favoured with instructions to sell by auction at The Angel Hotel, Bury St Edmunds on Wednesday June 21st 1899 at 4 o’clock. The house has recently been repaired inside and out, and a considerable sum has also been expended upon the mill which is now in capital working order. Messrs Partridge and Wilson, vendors’ solicitors. Bury St Edmunds

[sploshkin]

Hookleg, Thanks for the comment about the maps. I did look at the 1888? map but as for the Google map combination, I'm not very sharp when it comes to computers. So, I went and looked at the site.
Can't really imagine a windmill standing there in relative isolation.

Windy, the marriage I gave to you re. John Girt and Mary Asbee 1756 was one I found  while looking  for Girt in Boyd's marriages for Suffolk). I don't think I went into any great depth with him. Looked at his will presumably. I have been searching 20 years for a Mary Girt who had an illegitimate son  in 1817. Still no joy.
                                 Regards.
 

[hookleg]

For Windy, Sploshkin and Bert, if you are interested in the Cockrills of West Mill. Nathaniel Cockrill (1838-59) took over the running of West Mill when his father William Cockrill, the miller died. 3 months later Nathaniel was dead. Between 2 and 3 in the afternoon he went into his field to shoot birds. He lay his gun down in the ditch whilst he stopped to light his pipe. As he picked it up it discharged shooting him under his arm and into his lung. He was carried home but died just before 6 pm. He was just 21. (Remember, Smoking Kills!!) His brother William Elias Cockrill took over the milling. Their mother Thamar nee Goodrich who was born in Horningsheath, died at Hengrave watermill. Buried at Horringer( Horningsheath).

[HalfBrit]

Thanks for the information about John Girt, the miller of Bury.  I believe that he is my 7th great grandfather through his daughter Elizabeth Girt.  I have a copy of the Bury map from the late 1700's that they sell at the cathedral gift shop in Bury.  Is anyone familiar with that map?  If so, where on the map would be the approximate location of John Girt's mill?  I see on the top right corner of the map that Southgate Street ends at the South Gate Green with Sudbury Road, Nowton Way, and Mill Lane branching off. 

I'm also looking for any information on another miller ancestor of mine.  He was Joseph Willis of Stradishall (1782-1859).  I know that he was a landholder in Stradishall and that he was referred to as a miller in his 1804 marriage announcement to Sarah Pryke.

Thank you for any help!

[windy_miller]

Hi Halfbrit,
Seem Joseph Willis and his family were at Stradishall (milling and owning her?) from about 1804 - 1883.  I have noting for him from before that date.

A young lad (9 yo) was killed at the mill in 1861 (struck on the head by a sail).  Joseph Willis appears to have been selling something at Stradishall in 1883.  It may have been the mill?

I also have the following other Willis millers listed (all in Suffolk).  I'd be interested in knowing if they are connected to your Joseph...

George @ Boxford 1812
George @ Woodbridge 1820
Samuel @ Stanton 1821

As you can see it was not a common name in milling circles!

As far as John Girt is concerned there were about 3 mills in the South-gate area, so without further information it may prove impossible to work out exactly which mill.

Windy Miller