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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Bedfordshire => Topic started by: linmey on Sunday 01 January 06 15:22 GMT (UK)
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My great grandfather owned a windmill at Keysoe. Does anyone have any idea how I could find any information on this? I have tried Googleing but nothing on there.
I believe the mill fell into disuse and eventually fell down probably in the 1950s or later. I would like to find out if this was for his own use or a money making enterprise or both as well as finding out when it was built.
Many thanks for your help. Linmey.
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Hi Linmey
I could find no mention of the Windmill you requested help with but there is this web link that notes quite a few.
http://www.windmillworld.com/
Cheers Sandy
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Heres windmills in Bedfordshire!
http://www.windmillworld.com/uk/bedfordshire.htm
Couldn't find yours but maybe if you take a look - you might find a connection!!
Annie ;) ;)
Sorry Sandy! - that's the same one you did!! ::) ::) ::)
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Try going to:
http://www.a2a.org.uk/
and typing
Keysoe NEAR20 windmill into the search
This brings up amongst other documents a sale of the windmill in 1941 which includes a description of it.
David
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Hi David
Nice one :)
I could not get it with the information you put to type in when on the site so I just typed Keysoe Windmill and it brought up the Beds Archives Docs.
A2A is a web page that I always seem not to use yet it is brill. !!!!! Thanks for reminding me of it.
Sandy
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Hi Annie
No problems glad to see we are on the same wavelength. :)
Sandy
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I have just rerun my search with no problem. If you just use "Kelsoe Windmill" the danger is that the text brought back terminates earlier and you may miss the next sentence which may refer to just "the Windmill" Don't put a space between NEAR and 20 and you must use capitals.
This form of search in a2a is completely necessary when you don't expect to find the two words together.
David
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Hi David
When Linmey does what you suggests she will find the information you state.
Seems like "I am always treading on your toes" or up-setting you.
It is not my intention to do so. I guess life is just like that for some of us.
Off to the Computer Fair be back later.
Cheers Sandy
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You are not upsetting me Sandy or treading on my toes. I am very gratefull for the help you have given me in the past
I just thought it was worth while explaining why I did it the complicated way while your easier way seemed to work. a2a is one of my favourite sites and it is surprising what information you can drag out of it about people and places when google has previously revealed nothing.
David
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Thank you all very much for your help. I need to check out a few dates with members of the family as to when the windmill was owned by my G grandfather. I couldnt find a mention of it in the Beds Windmills site but that may be bacause there is literally nothing left of it and there hasnt been for many years.
Best wishes and many thanks. Linda.
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hello
John LOVE was the miller in Keysoe in 1803 [listed because of threat of French invasion] and you can find him in the book called Bedfordshire Muster Lists 1539 - 1831 published by BHRS. It doesnt list how much flour/bread etc he could provide for the army 'though :(
John LOVE is also listed as a married volunteer [so over age 17 & under 55] Military Class 4, so over 30 - no children under age of 10 'though.
There is also a labourer called Thomas LOVE listed - unmarried, military class 2 so ...between 30 & 50. Also Thomas LOVE, an unmarried blacksmith- also class 2. 'Ruptured, unfit' it says
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Hello cathy,
Thanks for that, very interesting. I am not sure of the exact dates that my g grandfather owned the mill, but I
checked out the sites that were suggested above and it seems it was sold in ? 1936 and 1941. I think it would have been my g grandfather who sold it in 1936 as I think that is when he retired from farming and moved into Bedford. At least I now have some idea of how old the mill was, or at least that it was there in 1803. I think I may order a copy of the muster lists if they are available to non members.
Thanks cathy. Best wishes Linda.
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Linda
You dont say the surname but I am sure you will be able to find your family in the online directories [they go up to the First World War]
http://www.historicaldirectories.org/
Mrs GREEN is listed as a miller ['wind' = windmill?] at Mill Hill, Keysoe in 1910 - so perhaps she was the previous proprieter?
Try a search here http://blars.adlibsoft.com/expert/form_gb.html
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Thanks for that Cathy. His name was William Reynolds and he lived at Rectory Farm, Swineshead. I will have a look on the sites you suggest. Do farms appear in the directory? I am determined to track him down.
Best wishes, Linda.
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Linda
The directories are best for tracking down farmers - and helps to look for them between the census, 'though it takes patience to look through them :-X
I have a tree which has a Susan LOVELL [born about 1678 in Eaton Socon] who marries a man called [???] REYNOLDS - but I do not know his christian name - :-\ I only know he was a
'REYNOLDS' because her father says so in his Will of 1713.
See: http://www2.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=lovellfamily&rand=77125
It may figure in your research somewhere or other.
Also please check out the REYNOLDS on the War Memorial who may be related to you:
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Huntingdonshire/EatonSocon.html
cathy
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Thank you so much for all that info. Cathy. I look forward to having a good read. My Reynolds moved into Bedfordshire from Northants. when John Reynolds moved to Pertenhall sometime before 1803( because you very kindly found him on the muster rolls for me in a previous posting.)
He was born in Denford and I guess moved to find work because his parents didnt move with him. I have yet to find out his wifes surname but have full details of descendents who settled in Pertenhall and are still there.
Many thanks Cathy.
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Hello Linda,
I'm just going through some old books donated to the Beds FHS. A Beds County Council 1983 publication "Bedfordshire Mills" has a some text & pictures of Keysoe Mill. ISBN 0 907041 06 X
Apparantly it was destroyed in 1948 by a very strong tailwind. John Filsell was the last miller at Keysoe, but no mention of your family's names.
I could make copies of relevant pages & send off to you if you're interested.
regards John
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Hello John,
Hope you are well. Hope the suit fits then!!! ;)
Many thanx for that. I have found records on A2A (I think it was on there anyway) and it mentions the sale of the mill in 1936 but not who sold it.
My mother remembers it operational and then as a bit of a wreck and now there is no sign of it.
I would be very interested to see the info you have found, many thanx.
(PS, I am not on FB anymore but you have my e mail I believe and of course there is always good old RC. ;D)
Regards, Linda.
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hi linda,im researching my Reynolds surname and think the john Reynolds of Denford may be my g g g g grandfather,do you know if he had a son named james? my branch of the family are now in sheffield after my g g grandfather joseph moved from pertenhall in approx 1880 to work at a mine. im at a total dead end and hope you can help :)
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Hello Shaner,
Yep, looks like we have a link. My GGGG grandfather was John Reynolds born in Denford in 1777 and he had a son James born 1820 from his second marriage who went on to have quite a lot of children also from 2 marriages I believe. I am descended from John Reynolds first marriage to Elizabeth Tandy.
It would be nice to compare notes.
Nice to meet you!! :)
Linda.
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hi linda,james is my g g g grandad,ive only got has far back as john,have you any more background to him?
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Hi Shane,
I have got quite a bit further back so happy to share info.
James Reynolds was born in 1820 and married firstly Martha Baxter in 1843 in Pertenhall. Looks like your Joseph was the 7th child of this marriage. Then he married Mary Fletcher in 1870 again in Pertenhall and they had 6 children. Have you found any of this on the census because I probably have some info I could send you if I could have your e mail address but please send it by PM for safety reasons.
John Reynolds, James` father was born in 1777 in Denford Northants and married firstly Elizabeth Tandy, then he married James` mother Jane Mumford in Pertenhall in 1819. He had 12 children from the 2 marriages.
I will sort out the earlier generation for you as well, or at least as far as i have got.
Linda.