Miller at Anchor Steam Mills, Kirkley

[windy_miller]

Hi everyone,

Ive run into trouble finding the names of millers at Anchor Steam Mill or Anchor Steam Flour Mill in Kirkley (a suburb of Lowestoft).

I have found the following in papers and directories:-
        Charles Branwhite (1883-84)
   Benjamin Parker and Edgar Owen Roe (1887-88)
   John Robert Godfrey (1896)
   Parker & Godfrey (1896)

It looks like she was relatively short-lived and the building on St. Leonard's Road was demolished some time ago.

Any help would be greatly accepted.

Windy

[hanes teulu]

Windy,
Really great to hear from you.

Old maps online 1882  https://maps.nls.uk/view/101576306
There's a windmill marked - just off Colville Road

Old maps online 1904   https://maps.nls.uk/view/101576303
Windmill no longer marked. Seems to have been a few street name changes in the meantime.

From the electoral registers 1893/94/97 and '98 I see that John Robert Godfrey was at "68 Carlton Road, Dwelling House" and Edgar Owen Roe in 1891 was at "Carlton Road (No. not listed), Dwelling House". Did the property go with the mill?"

As always, best of luck with the search.

[hanes teulu]

Cross checked the 1891 Electoral Register entry for Edgar Owen Roe with 1891 Census - No. 68 listed as "Uninhabited" in '91.

[hanes teulu]

Windy,
Need to apologise for red herring. When casting around for old maps I unearthed what I read as "Kirkley Steam" which took me to the St. Leonard's area. However, revisiting the link it actually said "Kirkley Stream"! - shoulda' gone to Sp********rs" or perhaps lack of concentration since I'm listening to the local footy derby and my team is losing.
Do you have the item in the Norwich Mercury, 8 Aug 1885 which mentions "Kirkley steam (small "s"!!) flour mill?" Also reported in the Ipswich Journal 11 Aug 1885.

[hanes teulu]

The "History, Gazetteer and Directory of Suffolk 1891-1892" lists -

"Kirkley
Godfrey John R., miller (Parker & G); h 68 Carlton Road."

Wd. "Parker & G" mean anything to you?

 

[hanes teulu]

Answered my own question by continuing to check residents of Kirkley in the 1891 Directory ie. -

Parker and Godfrey, millers and corn merchants, St Leonard's Road.

[hanes teulu]

The Lowestoft Journal, 1 May 1915, has an item about "Anchor Mill., St. Leonard's Road, Kirkley" related to Parker and Godfrey retiring from the business.

[windy_miller]

Thanks Hanes,

All very interesting.
Looks like Benjamin Parker joined up with J. R. Godfrey between 1888 and 1891.

Also useful to see she was still milling in 1915.

Windy.

[hanes teulu]

Croeso/you're welcome

Also, the items in the 1885 paper name the miller as "Grayston".