Hethersett
Gt Melton Road
postmill

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Hethersett Gt Melton Road mill stood just to the south of Maltster's Lane. The mill had a roundhouse and used patent sails to drive two pairs of French burr stones and a flour mill.

INDENTURE
21 November 1829
MANOR of HETHERSETT CROMWELLS
15 November 1779
John Scarfe of Hethersett admitted to copyhold
By his will dated 15 April 1789 he devised the property to his daughter Elizabeth and her husband William Robertson as joint tenants; will proved 3 July 1790
Elizabeth & William Robertson admitted to copyhold 4 November 1790.
1 November
1809 death of William Robertson presented at Court.
Property to grandson of John Scarfe, William Robertson; by will dated 16 May 1818 he appointed John Robertson and Thomas Redgrave Executors and Trustees.

------------

John Robertson of Hethersett, farmer
Thomas Redgrave of Hardwick, farmer to
George Robertson of Hethersett, miller
Sale to George Robertson of
4 enclosures, 7a. 2r. 1p. on part of which a post mill with a roundhouse under it and a stable, offal house and cartshed have lately been erected and built by George Robertson ... bounded on north by Maltster's Lane ...
Consideration £320.

Witnessed by
James Hales, Solicitor, Norwich
Peter Day, Solicitor, Norwich

George Robertson was admitted to Copyhold.


Tithe map 1846
Tithe map 1846 - as redrawn by Harry Apling

Tithe Award 1847
Map 1846
Owner: George Robinson
Occupier: do

No. 275

Cottage, Mill & Land

Pasture

0a. 1r. 0p.

2/2d


HETHERSETT
Dwelling House, Mill & Land
To be Sold for an Annuity
Mr. Ives will submit to Auction aat the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich on Saturday May 29, at 4 o'c the following desirable Investment.
A modern & well built Dwelling House ... in the occupation of Mr. Robinson the proprietor
An Excellent MILL in full trade carryiong two pairs of French stones, patent sails, flour mill & three feet cylinders. Four pieces of rich & productive Arable & Pasture Land containing about 8 acres with barn, cart lodge etc.
Two cottages ...

The Property will be Sold upon the terms that the Purchaser shall satisfactorily secure an Annuity to be paid half yearly to the proprietor & his wife aged respectively 64 & 52 years during their joint lives & the life of the survivor.
The above Property is pleasantly situated next thew road in the parish of Hethersett about 5 milkes from Norwich, the Eastern Union Railway runs through the parish & possesses the advantages of two postal deliveries in the day.
Apply to Messrs. Miller & Son, Solrs. Surrey Street or the Auctioneer, Crown Bank Plain, Norwich.
Norfolk Chronicle - 15th, 22nd & 29th May 1852


William Robertson of Stratton_St Michael_postmill, was the eldest son of William Robertson and Elizabeth Scarffe of Hethersett.
William jnr's brother George took over the running of Hethersett Gt Melton Road postmill in 1829.
Robert Robertson took over at Market Hill mill in Yarmouth before moving to Sprowston.
Abraham Robertson took over the lease of Deopham smockmill on 18th September 1826.
Elizabeth Robertson married John Hastings who was running Starston postmill in 1854.
Susan Robertson married George Willis, a miller & baker from Mendelsham, Suffolk .
John, Simon, David and Samuel Robertson do not appear to have become millers.

John Robertson's son George Wilby Robertson worked in one of the Upper Hellesdon and one of the Gayton windmills. Robert's Robertson's oldest daughter, Elizabeth, married a Harrison of Sprowston postmill.
Elizabeth's sons worked Oulton Broad, Gisleham, Wangford and Sprowston mills. Her oldest son Robert William helped at Sprowston_postmill after his father was crushed to death and he later bought a mill at Oulton Broad. Her next son, George, continued the family line at Sprowston and her youngest son, William Alfred, was an apprentice at a Wymondham mill and a journeyman at Great Bentley, Essex and he later owned St Margaret's Church Mill in Lowestoft.
Abraham's son Wiliam Proctor Robertson worked a mill in Eaton.


GRANY & ANNUITY
1 February 1853
George Robertson late of Hethersett, miller, now of Norwich, Gentleman and Phoebe his wife, to
James Denny Chapman of Great Yarmouth, Linen draper.
Sale of Copyhold Land with the Mill standing thereon and the Messuages, being
4 Enclosures, 7a. 2r. 1p. post windmill with roundhouse, stable and gig house and also messuage, barn and 2 cottages erected by George Robertson ... bounded on the north by Maltster's Lane ... Consideration - Payment of an annuity during the lives of George Robertson and Phoebe Robertson of £106 per annum in half yearly instalments.
With reversion to annuitant(s) upon default of payment.


Violent Gale. 
Between Sunday and Monday last, Aeolus "made a night of it" and in the exuberance of his spirits thought himself at liberty to play the most fantastic tricks with the sober denizens of earth, tossing over wind-mills, walls, and chimneys -- snapping large and sturdy trees -- wrenching off bars, bolts and chains, and burglariously entering the homes of affrighted people. In the prosecution of these manoeuvres, he was so noisy that, in many instances, the good folks thus disturbed, unable to rest in their beds, treated themselves to an early breakfast at the unsonted hour of 2 a.m., and watched his freaks till he took his flight shortly before daybreak. ... A substantial post-mill at Hethersett, in the occupation of Mr. Guyton, was blown to the ground and smashed to atoms, and a mill at Ringland met a precisely similar fate.

Norfolk News - Saturday 13th March 1858


HETHERSETT.
MESSRS. BUTCHER have received instructions to SELL by AUCTION (under a Deed of Assignment), on Monday, April 5th, 1858, at Eleven o'clock, on the premises,
The excellent HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, &c., two superior Harness Cobs, 14 hands high (very fast), three light Luggage Carts, Harness and Saddlery, Miller's Tackle, and Utensils in Trade, Agricultural Implements, and other Effects of Mr. GUYTON, Miller, at Hethersett, near Norwich.
Descriptive Catalogues may be obtained on the Premises; and of the Auctioneers, Norwich.

Norfolk Chronicle - Saturday 3rd April 1858


H. C. A. GUYTON'S ASSIGNMENT.
HENRY CLARK ADCOCK GUYTON, of Hethersett, in Norfolk, Miller, having executed an Assignment of all his Estate and Effects to Trustees upon trust for the equal benefit of such of his Creditors as shall execute the same. Notice is hereby given that such Assignment is lying at my Office for the signature of such of the Creditors as elect to take the benefit thereof: and all Persons indebted to the Estate are requested forthwith to pay the amount of their debts to me.
EDWD. FREESTONE
Solicitor to the Trustees
Little Orford-street, Norwich,
8th April, 1858
Norfolk Chronicle - Saturday 10th April 1858


1 July 1858
INSOLVENTS
Insolvents' Estates vested in Provisional Assignee
Prison Cases
Gazette - June 22, 1858
Insolvent-court, 19th June, - On their own Petitions
Guyton, Henry Clarke Adcock, out of business, Hethersett - Norwich
Perry's Bankrupt and Insolvent Gazette - Thomas Perry, 1858: xxxiii 391 585


Pursuant to the several Acts for the relief of Insolvent Debtors in England
Insolvent Debtor to be heard before the Judge of the County Court of Norfolk, holden at Norwich as follows, at the Shirehall, Norwich Castle, Norwich, on Tuesday, the third day of August, 1858, at Ten o'clock in the forenoon, precisely.

HENRY CLARKE ADCOCK GUYTON (sued and arrested as Henry Guyton), late of Hethersett, in the County of Norfolk, in no business or employment, previously of Hethersett aforesaid, Farmer and Miller, and Dealer in Flour and Radan.
John G. Atkinson, Norwich,
Attorney for the said Insolvent
Norfolk News - Saturday 10th July 1858


BANKRUPTS
DIVIDENDS DECLARED
Henry Clarke Adcock Guyton, late of Hethersett, Norfolk, farmer, a dividend of 1s. 8½d. in the pound, payable at 5, Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inn.
Extracts from The London Gazette, Tuesday, 10 January
reported in The Morning Chronicle -Wednesday, 11th January 1860


SHIPDHAM.
DEATH OF MR. GUYTON. -- By the somewhat sudden death of our worthy postmaster, Mr. Henry C. A. Guyton, aged 61, which took place in Park Cottage in this village on the 10th inst., Shipdham is bereft of one of its most respected parishioners. Mr. Guyton in his public duties discharged them in such an efficient manner he gained the regard of all he came into contact with. By all classes is loss is sadly mourned, and they deeply sympathise with the sorrowing family who lament his call hence from their busy midst. The funeral took place on Thursday last at Wacton, near Wymondham, and as the procession passed through the parish nearly all the principal shops were closed and blinds drawn.
Bury and Norwich Post - Tuesday 21st March 1882


SHIPDHAM.
FUNERAL SERMON.  -  On Sunday evening, the 19th inst., a funeral sermon was preached in the parish church, relative to the death of Mr. Guyton, by the Rev. W. G. Baxter, who said that Mr. Guyton had been beloved and respected by every body, and that all the village sorrowed with his bereaved relatives.
Bury and Norwich Post & Suffolk Herald - 28th March 1882


MANOR of HETHERSETT CROMWELLS
27th November 1884
Admission of Phoebe Aldred after the death and under a surrender passed by James Denny Chapman
'George Robertson died many years since and after his decease the said Phoebe Robertson intermarried with Robert Aldred, who has since died leaving Phoebe Aldred a widow ...'
Phoebe Aldred readmitted to estate upon default of payment of annuity.
She died 25 June 1895 leaving property to her niece Sarah Ann Aldred Woods.


Your web page on the post-mill at Hethersett shows the last occupant as Henry Clarke Adcock Guyton in 1854 and 1856 with no entries thereafter. You may be interested to know what happened to the mill. It is a rather sad story. The mill was destroyed by a storm on the night of 7-8 March 1858 causing Henry Guyton to lose his business, be forced into bankruptcy and lose his home and possessions. Despite this enormous setback, he must have been a man of resilience and determination as he subsequently became a coal merchant and later the village postmaster of Shipdham. The story is summarised in the references enclosed.
David Guyton - 20th June 2014
(Not a descendant of Henry Guyton but the families may have been related further back in time)


Bryant's map 1826: Windmill

21st November 1829: George Robertson admitted to copyhold of mill property

Pigot's 1830: George Robinson, miller, Hethersett

Greenwood's map 1834: Windmill

White's 1836: George Robinson, corn miller

White's 1845: George Robinson, corn miller

Tithe Award map 1846: Windmill

Tithe Award 1847: George Robinson, miller

1852: George Robinson, miller

May 1852: Mill advertised for sale by auction

Craven's 1853: Francis Pearce, miller

White's 1854: Henry Clarke Adcock Guyton, miller

1856: Henry Clarke Adcock Guyton, miller

Sunday 7th March 1858: Mill destroyed in a heavy gale

3rd April 1858: Personal and business effects of Henry Guyton advertised for sale by auction

19th June 1858: Henry Guyton declared insolvent

August 1858: Henry Guyton, bankrupt

10th March 1882: Henry Guyton died, aged 61


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

Nat Grid Ref TG14650507
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Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2007