Thrigby mill was built for Robert Woolmer to grind wheat for his Thrigby Hall Estate in the 1790s and is shown on Faden's 1797 map. The mill had a brick roundhouse.

The mill was built with a 2 storey 25ft 6ins external diameter roundhouse with 6ft - 7ft internal piers. The mill buck had a porch and a tailpole and was powered by 2 patent sails and two common sails. In 2008 the mill was powered by 4 common sails set on the cast iron windshaft from Tottenhill_postmill.

The last tenant miller was Alfred C. Hood who was also a farmer and he ran the mill until 1889. William Fowler and William Golden dismantled the mill body in 1892, which was by then infested with death watch beetle.

Two storey brick roundhouse
Outside diameter 25 ft. 6 ins.
Height to eaves 9 ft. 6 ins.
Walls 1 ft. thick
Roof reed thatched (poor), inside boarded (in good condition)
2 doors, 3 ft. by 5 ft. 10 ins. northeast. & southwest
Windows, ground floor southeast. Upper floor north over pier
At northwest 3 ft. square hatch being upper half of an opening from 3 ft. 6 ins. above ground level, lower half of which is now bricked up.
2 piers 4 ft. 6 ins. (from wall) by 5 ft. at base tapering to 3 ft. 6 ins. at height of 6 ft.
Lower crosstree east to west.
2 piers 5 ft. (from wall) by 5 ft. at base tapering to 3 ft. 6 ins. at height of 7 ft.
Upper crosstree north to south.
Upper courses of piers not bonded to wall.
Crosstrees 21 ft. long, 12 ins. square.
Post at lower and 2 ft. square. Top cut off at roof and opening thatched.
Carved on post:- J. N. TRETT OCT 4TH 90
Kellys 1892: E. E. Trett, farmer, Grange Farm, Filby
Ground floor sunk 15 ins.
Upper floor level with top of upper crosstree.
Present owner:- Mrs. D. I. Gay, Church Farm, Mautby.
2 Mill cottages (formerly one, Mill House?) condemned and awaiting demolition.
26th April 1973

Smithdale's Day Book 1878 - 1880

Smithdale's Day Book No. 22

Smithdale's Order Book 1886 - 1888

Smithdale's Panxworth Ledger

To Millers. To be Let. With possession at Michaelmas next A WIND MILL with a Dwelling house, stable, granary and other buildings, a garden and about one acre of arable land situate at Thrigby in Norfolk.
Proposals to hire the same to be sent in writing, free of postage, to Mr. Browne at the Hall, Thrigby, on or before the 14th August next, of whom further particulars may be had.
Norfolk Chronicle - 31st July 1813

WINDMILL TO LET
At THRIGBY near Great Yarmouth
A POST WINDMILL with Roundhouse and premises all in complete repair. Also a comfortable Dwelling house, Garden and small quantity of LAND.
Possession may be had at Midsummer next.
Apply to Thrigby Hall.
Norfolk Chronicle, Norfolk News & Yarmouth Independent - 21st May 1864

Windmill to Let
Thrigby Mill, with good House, Garden & Land attached.
Possession at Michaelmas next.
Apply at Thrigby Hall.
Norfolk Chronicle & Norfolk News - 27th July & 3rd August 1867

THRIGBY
Windmill to let
Thrigby Mill, with good house, garden and small quantity of land.
Possession at Michaelmas next.
Apply Thrigby Hall.
Yarmouth Independent - 3rd August 1867

Situations Vacant
To Millers
WANTED, a Single Steady YOUNG MAN to work a Tower Windmill, to live in the house and to make himself generally useful.
Apply personally at Thrigby Mill near Filby, Norfolk.
Norfolk News - 28th September 1867

Situations Vacant
To JOURNEYMEN MILLERS
Wanted, a steady Young Man to work a POST WINDMILL and to make himself generally useful.
William Knights, Thrigby.
Norfolk News - 2nd September 1871

Situations Vacant
TO MILLERS
Wanted, a Steady Young Man to Work a Post Mill and to make himself generally useful.
Apply to Wm. Knights, Thrigby.
Norfolk News - 1st March 1873

William Knights, deceased
late of Thrigby near Great Yarmouth, Miller, deceased
accounts to Emma Knights, Thrigby, One of the Executors of the deceased.
8 September 1875
Norfolk News - 11th September 1875

THRIGBY MILL near Great Yarmouth
On Friday October 8, 1875
WOOLVERTON & GEORGE will Sell the FARMING STOCK for the Executor of the late Mr. William Knights.
Norfolk News - 11th September 1875

Smithdale's Day Book 1878 - 1880

Smithdale's Day Book No. 22

Smithdale's Order Book 1886 - 1888

Smithdale's Panxworth Ledger

The last tenant miller was Alfred C. Hood who was also a farmer and he ran the mill until 1889. William Fowler and William Golden dismantled the mill body in 1892, which was by then infested with death watch beetle.

Almost 100 years later in 1981, the mill was bought by N. Prior with the intention of rebuilding the mill on the existing piers that had survived after the buck was dismantled in 1892, having been infested with deathwatch beetle. The roundhouse was repaired and the mill rebuilt and along with Garboldisham_mill became one of only two postmills remaining in the county, although as of 2004 a third mill was being built at South Walsham.

Mr. N. Prior, Mill Cottages, Thrigby. (Tel. Fleggburgh 596)
Has bought property and is interested in restoring the post mill.
Phone call to Harry Apling - 11th September 1981

Nick Prior has built a model for reconstructing the post mill.
John Lawn has let him have the windshaft from Tottenhill post mill.
Phone call to Harry Apling - 15th January 1982

Pencil notes on roundhouse roof:
Jack Brackenbury came to Robert Hood, miller Jan. 1 1849

William Fowler & William Golden, Stokesby took this mill down in 1892.

Phone call from Nick Prior to Harry Apling - 27th April 1982

Massive post for mill

Plans for the postmill in a large map case were given by millwright John Lawn on 14th February 1984

Framework of body being assembled.
Eastern Daily Press - 13th March 1984

I am Steve Mallott born 1967
My Mother was Vera Isabel Mallott 1931 - 2007
My Grandmother was Annie Winifred Mallott (née Hood) 1896 - 1966
My Great Grandfather was George Frederick Ernest (known as Ernest) Hood born 1871
My 2nd Great Grandfather was George William Hood 1837 - 1913
My 3rd Great Grandfather was William Hood 1805 - 1876
My 4th Great Grandfather was William Hood 1774 - 1844
William Hood 1774 had a son Robert Hood born 1808 who was married to Rhoda Hood (née Bond) born 1812. These are the couple listed in Whites 1836 & 1841 Census as living in the mill as shown on the Thrigby mill web page (this page) site.
Robert was my 3rd Great Grand Uncle.
Alfred Charles Hood born 1841 was the son of William Hood 1805 and the nephew of Robert Hood 1808. He is listed as the last tenant of the mill. Alfred was my 2nd Great Grand Uncle. In the 1881 Census he is shown as living with his brother George William Hood 1837 - 1913, Georges wife Laura Hood (née Purland)  born 1835 and their family. George was my 2nd Great Grandfather.
The photo that is on the website showing the mill c1880 and Alfred C. Hood and family. I think these people would probably be George William Hood 1837 - 1913 and Laura Hood 1835 I would guess that Laura is holding baby Rosina Sarah Hood born 1879. Also in the photo would be Alfred Charles Hood 1841 who as far as I can tell never married. He is shown in the 1891 Census aged 50 and all those before as being single.
I believe there are details of Jack Brackenbury 1830 - 1876 - pencil marks on roundhouse roof about him joining Robert Hood at the mill on January 1st 1849. He is also listed on the 1851 Census as living at the mill as a miller servant to William Browne. Jack Brackenbury married George and Alfred's older sister Sarah Ann Hood born 1834 in Thrigby on 29th April 1855 They had a daughter M Ann Brackenbury born 1869.
Steve Mallott - 2nd September 2011

c.1792: Mill built by Robert Woolmer of Thrigby Hall

Faden's map 1797: Flour Wind Mill

July 1813: Mill advertised to be let by owner Mr. Browne of Thrigby Hall

Bryant's map 1826: Mill

White's 1836: Robert & James Flood, corn millers

White's 1845: Robert Hood, miller

1846: Robert Hood, miller

1849: Robert Hood, miller

White's 1854: William Browne, corn miller

White's 1864: William Browne, corn miller

1863: William Browne, miller

1865: W. Grapes, miller

July 1867: Mill advertised to be let

1868: Henry Knights, miller

1871: Henry Knights, miller

1873: Henry Knights, miller

September 1875: William Knights died

September 1875: Farming stock of William Knights advertised for sale

1875: Mrs. Emma Knights, miller

Kelly's 1879: Alfred Charles Hood, miller & farmer

White's 1883: William Hood, miller & farmer

1889: Mill ceased working

White's 1890: Alfred Charles Hood, miller & farmer

1892: Mill buck dismantled by William Fowler & William Golden of Stokesby due to death watch beetle

26th April 1973: Mill recorded as roundhouse only

1981: Mill bought by Nick Prior for restoration

22nd January 1983: A new post, quarterbars and crosstrees inserted through the original roof by John Lawn

c.1984: New buck set on the roundhouse

2003: New sails installed

May 2006: Mill, house and 2.15 acres advertised for sale by Abbots & Savills for c.£600,000

September 2007: Pete Gillett & family bought the mill

May 2008: Mill open for National Mills Day

May 2009: Mill open for National Mills Day

May 2010: Mill open for National Mills Day

14th & 15th May 2011: Mill open for National Mills Day

Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2004