Upton
towermill

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Drainage Mills (Windpumps)
Steam Mills
Watermills
4

Upton towermill was built a tarred red brick mill and stood near the village green. Two pairs of patent sails powered two pairs of French burr stones, a flour mill and jumper.


A few days ago, a lad about twelve years of age, at Upton, near Southwalsham, riding on an ass without a bridle, the ass went between the sails of a mill, which struck him on the head and fractured his skull; he languished a short time and died.
Norfolk Chronicle - 5th July 1783


UPTON near Acle
To be Let with immediate possession, a capital WINDMILL with Patent Sails, driving two pairs of Stones, flower mill and jumper. Also a House and Garden attached.
Apply to Mr. Adam Waters, Upton.
Norfolk News - 30th July 1859


To be Sold or Let
A CAPITAL TOWER WINDMILL driving two Pairs of French Burr Stones, Flour Mill and Jumper and all requisite Machinery, with four new Patent Sails. There is a First-class Business attached with House, Shedding, Splendid Orchard and Garden. The Premises are situated very conveniently for Water Carriage and stand well for a good Grist Trade.
Apply to Adam Waters, Butcher, Upton near Acle, Norfolk, or to A. Waters, 3 Sefton Terrace, Southtown near Great Yarmouth.
Norfolk News - 26th July & 16th August 1873


TO BE SOLD OR LET

A CAPITAL TOWER WINDMILL, driving two pairs of French bur stones, flour mill jumper, and all requisite machinery, with four new patent sails. There is a first class business attached, with house, shedding, and garden. The premises are situate very conveniently for water carriage, and stand well for a good grist trade. Also an orchard with about 2¾ acres of ground, planted with different descriptions of fruit trees, and a splendid house and premises adapted for a clergyman or medical man. Can be let with or without the mill. – Apply to Adam Waters, butcher, Upton, near Acle, Norfolk; or to Azb. Waters, 3, Sefton-terrace, Southtown, next Great Yarmouth.
Yarmouth Independent - 3rd January 1874


To be Sold or Let
A Capital Tower Wind-mill, driving two pairs of French bur stones, flour mill jumper and all requisite machinery, with four new patent sails. There is a first class business attached, with house, shedding, and garden. The premises are situate very conveniently for water carriage, and stand well for a good grist trade. Also an orchard with about 2¾ acres of ground, planted with different descriptions of fruit trees, and a splendid house and premises adapted for a clergyman or medical man.
Can be let with or without the mill.
Apply to Adam Waters, butcher, Upton, near Acle or to Azb. Waters, 3, Sefton Terrace, Southtown, Great Yarmouth.
Yarmouth Independent - 10th January 1874


To Millers and others.
Upton, near Acle
Samuel Aldred will Sell by Auction by direction of the respective Mortgagees under powers of Sale, at the White Horse Hotel, Great Yarmouth, on Wednesday March 15, 1876, at 2 for 3 o'c

Lot 1.- A valuable and substantially erected TOWER WINDMILL with Garden, Yard, Orchard, and Dwelling house (now converted to Cottages) attached, situated at the corner of the High road from Acle, in the parish of Upton, containing 3r. 13p. copyhold of the Manor of Upton. Fine certain.
Lot 2.- A piece of arable and marsh LAND, with dwelling house (now or lately occupied as three tenements) and garden and outbuildings attached, abutting on the road leading from South Walsham, in the parish of Upton, the whole containing 4a. 1r. 12p., of which two rods are copyhold of the Manor of Upton. Fine certain.
Lot 3- A piece of highly productive MARSH LAND, near Lot 2, abutting on the mill bank, in the parish of Upton, containing 3a. 3r. 35p., of which 3a. 2r. 0p. are copyhold of the Manor of Upton.
Lot 4. – A slip of freehold LAND, called the Dole, containing 40 rods, abutting on the marsh bank, in the parish of Upton.
All of the above property was recently in the occupation of Mr. Adam Waters.
Particulars and conditions of sale of Messrs. Worship and Rising, the Vendors Solicitor, of Mr. S. B. Cory, Solr. or the auctioneer, Great Yarmouth.
Norfolk Chronicle - 4th & 11th March 1876


TO MILLERS AND OTHERS.
UPTON, NEAR ACLE, NORFOLK.

SAMUEL ALDRED will sell by auction, by direction of the respective Mortgagees under powers of sale, at the White-horse Hotel, Great Yarmouth, on WEDNESDAY, March 15th., 1876, at two for three oclock in the afternoon,
Lot 1.- A valuable and substantially erected TOWER WINDMILL with garden, yard, orchard, and dwelling house (now converted into cottages) attached, situated at the corner of the High-road from Acle, in the parish of Upton, containing 3r. 13p., copyhold of the Manor of Upton. Fine certain.
Lot 2.- A piece of arable and marsh LAND, with dwelling house (now or lately occupied as three tenements) and garden and outbuildings attached, abutting on the road leading from South Walsham, in the parish of Upton, the whole containing 4a. 1r. 12p., of which two rods are copyhold of the Manor of Upton. Fine certain.
Lot 3- A piece of highly productive MARSH LAND, near Lot 2, abutting on the mill bank, in the parish of Upton, containing 3a. 3r. 35p., of which 3a. 2r. 0p. are copyhold of the Manor of Upton.
Lot 4. – A slip of freehold LAND, called the Dole, containing 40 rods, abutting on the marsh bank, in the parish of Upton.
All of the above property was recently in the occupation of Mr. Adam Waters, deceased.
Particulars and conditions of sale of Messrs. Worship and Rising, the vendors’ solicitors; of Mr. S. B. Cory, solicitor; or the auctioneer, Great Yarmouth.
Yarmouth Independent - 4th March 1876


UPTON, Norfolk
Samuel Aldred will Sell by Auction at the White Horse Hotel, Great Yarmouth, on Wednesday June 21, 1876 at 3 for 4 o'c
Lots 1, 2, 3 & 4 Marshes ...
Lot 5 Dwelling house ...
Lot 6 Cottage ...
Lot 7 A Corn Tower WINDMILL, Garden, Orchard and Dwelling house, the latter being let as four Tenements, situate in the Parish of Upton. A portion of the property is Copyhold and a portion Freehold. Particulars of Messrs. Worship & Rising, Solrs., of Mr. T. P. Burroughes, Solr. Great Yarmouth and of the Auctioneer, Great Yarmouth.
Norfolk Chronicle - 3rd & 10th June 1876


UPTON NEAR ACLE, NORFOLK
DWELLING HOUSE
FARM PREMISES
MARSH LAND
A WELL SITUATED
TOWER CORN MILL
Which will be Sold by Auction by
SAMUEL ALDRED
At the White Horse Hotel, Great Yarmouth,
On Wednesday, 21st June, 1876
At THREE for FOUR o'clock in the Afternoon

Lot 7 A substantially-erected TOWER WINDMILL, built in 1852, with three Floors and Cap, driving two pairs of stones with wind power; also an Orchard planted with healthy young Fruit Trees, and Stable and Cart Shed thereon. At a convenient distance from the Mill is a DWELLING HOUSE with Garden and Yard attached, now converted into four Tenements, one containing Sitting-room, Kitchen, Dairy, and two Chambers, let to ROBERT WILGRASS ; a second containing Sitting-room, Wash-house, Pantry, and 3 Bedrooms, let to WILLIAM DUGLE ; the third contains Low Room, Kitchen, Pantry, and two Chambers, let to DANIEL CHAPMAN , the fourth, in hand containing two Rooms Pantry, and Shop. This Lot, which contains 3r. 13p., is Copyhold of the Manor of Upton with the Members. Fine Certain.
Sale particulars - June 1876

UPTON, Norfolk
James Woolverton will Sell by Auction by direction of Mr. Hall at the Queens Head Inn, Acle, on Thursday August 30, 1883 at 4 pm. a WINDMILL in good working order occupied by Messrs. PRESS BROS., a newly built SHOP with Dwelling house and Large Garden attached, occupied by Mr. Waters, and five Dwelling houses ... situate in Upton, Norfolk. The entire property is Freehold.
Particulars of the Auctioneer and Mr. C. Diver, Solr. Yarmouth.
Norfolk Chronicle - 11th August 1883


UPTON, Norfolk
James Woolverton will Sell by Auction by direction of Mr. Hall at the Queens Head Inn, Acle, on Thursday August 30, 1883 at 4 pm. the following PROPERTY situate at Upton, Norfolk.
Lot 1. Shop
Lot 2. A substantially erected Tower WINDMILL with Cottage, held on Lease by Messrs. PRESS BROTHERS at £25 per annum. Adjoining is an Orchard and two Cottages.
Tenure Freehold.
Other Lots ...
Conditions of sale of the Auctioneer and of Mr. Charles Diver, Solr. Yarmouth.
Norfolk Chronicle - 18th & 25th August 1883


Advt.
UPTON
... sell by direction of Mr. Hall
Lot 2.
A substantially erected tower WINDMILL with cottage, held on lease by Messrs. PRESS BROTHERS at £25 per annum.
Adjoining is an orchard with two cottages.
Yarmouth Gazette - 18th August 1883


UPTON, Norfolk
James Woolverton will Sell by Auction at the Atar Hotel, Great Yarmouth, on Wednesday June 17, 1885 at 4 pm. the following PROPERTY situate in Upton.
Lot 1. A substantially erected Freehold Tower WINDMILL with Garden adjoining and three COTTAGES Let at an aggregate annual rental of £34. Also the Building formerly used as a BUTCHER's SHOP with Sheds and Stable occupied by Mr. Youngs.

Lot 2. A well built DOUBLE DWELLING HOUSE occupied as two Houses, Let at an aggregate annual rental of £10.
Particulars of the Auctioneer and of
Messrs. Diver & Preston,
Solrs. Great Yarmouth.
Norfolk Chronicle - 6th & 13th June 1885


Smithdale's Day Book No. 21

1888
5 May
To regearing Crown Wheel with 48 new Apple tree coggs
To turning bearings in sack tackle shafting
and 1 new loose collar
To turning bearings in Flour Mill counter and 1 new collar shrunk on spindle
To 4 new Pair of gun metal Brasses 7 lbs
1 new Pair of shackles 4¼" square 1" x ¼
4 lbs cast nails
2 ft. of oak 4" x 3"
4 ft. of deal 9" x 3"
1 new straining gate
4 ft. x 2 ft. x 4" x 3"
1 new 3/8" x 2 ft. bolt
Man's time at Mill
See time books

PRESS BROS. UPTON FLOUR MILL

Smithdale's Day Book No. 22

1888
5 May
1 new straining gate to Flour Mill counter shaft
4 new Pair of Brasses bored and fixed

MR. RIX, UPTON MILL

Smithdale's Day Book No. 22

1889
25 Jan
1 new mace cast and fitted
1 new step Pot bored to toe
Men to mill and 1 new stone tracer

MR. RIX, UPTON MILL

Smithdale's Day Book

1889
21 June
To cutting and welding Power rod
2 new 5/8" x 13" Bolts
Nuts and Plates
Man's Time

UPTON FLOUR MILL

Smithdale's Day Book

1889
25 July
rep. UPTON MILL
2 new sedgements and rep. wood curb

26 July
For UPTON MILL
2 sagments


£5



2 qrs. 8 lbs

MR. RIX, LINGWOOD

Smithdale's Day Book

1889
.. Sept
Man to Mill to Curb
1 doz. 5/8" Bolts
2 segmants
1 curb do
1 ... plate etc.

UPTON FLOUR MILL

PANXWORTH IRON WORKS,
Blofield.
10.8.89

re UPTON Wind Mill
Spencer Rix, Esq.
Dear Sir,
Having completed the repairs to the Mill Curb so far as your last order authorised. In examining the remaining portion of segments I find them all broken but one: Caused by the unsound condition of the wood curb underneath. I also find the end of one sheertree and weatherbeam that should be attached together completely rotted off. In fact the entire Cap is in a very dangerous state and liable top be carried off in a heavy wind. These repairs can not be done only by taking off the stocks, sails and cap.
Yours obediently,
THOS. SMITHDALE,
A. E. S.
Smithdales. Panxworth Time Book - 1888-1890

It would appear likely that the necessary repairs listed above proved financially non viable and the mill probably ceased working around this time.


It is possible that Press Bros. and Spencer Rix were sharing tenure of the mill towards the end of its working life.



Notice re Spencer Rix, Wine, Spirit & Corn Merchant, Lingwood.
Sale of Stock in Trade etc under Deed of Assignment.
Norfolk Chronicle - 19th May 1894


At Upton Post Office where my wife was born in 1913 a mill once stood in the garden. She thinks her grandfather, a Mr. Youngs had it pulled down.
Letter from G. McDowell, South Walsham to Harry Apling - 6th December 1973


There are 2 cottages built from the brick known as "Thrift" cottages as they saved money by using recycled bricks and someone whose family lived in one, says the bricks were originally painted black.
Dina Smith - 10th May 2007


Mill stood in the garden of what was the Post Office in the 1980s.


O.S. Map 1884
O.S. Map 1884
Courtesy of NLS map images

Poll Book 1802: John Riches, miller

Kelly's 1854: Adam Waters, butcher, grocer & draper

Kelly's 1879: Spencer Rix, miller; & merchant at St. Mary’s, South Walsham
Sth Walsham Kelly's 1879: Press Brothers, corn, coal, seed, cake, manure merchants & millers; & at Upton
South Walsham Kelly's 1879: Spencer Rix, merchant; & miller at Upton


1852: Mill built

1859: Alfred Chiperfield, miller

July 1859: Mill advertised to be let

1863: Adam Waters, miller, grocer, draper & butcher

White's 1864: Adams Waters, farmer (& miller & butcher)

1865: Adam Waters, miller

1868: Adam Waters, miller

Census 1871: Samuel Coleman (38) b.Tibenham, journeyman miller
Maria Coleman (30) b.Freethorpe
Jeremiah Coleman (11) b.Upton, scholar
Rosina Coleman (6) b.Upton, scholar
Louisa Coleman (4) b.Upton, scholar
Eliza Coleman (2) b.Upton
Unnamed daughter (6 days) b.Upton
Rebecca Webb (70) b.South Walsham, widow (mother in law)
Address: No. 43, On the Green, Wind Mill

July 1873: Mill advertised to be sold or let with new patent sails

1874: Adam Waters, miller & butcher

January 1874: Mill advertised for sale or let

1876: Adam Waters died

March 1876: Mill advertised for sale by auction

June 1876: Mill advertised for sale by auction

Kelly's 1879: Spencer Rix, miller; & merchant at St. Mary’s, South Walsham

Kelly’s 1879: Press Brothers, millers & c.; & at St. Mary’s, South Walsham

White’s 1883: Press Bros., millers & merts. and Yarmouth, So. Walsham, & c.; h. Yarmouth

August 1883: Mill advertised for sale by auction

June 1885: Mill advertised for sale by auction

1888: Press Brothers, millers

1888: Spencer Rix, miller

1889: Spencer Rix, miller

O.S. map 1889: Windmill (Corn)

August 1889: Mill cap declared unsafe and in urgent need of major repairs by millwrights Smithdales

c.1890: Mill demolished, probably by a Mr. Youngs

May 1894: Stock in trade of Spencer Rix advertised for sale under Deed of Assignment


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Nat Grid Ref TG39621250
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Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2007