Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Tue, February 24, 2009

Dear Ron, Further to Colin Mitchell`s enquiry re the 2nd watermill in Wokingham, I have some details from my Berkshire Mill Index.....
`Wokingham Paper Mill.`
aka `Westott`s Mill`
aka `Wescott`s Mill`

1864 Westcott T & J. (Papermakers)
1868 Westcott Thomas & John (---"----)
1877 Westcott Thomas & Sons (---"----}
1895 Wescott J & W trading as `T Wescott & Sons`
(---"----)
1895 Thomas Wescott & Sons.....`Suspended for
2 years`....

Nothing more known until JKM visit 1963.

Hope this helps, Kind Regards,
Tom HINE

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Sun, March 01, 2009

Dear Ron,
Tom's input is most welcome but I believe that the watermill he refers to is the one at 800695 and named in Ken Major's 1963 survey as Emmbrook Mill. This was also known as Wescott's Mill and Little Mill. The mill shows on the 1873 Edition of Ordnance Survey as a Paper Mill but it appears as a Corn Mill in the 1899 and 1911 editions.
There is also a reference to this mill in the All Saints Church record for 26th August 1901 which recorded the destruction of the machinery and interior of Emmbrook Flower (sic) Mills during a heavy thunderstorm at about 2a.m. It noted that the house of Mr M&J WEscott and Miss C Wescott narrowly escaped.
The mill that I am hoping for further information on is the one at 808680 (near the junction of Finchampstead Road and Molly Millars Lane) and recorded in Ken's survey as a Scouts' hu. I have been separately advised that it was the Wokingham District Rover Scout Den at about that time but unfortunately my informant's memory doesn't go further than that.
Colin Mitchell

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Tue, March 03, 2009

Hello Ron! To clarify re the 2 watermills in Wokingham,the Westott`s Paper Mill I sent details of previously is/was sited on OS 808680 very near the end of Molly Millars Lane.( This is No 97 on KJM`s List 1963/4) The 2nd mill further downstream is/was sited on OS 800695 and was variously called Emmbrook Mill, Bob`s Mill, Shute End Mill. (This is No 98 on KJM`s List 1963/4)
The first Reference I have to it is :
1228 `Mill extant`

to 1603 BUCKE Thomas.

1800`s DIXON Robert.
1814 known as `Bob`s Mill` (A reference to Robert DIXON?)

1834 `To Be Sold`. BURNHAM R.....Occupier.

1847,`51 Watmore William. He owned land at Winnersh, hence, Watmore Lane where Brian Eighteen lives today. (SPAB member!)
1854, WATMORE Ann
1911 `For Sale`...`With modern Steam Engine....`
to C 1920 HEELAS F.C...Roller Flour Mills,
Reading Road,
Wokingham.
(The HEELAS family then moved into `Retail`and founded the big store in Broad Street, Reading.)

(An old friend of mine was a draughtsman for Handley Page Aircraft and he told me there was a drawing office within the building during WW2)
I seem to remember cycling past there in 1950 when it was used by `The Wokingham Times` local `paper?

Kind Regards Tom Hine.
PS...There was a Rouse`s Farm Mill,Easthampstead Rd, Wokingham.....
when 1854 James MAY was the miller,
does the Emm Brook flow in that area??
(Have not located where it was)

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