1

Greenham Mill,

Drimpton

Duncan Harris

(February 2014)

(I wish to thank many people from the museum and Beaminster who have provided the information for

this document)

2

Greenham Mill, Drimpton

History of factory

Built in 1824.

1829 water problems 13

1835 steam power introduced to supplement water power24.

1847 Attempt to burn down mill15

(continued next page)

3

1860 business is booming because of the opening of the Yeovil to Exeter section of the London and South Western Railway in July 1860. The sidings at Hewish permitted far easier bringing in of raw materials and the coal used to power the engines10. 1860s most processes mechanised driven by water wheel supplemented by steam power.

1860s Machinery inventory at time of purchase by Richard Hayward10

4

1878 further fire at the mill.

1879 carrier pigeons introudced12 for communication between factories, taking about 10

minutes33.

1888 Attempt to burn down mill20

Correction to above21

1886 business thriving.

1923 mill closed10.

5

Owners

1824 built by James Haydon10.

1828 indenture between Henry Henley, the owner of Paul’s Meadow and Thomas Haydon

senior, his son James and Messrs Clay, Pratt and Turner (James’s brother-in-law on

the other side; these gentlemen being flax and tow spinners and co-partners in

Greenham Mill). Three lesser tenants were also nominated, having no real claim on

the land: the three young lives were a sort of insurance against the payment of the

Heriot’s Covenant death tax.

1829 Partnership dissolved18

1840 By the early 1840s there were 13 shares divided amongst four partners: Josiah Flight

(7), Thomas Flight (3), James Haydon (2) and Robert Turner (1). The property

covered the flax and tow spinning mill and also cottages or dwelling houses,

warehouses, workshops, yards, gardens, lands and other premises free from

6

encumbrance, machinery, utensils, tools, stock in trade, flax, lint, tow yarn, twine

thread, book debts, horses, harness, wagons, books of accounts and all other

effects10.

1841 James Haydon and Robert Turner bought Flight’s shares for £290 (Josiah was emigrating to New Zealand and Thomas sold his shares at the same time). They also took on the full responsibility for the mortgage of £3000 on the extensive property and for £5000 of other debts. James Haydon is now 40 years old and listed as being a merchant10.

1848 formal document about Robert Turner leaving partnership: Notice is hereby given, that

the Partnership existing, between 'us ' the undersigned, James Haydon of Drimpton, in

.the parish of Broadwindsor in the county of Dorset; and Robert Turner, of Bridport in

the same county, under title style and firm of Haydon and Turner, in the trade or

business of Flax and Tow Spinners carried on at Greenham Mill, in the parish of

Broadwindsor in the county of Dorset, is this day dissolved by mutual consent; and

that the said business will be continued at Greenham Mill aforesaid, by, the said

James Haydon alone. Dated this 1st day of July 1848

James Haydon.

Robert Turner11

1851 James Haydon is listed as a flax and tow spinner, employing 150 labourers10.

1854 James, Haydon died (will 1854, proved 1856)2

1861 Thomas Haydon listed as flax spinner employing 150 hands; 1862 Thomas Haydon dies. The business passes from the Haydon family because he had

no children. The firm is Richard Hayward and Sons. Richard Hayward was in partnership with William Toby10.

1869 A dispute arose when Richard bought a second mill in Crewkerne against William’s

wishes10.

1869 Richard Hayward and William Henry Wheaton Toby9, 19

. London Gazette Feb 23 1869

Notice of the dissolution of the partnership between Richard Hayward and William

Henry Wheaton Toby on 1st july 1868 "carrying on business under the style or form of

the Greenham Mill Company Yarn, Thread and twine Spinners at Greenham and

Beaminster Mills in the parishes of Crewkerne and Beaminster". There is more

information about William Toby in Appendix 2.

1883 Richard Hayward and Company, Crewkerne

7

1886 Richard Hayward’s business was thriving now being valued at over

£50 000

1923 Mill ceased in operation10.

Location

The mill is off the road between Drimpton and Winsham about ½ mile to the west of

Drimpton. .

OS Explorer map 116 ST 409048

Processes

Greenham Mill at Drimpton spinning flax1.

Hackling (done mainly by men) and dressing of the fibres was done by hand, the spinning

was done by women and appears to have been replaced by water powered machinery from

about 186010.

Some long fibres went from Greenham to be spun in other mills, the tow was spun here.

Carding room, Tow spinning room, Flax spinning room, Flax preparing room, Twisting room,

hackling shop. (1863)10.

The mill had three floors, the upper room was the flax room, the middle the tow room and the

under room was the lowest. Bales of raw flax were unloaded from horse and cart, taken

down to “the Devil’s Hole” where the bales were broken open, They then went to the devilling

machine, which breaks up the compressed flax and fluffed it up. It was then moved to the

middle floor where it was wound onto large bobbins and produced a thick rope-like yarn. This

was moved to the top floor where it was spun again into a fibre of twine-like thickness10. (This

seems be a largely garbled version of what happened from a lady in her 90s).

Products

Spun flax and tow, 1901 Hemp included.

Early years of 20th century the flax that was spun was taken to other works to weave into

sailcloth and to make ropes10.

The 1829 information identifies horses and wagons suggesting that the mill transported its

own goods in and out at that time10.

Power Sources

The machines were run by a steam engine. During each afternoon a waterwheel would

come into play to aid the steam engine10.

8

Steam engine(s) and water wheel, later possibly water turbine (mentions Turbine Wheel

House in valuation for sale to Richard Hayward.) 10.

Around 1835 a 30hp Boulton and Watt steam engine was installed to supplement the water

wheel24.

Boiler house, Engine house, Over turbine wheel house, Gas works. (1863)10

Map of leat from Tithe Map

Leat for mill

Stream

Leat and ponds

Factory buildings

There seems to be a complicated sequence of ponds and overflows that feed the leat into the

mill. One pond, near to the road, seems to be a controlled outflow into the stream.

Employees

1838. Mills in Broadwindsor including Drimpton?; 1 male and 3 females between 13 and 14; 1 male and 3 females between14 and 15; 2

females between 15 and 16; 2 females between 17 and 18; 2 females between 18 and 19; 2

females between 19 and 20; 2 males and 14 females under 21; 2 males and 8 females over

21. Totals 4 males and 22 females23

1839 In October the Guardians Minute Book showed:

‘Mr Haydon Master of Grinham Factory applied for several boys in the House to work for him.

Resolved that William Tuck 17 years, John Brown 15 years, Charles Pitcher 15 years,

Thomas Swatridge 14 years, Sprackling Thomas 14 years, John Thorn 13 years be sent out

9

there on Monday next and that each shall be provided with 2 kits of clothes and 2 changes of

Linen and 1 Pair of Shoes at the expense of their respective parishes…4’

1851 James Haydon is listed as a flax and tow spinner employing 150 labourers of whom the great majority are women and of these 80% or more are single10. Presumably some of these came into work on a Monday morning and slept in the dormitory for the rest of the week.

1851 Netherhay 5 female flax spinners. 22 living in Drimpton - 10 flax spinners, 7 flax

dressers, 4 Flax workers in factory/mill, 1 handloom weaver canvas. The rest (65 people)

appear to be living in the village, e.g. Chapel Street, Mill Lane, Fore Street, High Street etc.

and are flax spinners, sailcloth weavers (handloom), yarn spoolers, flax hacklers and

bleachers etc6.

1853 Mary Hawker a worker at the factory with children10.

1853 Sarah Colmer. Aged about 21, she was a flax spinner in the 1851 census, by 1861 after a series of births and some deaths to her children she is again listed as a spinner, still unmarried but apparently living with John Caddy an agricultural labourer10, 29.

1857

1857 Elizabeth Good was among those who lived by the mills. In Pulman’s Weekly News

Elizabeth Good died on the 11th November at Greenham Mill after a painful and lingering

sickness borne with much patience, aged 2710.

1861 Jane Bagg, aged 17 from Winsham is working a flax factory hand10. She marries

Thomas Hodges. Hannah Bagg lives next door and is also a hand at the factory.

10

Data from Factory Inspectors report23

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Age ranges employed in mills 1838

Netherbury

Beaminster

Hooke

Broadwindsor

11

1861 Sophia Wootton, Charlotte Butler and Sarah Ann Hodges all lived as house-sharers or immediate neighbours in Drimpton10.

1863 Rhoda Aplin and Rhoda Stoodley were single women working at the mill with

children, again with a tragic death10.

1867 One man was paid 16s 6d for five and half days work at a daily rate of 3s. A

labourer, who was employed for six and a half days, received 15s 3d. Some

employees, and ex-employees, lived in mill-owned cottages rent free10.

1867 Selina Burridge loss of baby.

1870 Death at Greenham Mill32

1871 8 living in Netherhay, 4 in Greenham, 26 in Drimpton7

1871 Thomas and Jane Hodges (see above) now both factory operatives. Thomas

has an accident falling from a cart and severely injuring him. Jane becomes the

breadwinner. Lucy Bagg, a younger sister, now lives with them and works at the

factory. Harriet Jeffery, aged 48, daughters Mary, 19, Frances, 17 and son Samuel,

15 all work at the mill10.

1881 Thomas and Jane Hodges (see above 1861, 1871) both working at the mill10.

12

1891 Thomas and Jane Hodges (see above) both working at the mill along with their

son Edward, now a teenager10.

1891 1 in Netherhay (twine factory mechanic); 16 in Drimpton (flax spinners, reelers,

yarn bundlers, hecklers. Also mention of "factory flax and tow", turner in twine

factory) 5.

1899 Hacklers required17

1901 Thomas and Jane Hodges (see above 1861, 1871, 1881) both working at the

mill

In the early years of the 20th century work started at 6 a.m. after the hooter had

sounded at 5.45.a.m. Breakfast was at 8 a.m. Workers who lived outside

Greenham cooked their food over open fires in the kitchen. These women walked

on Monday and stayed during the week, sleeping in the dormitories (this may explain

the many workers living in Laymore, Thorncombe). The middle shift started at 8.30

a.m. and went on to 1 p.m. Lunch was from 1p.m. to 2 p.m. The last shift was from

2 p.m. to 6 p.m10.

1911 1 in Netherhay (twine factory mechanic). 1 in Greenham (flax factory

spinner. 12 in Drimpton (Factory flax and tow, reelers, spinners, drawing, labourers

etc)8.

Other trades and professions at the mill8:

William Gibbs Forsey, engineer

Fred Ackerman, bobbin maker

Jabez Gibbs, blacksmith

George Forsey, carpenter

Fred Way, carrier

The mill manager was Mr Wilkins.

For further newspaper reports see Appendix 1.

Customers

In later years, other factories belonging to Richard Hayward and Sons

Landscape legacies

Part of the mill buildings are still by the road coming out of Drimpton at the bottom of

the hill towards Chard and still survives as a factory making pet products3.

13

Photographs

Artists’ Impression of the mill from a poster produced in 1880

Left is a terrace of workers cottages; the block housed the mill kitchens downstairs

and dormitories above (no longer standing); the main mill is on three floors bearing a

date stone 1824, it became known as the factory10 (see 1905 photograph).

Rear view of mill before demolition in 198022

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Entrance to Greenham Mill c 190522

The main tree-storey building lies along the yard. Henry Chant is standing on the

extreme right with a bag over his shoulder10.

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Appendix 1

Extracts from newspapers relating to Greenham MIll

From the newspapers which have been archived. Publication dates are given. Jane

Marsden at Drimpton has the full versions of the articles should you need/wish to

know more:

10/8/1829: Dissolution of partnership

12/11/1829: Haydon v. Hull over water rights

6/2/1830: Dissolution of Mill partnership; Mr Samuel Griffin, principle engineer

at Mill

1/11/1845: Haydon showing interest in proposed Bristol Channel to English

Channel railway line

2/12/48: Matilda Stanton, 15, charged with attempting to set fire to Mill

17/3/1849: James Haydon summonsed Robert Lane for removing soil

11/11/1851: Haydon present at meeting to discuss extension of railway from

Bridport to Exeter via Axminster

22/11/1851: Mary Robins charged with leaving Haydon employment without leave

4/5/1852: James Haydon v. George Templeman over damages re ‘road traffic

accident’! Very detailed account

15/5/1852: Elizabeth Stuckey leaving James Haydon’s service without

permission.

19/6/1860: James Selway summonsed for leaving Thomas Haydon’s

employment without notice

28/5/1863: Death notice of Thomas Haydon

6/6/1863: Burial sermon for T Haydon at Independent Chapel, Bridport

12/11/1863: Bridport to Clapton railway line proposed!

18/1/1866: Marriage of Thomas’s widow, Catherine, to Rev Mellonie

27/4/1867: Inquest into death of baby of mill hand, Selena Burridge

8/7/1870: Death of John Orchard at Mill

6/3/1879: The use of carrier pigeons between Hayward Mills

13/2/1880: Assault of Greenham Mill operative

? March 1882: Fire at Mill, no damage

June 1883: Netherhay Fire – Greenham Mill girls donation to the fund

24/7/1885: Help from Mill in form of fire engine to put out farm fire

23/11/1886: Court case – Hayward & Co v. Hayward & Sons [detailed report]

20/4/1888: Matches found in tow, row over hackling machines

26/10/1888: Eli Abbott accused of stealing coal from Mill. [detailed account]

7/3/1890: Advert for mill hands

12/9/1890: Advert for fireman at Mill

1/4/1892: Death of Susan Cousins, 44, at Mill, from Litton Cheney, residing at

Mill in 1891, had been to prison for misbehaviour at Workhouse in

1878

29/5/1895: Rhoda Bryant charged with stealing brooch, said to work at the Mill

19/2/1897: Advert for foreman at the Mill; advert for mechanic at the Mill

17/11/1899: Advert for hacklers at the Mill

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Other documents: [Source: Shirley Gibbs who wrote a thesis on the Mill]

1826: Greenham Mill insured by James Haydon with Society of Sun Fire

Office, London for a premium of £22-10-0

1829: Thomas Thompson partnership with firm dissolved

1841: J Haydon with Thomas Biddlecombe bought 32 acres of land known

as ‘Childhay Estate’ plus other land from Thomas Pearce

1848: James Haydon became sole owner of Mill as partnership with Robert

Turner dissolved [see relevant part of attachment]

17

Appendix 2

William Toby

Family history

c.1790 John Toby senior born Kenton, Devon. [Parish 7 miles SSE of Exeter,

includes village of Starcross]

1812 John Toby marries at Kenton Nancy (or Betty) Wheaton [Note spelling -

not Wheadon]

1816 John Toby junior born. Kenton

1819 Caroline Wheaton Toby born, Kenton, father John, mother Betty

Wheaton.

1826 William Henry Wheaton Toby born, Kenton, father John, mother Nancy

(or Betty!)

1841 None of the above can be found30

1851 Exeter6, John Toby senior aged.61, widow, retired surveyor

John Toby junior aged.35, unmarried, solicitor

Caroline Toby a.31, unmarried

William Toby a.25, unmarried, veterinary surgeon out of

practice

1851-1861 John Toby senior appears to have died but his death cannot be

pinpointed.

1861 Exeter29, John Toby junior, solicitor + wife.Elizabeth aged.40, born

Exeter.

Dawlish, Caroline Toby a.41, unmarried, visitor.

Crewkerne, William Toby a.35, unmarried, Sailcloth manufacturer & flax

spinner ?Yarn Mills employing 360 hands & farmer of 51 acres

employing.5 men 3 boys.

1865 Toby & Hayward at Whatley Mill Hine p.306

1866 William Toby mentioned among the "zealous Masonic townsmen"

Hine

1869 London Gazette. Partnership dissolved between Richard Hayward &

William Toby of the Greenham Mill Company at Greenham &

Beaminster Mills, Richard Hayward to carry on the business.

1871 William H. W. Toby aged.45, unmarried, Beaminster7, East Street,

Landowner, flax & tow spinner & weaver & bleacher. Farmer.

Caroline W. Toby sister, a.52, unmarried.

1872 William Toby installed as Senior Warden of the Beaminster Lodge.

Hine

1873 &

1878 William Toby installed as Worshipful Master of the Beaminster

Lodge.

1881 Neither William nor Caroline can be found - are they abroad?

188131 Bankruptcy of William Toby of Beaminster but carrying on business at

Mosterton as a flax and hemp spinner & manufacturer. Solicitor acting

for the debtor - John Toby.

18

1891 Starcross5, Kenton, Devon. William Toby, retired sail cloth

manufacturer.

Caroline Toby, sister, living on own means

1892 Death of Caroline Toby

1901 Starcross34, Kenton, William Toby a.75, boarder with a solicitor's clerk

& family

1911 Starcross35, Kenton, William Toby a.85, boarder with a carpenter &

family

1914 St.Thomas' Registration District Death of William Toby a.88.

It is not clear from where the Toby money came. From being an unemployed vet in

1851 to employing 360+ people in 1861 is quite a jump - did he inherit from his father

at this time?

Mosterton Mill

Flax, Rendell 1867, Toby 1880.

1871 census flax mill closed,

1881 The bankruptcy Act

William Henry Wheadon Toby of Beaminster "carrying on business at Mosterton ....

as a Flax and hemp Spinner and Manufacturer trading as the Mosterton Mill

Company"25

1881 put up for sale Times April 2326

1881 owner shown as Henry Wheadon (note the other names of William Toby!)

19

Notice of the dissolution of the partnership between Richard Hayward and William

Henry Wheaton Toby on 1st July 1868 ”carrying on business under the style or form

of the Greenham Mill Company Yarn, Thread and twine Spinners at Greenham and

Beaminster Mills in the parishes of Crewkerne and Beaminster"4. (As for Greenham

Mill)

Whatley Mill

1865 Toby (and) Hayward27, 28 1869 Richard Hayward and William Henry Wheaton Toby28

Greenham Mill, Drimpton

1869 Richard Hayward and William Henry Wheaton Toby28

London Gazette Feb 23 1869

Notice of the dissolution of the partnership between Richard Hayward and William

Henry Wheaton Toby on 1st July 1868 ”carrying on business under the style or form

of the Greenham Mill Company Yarn, Thread and twine Spinners at Greenham and

Beaminster Mills in the parishes of Crewkerne and Beaminster"28. (As for Whatley

Mill)

20

References

1 Martin, Celia (2003) The Bridport Trade. Rope, and Net: Hemp and Flax. Bridport, The Constandros Press. p 56

2 James Haydon of Drimpton will 1854, proved 1856 Dorset History Centre document D.501/T/1

3 Drimpton, Wikipaedia

4 Guardians Minute Book, Beaminster Union (Dorset History Centre)

5 1891 census

6 1851 census

7 1871 census

8 1911 census

9 London Gazette Feb 23 1869

10 Pastor, Andrew (2009) Who were we? Connecting the lives of a 19th century community pp 84-103

11 The London Times/Gazette 1st July 1848

12 Bath Chronicle 6 Mar 1879

13 Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette 12 November 1829

14 Western Gazette 8 July 1870

15 Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 2 December 1848

16 Bath Chronicle 21 November 1833

17 Taunton Courier 29 November 1899

18 Bath Chronicle 30 July 1829

19 London Gazette 18 February 1869

20 Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser 18 April 1888

21 Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser 23 April 1888

21

22 Image from Bridport Hemp and Flax exhibition, caption from Andrew Pastor’s book10

23 House of Commons Parliamentary Papers On-line, 1839(41). Return of Mill and Factories which have neglected to transmit Returns to Inspectors, 1837-38: Number of Persons employed in Cotton, Woollen, Worsted, Flax and Silk Factories of United Kingdom, p176-9

24 INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY Series One: The Boulton & Watt Archive and the Matthew Boulton Papers from Birmingham Central Library Part 11: Engineering Drawings, c1801-1865 www.ampltd.co.uk/digital_guides/i.aspx; also in Sims, R Sailcloth, Webbing and Shirts: the story of the Crewkerne Textile Industry. To be published shortly.

25 London Gazette May 13 1881

26 The Times (London, England), Saturday, Apr 23, 1881; pg. 20; Issue 30176.

27 Marie Eedle’s handwritten notes. Copies held in Beaminster Museum

28 London Gazette Feb 23 1869

29 1861 census

30 1841 census

31 1881 census

32 Extract from newspaper July 8th 1870

33 Extract from newspaper March 6th 1879 34 1901 census 35 1911 census