I originally started this research in 1997 for myself and my immediate family, but the whole project has grown and introduced me to 'new cousins' also interested in the 'Gilbert's of Banham'. So now the circulation will be wider and more people will be able to comment and add to the story of all of our's family.
So far I have 'got back' as far as 1733. There is still much work that can be done in trying to develop some of the details of our ancestors and it would be wonderful if we can find links beyond this date. My knowledge of socal history is limited and an historian would help reveal more about how our ancesters lived and what drove them to settle in Banham and subsequently to move south in the Industrial Revolution.
All the following are my thoughts and impressions developed from the facts lying in parish records, census returns, maps, gazeteers, visiting the areas, and more recently from the internet, gleened initially to follow my direct line. Even they are not 'the truth'. Names are reused not only down the line, but across, and names are mispelt or nicknames used - errors can occur. Some links may need double checking or be disputed by others in the fullness of time, but Dr Nick Somogyi who used to work for the College of Arms checked my family tree in 1997 and agreed with it thus far.
To try to make it easier whilst writing this ever-changing document, I have put the dates of a person by their name and put the names in upper case eg ALEXANDRA (b1957). I hope this isn't too irritating, but organising the narrative became challenging once I went beyond births and deaths and tried to get a more detailed picture. I think this history works best when you have the actual family tree to consult alongside.
Apologies too for all the footnotes – not everyone's favourite thing – but essential as I got to the brain-befuddled stages and found myself asking “Why did I think that?”
Some of my speculations may be a bit free or coming from a point of ignorance, but hopefully in the future, I will find more information to help confirm, or send my suppositions in a different direction.
I have sometimes traced distantly related branches of the family as roads, in the future, to more information about our family through links with other genealogists or histories.
My move from England curtailed some of my investigations, which I hope may be picked up again at a later date or by others – maybe you!
Subscribing to Genes Reunited1 brought up 4 'cousins' (so far) whose research confirmed and added to mine and I hope that access to this narrative will help develop this 'history' further.
Also, there is a surname project (coming out of the USA) to genetically identify the Gilberts through male Y-DNA testing which (so far) has identified 37 geneticaly unique lines (now based mainly in the USA) carrying the Gilbert surname2. One of these lines is from ROBERT Gilbert (b1791) in Banham. His living descendant, EDWARD Gilbert has also contributed to the document through his research.
Thank you to everyone for their generosity in sharing.
Our Gilbert family were skilled artisans and tradesmen who also farmed tithed and freehold land - millwright, brickmaker, engineer. The women married farmers. There doesn't seem to be any real skeletons in closets or links to the famous or infamous but it is the ordinary person who keeps the fabric of society rolling and we should be just as proud of them as any hero or superstar.
1. www.genesreunited.co.uk
2. www.janegilbert.org
Showing posts with label Robert (b. 1791). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert (b. 1791). Show all posts
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Banham 1765-1789
ROBERT (b. circa 1737) and ISABEL's eldest child is JOHN (b. circa 1764). He is baptised on 23.8.1761 aged 2 years. JOHN appears to marry three subsequent MARY's;
ROBERT (b.circa 1737) and ISABEL's second child is another ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) who was baptised in 1766 and in 1789 married MARY KENT. This ROBERT is my direct descendant, so more of him later in The Millwrights. He dies at the ripe old age of 74 sometime before the end of September 1840.
- Mary Chapman of Banham on 3.5.1785 and witnessed by Elizabeth Hait (?). Mary is buried 17.7.1797, the same day as her son CHAPMAN, so probably died following complications during childbirth.
- SARAH born 13.3.1782 and baptised 4 days later at Banham.
- MARY born on 17.8.1785 and baptised 8 days later but there is also a record of their MARY being buried on 15.5.1785 aged 14 years at Banham check my records
- CHAPMAN born 30.4.1797 and baptised on 14.5.1797. He is buried in Banham on 17.7.1797 when his father is shown as a widower.
- Mary Berney of Banham married on 17.11.1798, just over a year after JOHN (b. 1764)'s first wife's death and at the age of about 34 years old. The marriage was witnessed by George Downs (Jnr). This is likely to be the same George Downs that witnesses ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) and MARY KENT's wedding a year later.
- Mary Drake of Banham on 1.11.1816 witnessed by MARIA GILBERT1. and ROBERT GILBERT. JOHN (b. 1764) would have been about 52 years old.
ROBERT (b.circa 1737) and ISABEL's second child is another ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) who was baptised in 1766 and in 1789 married MARY KENT. This ROBERT is my direct descendant, so more of him later in The Millwrights. He dies at the ripe old age of 74 sometime before the end of September 1840.
The next child is REBECCA (b. circa1770) (aka REBEKAH in 1790) who was baptised in Banham on 18.8.1770 2. REBECCA marries John Woods (Jnr) a Banham man on 10.12.1787 with ROBERT (either her father or her brother who is aged 21) as a witness. Sadly REBEKAH is buried on 7.10.1790 after having been married only three years and aged only 20 years old. There is no evidence, but her death could have been from childbirth.
ISABEL (bap 1772) is their next child and all we know about her is that she was baptised on 14.12.1772.
Their last child is LIVIA born 12.3.1781 and baptised 4 days later. Her father and mother would have been in their early to mid forties. ISABEL (bap. 1772) and LIVIA (b. 1781) don't appear in later marriage or death records for Banham.
Going back now to ROBERT (circa1766-1840) and MARY KENT who married in 1789. They have 10 children between 1790 and 1805, most of whom survive to marry. ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) seems to have been very successful; a wheelwright in 1802, a millwright in 1806 and a maltster. He dies leaving a Will showing he owned a house with a Millwright's shop ajoined to it in Banham, three dwellings with yard, gardens, newly built brick and tiled stables and a cart lodge, 3 acres of enclosed arable land, brick kilns, a malting and a post windmill...
...“with patent sails, fly wheel and all necessary and modern machinery lately completely fitted up and capable of doing an extensive business and now in the occupation of Mr. Jonas Mallett 3 and others.” (4)
ROBERT (circa 1766-1840)'s signature appears in the parish accounts of 1829 (and some other year's records) as an overseer that the accounts were correct indicating that he had been educated.5
ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) and MARY's first children are twin daughters MARY ANN (aka MARIA circa 1815) and REBEKAH ISABELL born on 10.1.1790 (4 months after their marriage and not easy to hide!). Both girls are baptised on 2.2.1790 6. We hear no more of REBEKAH, but when MARY ANN is 23 years old, she marries Joseph Howlett also of Banham on 26.5.1813. Their marriage is witnessed by the mark of GEORGE GILBERT (b.1796) who, assuming it is Mary Ann's brother, would be 17 years old 7. They appear to have only one child; George Howlett (b. circa 1828) born 15 years after they marry. In the 1841 census, George Howlett is 13 years old and found living with his uncle and aunt in Westgate Street, Banham. Further investigation into any Howletts of Banham might shed more light.
Two years into their marriage, ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) and MARY have their first son on 19th October 1791 and duly call him ROBERT (b.1791)! He is baptised 8 days later. More of him below.
Two more daughters follow. LUCY born 19.2.1793 and baptised 3 days later and of whom we hear no more, and HANNA MARIA born just over a year later on 27.3.1794 and baptised a week later.
HANNAH MARIA (b.1794) marries Edward Roper of Bressingham 6 on 13.4.1824. She would have been 30 years old, quite some age in those days. As her father is 58 by now she may have stayed at home to look after her parents and younger siblings - who knows?! HANNAH MARIA (b. 1794)'s brother and sister WILLIAM GILBERT (b1802) and SARAH WOODCOCK7 (aged 26) witness the wedding.
In 1841, Edward Roper is listed as a farmer living at Tickenhall Street, Banham with his wife HANNAH MARIA. They are both 45 years old and have three children John Roper aged 15 and born around 2 years after they married, Eliza Roper aged 12 and Edward Roper aged 4.
Twenty years later the 1861 census tells us that the family is living at 111 Great Green, Banham. Edward Roper Snr (aged 66) is a Farmer of 38 acres employing two labourers and a boy.
Houses on Great Green, Banham (1997)
HANNAH MARIA (b. 1794) and Edward Roper live to a ripe old age for the time. They appear again in the 1871 census as being 76 and 77 years old. This time HANNAH MARIA (b.1794) is shown as being a year older than Edward. They now have retired and are living at 57 Great Green. Eliza Roper, still unmarried at aged 42, is living with them as is their grandaughter Martha E aged 6. It is unknown whether Martha E is the daughter of John Roper (b circa 1826) who would be 45 years old or Edward Roper (b circa 1837) who would be 34 years old or - shock! horror! – unmarried Eliza Roper (b circa 1829). The 'E' could stand for 'Eliza'!!!!!!
The Roper family stay in Banham for some time. Both White's History Gazeteer & Directory of Norfolk 1883 and 1892 list Miss Eliza Roper living at Yew Cottage and her older brother John Roper who is a farmer, assistant overseer and highway rate collector. By 1892 John is Clerk to the School Board and Attendance Officer 8. He would be 66 years old and his sister 63.
On 25th July 1796, ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) and MARY KENT have their sixth child and second son, GEORGE (b.1796). He is baptised 6 days later. Because the core architecture of Banham hasn't changed and because of the importance of his occupation to the economic survival of the village, I could find out a lot about GEORGE (b.1796), so he also gets a section The Brickmaker devoted to him later.
SARAH is born on 6.12.1798 and baptised 4 days later. She marries George Woodcock of East Harling in Banham on 20.7.1819. East Harling is a village on the road from Banham to Attleborough. The marriage is witnessed by John Gaymer and Mary Palmer. (See The Cider Makers below).
George Woodcock is shown in the Parish accounts to have paid 2/6d for firing cutting on 1.10.1823. I am not sure if this is a fine or a charge. It is likely that SARAH (b.1798) died between 1833 and 1841 in her mid-to-late 30s. We can guess this because George Woodcock is listed in the 1841 census as a Butcher of Whithurst Street, East Harling. He has four children; Ester (sic) aged 15, Charles aged 15, Mary aged 14 and George aged 8. No wife is listed.9 George Woodcock continues to be entioned in the 1850 Gazeteer as a Butcher (he would be about 50 years old).
ROBERT (circa1766-1840) and MARY KENT's third son (and eighth child) is born at Banham on 11.12.1800 and baptised 5 days after. He is named JOSEPH (b.1800) and is my direct line, so more about him later in The Engineers.
Their last child is LIVIA born 12.3.1781 and baptised 4 days later. Her father and mother would have been in their early to mid forties. ISABEL (bap. 1772) and LIVIA (b. 1781) don't appear in later marriage or death records for Banham.
Going back now to ROBERT (circa1766-1840) and MARY KENT who married in 1789. They have 10 children between 1790 and 1805, most of whom survive to marry. ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) seems to have been very successful; a wheelwright in 1802, a millwright in 1806 and a maltster. He dies leaving a Will showing he owned a house with a Millwright's shop ajoined to it in Banham, three dwellings with yard, gardens, newly built brick and tiled stables and a cart lodge, 3 acres of enclosed arable land, brick kilns, a malting and a post windmill...
...“with patent sails, fly wheel and all necessary and modern machinery lately completely fitted up and capable of doing an extensive business and now in the occupation of Mr. Jonas Mallett 3 and others.” (4)
ROBERT (circa 1766-1840)'s signature appears in the parish accounts of 1829 (and some other year's records) as an overseer that the accounts were correct indicating that he had been educated.5
ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) and MARY's first children are twin daughters MARY ANN (aka MARIA circa 1815) and REBEKAH ISABELL born on 10.1.1790 (4 months after their marriage and not easy to hide!). Both girls are baptised on 2.2.1790 6. We hear no more of REBEKAH, but when MARY ANN is 23 years old, she marries Joseph Howlett also of Banham on 26.5.1813. Their marriage is witnessed by the mark of GEORGE GILBERT (b.1796) who, assuming it is Mary Ann's brother, would be 17 years old 7. They appear to have only one child; George Howlett (b. circa 1828) born 15 years after they marry. In the 1841 census, George Howlett is 13 years old and found living with his uncle and aunt in Westgate Street, Banham. Further investigation into any Howletts of Banham might shed more light.
Two years into their marriage, ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) and MARY have their first son on 19th October 1791 and duly call him ROBERT (b.1791)! He is baptised 8 days later. More of him below.
Two more daughters follow. LUCY born 19.2.1793 and baptised 3 days later and of whom we hear no more, and HANNA MARIA born just over a year later on 27.3.1794 and baptised a week later.
HANNAH MARIA (b.1794) marries Edward Roper of Bressingham 6 on 13.4.1824. She would have been 30 years old, quite some age in those days. As her father is 58 by now she may have stayed at home to look after her parents and younger siblings - who knows?! HANNAH MARIA (b. 1794)'s brother and sister WILLIAM GILBERT (b1802) and SARAH WOODCOCK7 (aged 26) witness the wedding.
In 1841, Edward Roper is listed as a farmer living at Tickenhall Street, Banham with his wife HANNAH MARIA. They are both 45 years old and have three children John Roper aged 15 and born around 2 years after they married, Eliza Roper aged 12 and Edward Roper aged 4.
Twenty years later the 1861 census tells us that the family is living at 111 Great Green, Banham. Edward Roper Snr (aged 66) is a Farmer of 38 acres employing two labourers and a boy.Houses on Great Green, Banham (1997)
The Roper family stay in Banham for some time. Both White's History Gazeteer & Directory of Norfolk 1883 and 1892 list Miss Eliza Roper living at Yew Cottage and her older brother John Roper who is a farmer, assistant overseer and highway rate collector. By 1892 John is Clerk to the School Board and Attendance Officer 8. He would be 66 years old and his sister 63.
On 25th July 1796, ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) and MARY KENT have their sixth child and second son, GEORGE (b.1796). He is baptised 6 days later. Because the core architecture of Banham hasn't changed and because of the importance of his occupation to the economic survival of the village, I could find out a lot about GEORGE (b.1796), so he also gets a section The Brickmaker devoted to him later.
SARAH is born on 6.12.1798 and baptised 4 days later. She marries George Woodcock of East Harling in Banham on 20.7.1819. East Harling is a village on the road from Banham to Attleborough. The marriage is witnessed by John Gaymer and Mary Palmer. (See The Cider Makers below).
George Woodcock is shown in the Parish accounts to have paid 2/6d for firing cutting on 1.10.1823. I am not sure if this is a fine or a charge. It is likely that SARAH (b.1798) died between 1833 and 1841 in her mid-to-late 30s. We can guess this because George Woodcock is listed in the 1841 census as a Butcher of Whithurst Street, East Harling. He has four children; Ester (sic) aged 15, Charles aged 15, Mary aged 14 and George aged 8. No wife is listed.9 George Woodcock continues to be entioned in the 1850 Gazeteer as a Butcher (he would be about 50 years old).
ROBERT (circa1766-1840) and MARY KENT's third son (and eighth child) is born at Banham on 11.12.1800 and baptised 5 days after. He is named JOSEPH (b.1800) and is my direct line, so more about him later in The Engineers.
1. MARIA is likely to be MARY ANN (b1790) daughter of ROBERT (circa 1766-1840) as she is stated as being MARIA in the 1815 census and would be about 26 years old. ROBERT could be her brother (b1791) who would be aged 25 or her father who would be 50 years old.
2. This is 4 years after her brother so it is still conceivable that SUSANNAH, who I have put in SAMUEL and SUSANNA's family, could fit as an elder sister.
3. Probably his employees keeping the business going.
4. Norfolk Chronicle - 26th September, 3rd & 10th October 1840 quoted on www.norfolkmills.co.uk
5. I am assuming the Robert Gilbert referred to in the parish records at this time is Robert (bapt 1766) and therefore aged around 53 and not his son Robert (b.1791) who would be aged 38 – this may be a misassumption and needs further evidence to prove. His son George (b1796) can not write at age 17.
6. We know REBEKAH is not the one buried 7.10.1790 because that record clearly states the person as being aged 20 years at death.
7. Would he be able to be a witness at this age?
8. Kelly's 1892.
9. Assuming SARAH mothered all the children, CHARLES would have been born circa 1833. in 1841 SARAH does not appear in the census entry. Death is far more likely than divorce in those days!
3. Probably his employees keeping the business going.
4. Norfolk Chronicle - 26th September, 3rd & 10th October 1840 quoted on www.norfolkmills.co.uk
5. I am assuming the Robert Gilbert referred to in the parish records at this time is Robert (bapt 1766) and therefore aged around 53 and not his son Robert (b.1791) who would be aged 38 – this may be a misassumption and needs further evidence to prove. His son George (b1796) can not write at age 17.
6. We know REBEKAH is not the one buried 7.10.1790 because that record clearly states the person as being aged 20 years at death.
7. Would he be able to be a witness at this age?
8. Kelly's 1892.
9. Assuming SARAH mothered all the children, CHARLES would have been born circa 1833. in 1841 SARAH does not appear in the census entry. Death is far more likely than divorce in those days!
The Millwrights
We now go back to ROBERT GILBERT (b1766-1840) and his three eldest sons in more detail. We are lucky that documenting population and printing developed and gained importance. Although there had been attempts at census at the end of the 17th century, we start to get valuable information every ten years from 1841 which helps build up a clearer picture of our ancestors.
There is some confusion over Parish records and directory entries during 1810-1840 as both ROBERT GILBERT (1766-1840) and his son ROBERT GILBERT (b1791) are Millwrights and these records do not distinguish between the two. There has to be some deduction and I stand to be corrected!
Between 1823 and 1835 a ROBERT GILBERT pays Poor Rates and tithes (a kind of local welfare contribution) for 2 units of land between 1823 and 1835 and there is evidence in the Poor Accounts that he also owned an orchard, so may have received income from selling apples to the local cider makers.
A ROBERT GILBERT is listed in White's Directory of 1836 as a Millwright. ROBERT GILBERT (1766-1840) would be 70 years old so, assuming they worked together, it is likely to be his son. The ROBERT GILBERT listed in Kelly's and White's of 1845 as a Millwright also has to be ROBERT born in 1791 as we know that his father died in 18401.
What is a Millwright?
In 1840 the watermill in Hingham3
The mill became known as Banham Composite Mill and milled corn. Banham also had a watermill and a post mill but it doesn't look like these were owned by our family. However, they would have been maintained and maybe even built by our ancestors.
I am guessing that the significance of this mill to Banham would mean that flour was no longer ground in neighbouring villages or ground at home. It may also have been a pure business opportunity - a Millwright seeing a gap in the local market.
It is likely that ROBERT GILBERT Snr (1766-1840) brought the composite mill to Banham as the auction of his chattels upon his death includes the mill and describes it as “lately completely fitted up.” He would have been 74, though, so it is likely that his son physically brought it and did the main fitting, but he owned it.
We see that ROBERT GILBERT (1766-1840) dies a wealthy man but does not bequeath his property to his wife (she may well have died by now) nor any of his 10 children despite leaving a Will - according to the auction notice. He owns a Millwright shop and a Mill but does not pass them to his Millwright son, ROBERT (b1791). He owns brick kilns but does not bequeath them to his Brickmaker son GEORGE (b1796). His third son JOSEPH is in Bury St Edmonds in 1841 so may well have already left Banham and we don't know where his youngest son WILLIAM and his family were. It all goes up for auction in October 1840. It may be that each son had his own property and ROBERT agreed the auction with them on making up the Will and they would get the cash. The Will would need to be consulted to confirm this, we only have the auction notice.
However, we see ROBERT GILBERT Snr as a man who is of significance to the fabric of his village. He has his finger in the 'building pie', the 'food pie' the 'drink pie' – at a time when alcohol is safer to consume than water – and is active in the management of the parish as well as literally keeping the cogs and wheels of the area running!
Who bought the mill on ROBERT (1766-1840)'s death? Surprisingly it's not one of his sons. It seems that John MALLETT who occupies the Mill on ROBERT's death in 1840 bought it because it is once again up for sale by auction in May 1863 “by direction of the Executor under the will of Mr John Mallett deceased....”5 This is signficant because it is likely that the mill was then bought by ROBERT GILBERT's (b1791) wife Ann Hewitt's6 family as the mill, house, cottage and just over 5 acres of arable land once again go up for auction on 13 September 1894 as part of the disposal of the estate of the deceased JAS (JAMES?) HEWITT 7 There is a JAMES HEWITT listed as a butcher and a farmer (though spellings seem to change) in the village Directories8. As James Hewitt was about 84 years old at his death in 1894 his relationship to ANN is unclear.
Returning to the 1841 census, ROBERT GILBERT (b1791) is aged 45. They have 3 sons living with them;
All of the sons carry on the trade of Millwright. They also all live in Westgate Street, Banham. In 1851 Robert is employing 2 men, one we can assume is the listed Blacksmith Albert Cooper aged 21 from Bunwell, Norfolk who is living with them. ROBERT's son WILLIAM (b 1826) is living at 119 Westgate Street married to ANN of Shelfanger (aged 28) and they have a 3 year old daughter ELLA EMMA.
We lose track of the third son, JOHN between 1841 and 1881 when he turns up at 7 Harwood Terrace, Fulham, London sharing with the ENGLEFIELD family and married to SOPHIA of Woodbridge, Suffolk. He is 52 years old and still a Millwright.
By 1861, ROBERT (b 1791) and ANN are still together, now 70 years old – again a good age for the time. They still live in Westgate Street and we now know it is number 77.
ROBERT (b 1791) still employs two men. Living with them are two grandsons ARTHUR COOK, aged 24 and THOMAS COOK aged 20, both born in Norwich (these could also be his employees). This implies that Robert and Ann also had a daughter who married and moved away to Norwich unless ARTHUR and THOMAS COOK are adopted grandchildren - maybe through Ann's family (which came from Norwich - maybe she had a sister who died...?) We know that an ISAAC COOK (of Cook's Place fame) farmed from The Grove, Banham and sat on the School Board some 20 years later in 1883 (White's 1883).9
EDWARD (b. circa 1810) and ELIZABETH's son ROBERT (b 1841) is found in Turnpike, Stratton St Mary, Norfolk in 1881 with a wife SUSANNAH aged 32. She was born in nearby Carleton Roole, and they have 4 young sons all born in Stratton St Mary10 . They are living with his much younger brother WILLIAM E GILBERT (born circa 1861) and his family. Both are Millwrights; ROBERT (B 1841) by now being a Master Millwright. SUSANNAH GILBERT (1843-1892) dies and ROBERT, at the age of 53, remarries MARY in about 1893. They have a child MABEL in 1894. ROBERT dies in 1903 (check this could be mary).
WILLIAM E GILBERT marries MARY C. HOGG around 1889 and they have two children ISOBEL A (1890-1952) and WILLIAM E (1889-1951). This line continues today.
1. Notice of auction of chattels, Norfolk Cronicle September 1840 as quoted in www.norfolkmills.co.uk
2. www.wikipedia.com
3bsp; Hingham is on the B1108 and reached by going north through Attleborough - a good 10 miles from Banham.
4. http://www.norfolkmills.co.nz
5. www.norfolkmills.co.nz
6. ANN (HEWITT) GILBERT is probably the same ANN GILBERT who witnessed the youngest Gilbert brother WILLIAM GILBERT's (b 26.12.1802), wedding to REBECCA GASKIN on the 12.10.1831.
7. Norfolk Chronicle - 25th August 1894 quoted in www.norfolkmills.co.uk
8. White's 1836, White's Directory 1845, Hunt's 1850 – not in White's 1883 or Kelly's 1929
9. I concentrated my efforts on Joseph and his family during my research, so the Cook's can easily be checked for in the 1881 census.
10. Robert born 1877 and married to Kate in 1897; George E, born 1878 ; Walter born 1879 and Alfred born 1880
There is some confusion over Parish records and directory entries during 1810-1840 as both ROBERT GILBERT (1766-1840) and his son ROBERT GILBERT (b1791) are Millwrights and these records do not distinguish between the two. There has to be some deduction and I stand to be corrected!
Between 1823 and 1835 a ROBERT GILBERT pays Poor Rates and tithes (a kind of local welfare contribution) for 2 units of land between 1823 and 1835 and there is evidence in the Poor Accounts that he also owned an orchard, so may have received income from selling apples to the local cider makers.
A ROBERT GILBERT is listed in White's Directory of 1836 as a Millwright. ROBERT GILBERT (1766-1840) would be 70 years old so, assuming they worked together, it is likely to be his son. The ROBERT GILBERT listed in Kelly's and White's of 1845 as a Millwright also has to be ROBERT born in 1791 as we know that his father died in 18401.
What is a Millwright?
“Derived from the trade of carpentry, a millwright originally was a specialized, trained carpenter who had working knowledge of gear ratios, driveshaft speeds, and other equations. The "mill" in millwright refers to the genesis of the trade in building flour mills and other watermills and windmills".2
In 1840 the watermill in Hingham3
“worked in conjunction with a postmill that had been in the Lane family since at least 1771 and c.1840 John Lane decided to sell it and erect a new towermill at the same location near the south west corner of the pond.
The postmill was bought by millwright, Robert Gilbert, who quite possibly was responsible for building the new towermill for the Lane family. He took the postmill to Banham and erected (to erect?) it on the base of an old towermill..... The body of ...(the)... mill was moved from Hingham on a drug hauled by ten horses; it was to have been erected on top of the ridge, but the drug became bogged and it was decided to build the tower there and erect the mill on it. “
The mill became known as Banham Composite Mill and milled corn. Banham also had a watermill and a post mill but it doesn't look like these were owned by our family. However, they would have been maintained and maybe even built by our ancestors.
“The 40 foot mill consisted of a 15ft 6ins long by 10ft wide postmill buck set onto a curb set on the top of a two storey brick tower that may well have been built for the purpose. The 4 double shuttered patent sails each had 7 bays of 3 shutters. The six bladed fan was set on top of the buck and connected down to a rackThe Banham Composite Mill in 1932
on the curb on the tower engaged by twin spur pinions on the opposite ends of a horizontal shaft. The brake wheel had two pairs of cogs; the outer row with iron segments bolted to the extreme edge of the wheel rim drove the stones and the inner cogs drove the sack hoist and ancilliary machinery.”“The mill started life in Banham with two pairs of French burr stones, a configuration that was later changed to a wooden clasp arm spur wheel that drove two pairs of stones in the breast of the mill and an iron tail wheel drove another pair of stones in the tail of the mill, all the stones being underdriven.
"There was no external access and the interior of the mill was reached via the inside of the brick tower base. The porch was left in situ and fenced to become a balcony. A central strut on each side of the buck connected to the revolving petticoat and lower roof section.”4
I am guessing that the significance of this mill to Banham would mean that flour was no longer ground in neighbouring villages or ground at home. It may also have been a pure business opportunity - a Millwright seeing a gap in the local market.
It is likely that ROBERT GILBERT Snr (1766-1840) brought the composite mill to Banham as the auction of his chattels upon his death includes the mill and describes it as “lately completely fitted up.” He would have been 74, though, so it is likely that his son physically brought it and did the main fitting, but he owned it.
We see that ROBERT GILBERT (1766-1840) dies a wealthy man but does not bequeath his property to his wife (she may well have died by now) nor any of his 10 children despite leaving a Will - according to the auction notice. He owns a Millwright shop and a Mill but does not pass them to his Millwright son, ROBERT (b1791). He owns brick kilns but does not bequeath them to his Brickmaker son GEORGE (b1796). His third son JOSEPH is in Bury St Edmonds in 1841 so may well have already left Banham and we don't know where his youngest son WILLIAM and his family were. It all goes up for auction in October 1840. It may be that each son had his own property and ROBERT agreed the auction with them on making up the Will and they would get the cash. The Will would need to be consulted to confirm this, we only have the auction notice.
However, we see ROBERT GILBERT Snr as a man who is of significance to the fabric of his village. He has his finger in the 'building pie', the 'food pie' the 'drink pie' – at a time when alcohol is safer to consume than water – and is active in the management of the parish as well as literally keeping the cogs and wheels of the area running!
Who bought the mill on ROBERT (1766-1840)'s death? Surprisingly it's not one of his sons. It seems that John MALLETT who occupies the Mill on ROBERT's death in 1840 bought it because it is once again up for sale by auction in May 1863 “by direction of the Executor under the will of Mr John Mallett deceased....”5 This is signficant because it is likely that the mill was then bought by ROBERT GILBERT's (b1791) wife Ann Hewitt's6 family as the mill, house, cottage and just over 5 acres of arable land once again go up for auction on 13 September 1894 as part of the disposal of the estate of the deceased JAS (JAMES?) HEWITT 7 There is a JAMES HEWITT listed as a butcher and a farmer (though spellings seem to change) in the village Directories8. As James Hewitt was about 84 years old at his death in 1894 his relationship to ANN is unclear.
Returning to the 1841 census, ROBERT GILBERT (b1791) is aged 45. They have 3 sons living with them;
- EDWARD born circa 1810 and married to ELIZABETH aged 30. They have a 6 month old son ROBERT (b1841),
- WILLAM (aged 15, so born circa 1826) and
- JOHN (aged 14, so born circa 1827).
All of the sons carry on the trade of Millwright. They also all live in Westgate Street, Banham. In 1851 Robert is employing 2 men, one we can assume is the listed Blacksmith Albert Cooper aged 21 from Bunwell, Norfolk who is living with them. ROBERT's son WILLIAM (b 1826) is living at 119 Westgate Street married to ANN of Shelfanger (aged 28) and they have a 3 year old daughter ELLA EMMA.
We lose track of the third son, JOHN between 1841 and 1881 when he turns up at 7 Harwood Terrace, Fulham, London sharing with the ENGLEFIELD family and married to SOPHIA of Woodbridge, Suffolk. He is 52 years old and still a Millwright.
By 1861, ROBERT (b 1791) and ANN are still together, now 70 years old – again a good age for the time. They still live in Westgate Street and we now know it is number 77.
ROBERT (b 1791) still employs two men. Living with them are two grandsons ARTHUR COOK, aged 24 and THOMAS COOK aged 20, both born in Norwich (these could also be his employees). This implies that Robert and Ann also had a daughter who married and moved away to Norwich unless ARTHUR and THOMAS COOK are adopted grandchildren - maybe through Ann's family (which came from Norwich - maybe she had a sister who died...?) We know that an ISAAC COOK (of Cook's Place fame) farmed from The Grove, Banham and sat on the School Board some 20 years later in 1883 (White's 1883).9
EDWARD (b. circa 1810) and ELIZABETH's son ROBERT (b 1841) is found in Turnpike, Stratton St Mary, Norfolk in 1881 with a wife SUSANNAH aged 32. She was born in nearby Carleton Roole, and they have 4 young sons all born in Stratton St Mary10 . They are living with his much younger brother WILLIAM E GILBERT (born circa 1861) and his family. Both are Millwrights; ROBERT (B 1841) by now being a Master Millwright. SUSANNAH GILBERT (1843-1892) dies and ROBERT, at the age of 53, remarries MARY in about 1893. They have a child MABEL in 1894. ROBERT dies in 1903 (check this could be mary).
WILLIAM E GILBERT marries MARY C. HOGG around 1889 and they have two children ISOBEL A (1890-1952) and WILLIAM E (1889-1951). This line continues today.
1. Notice of auction of chattels, Norfolk Cronicle September 1840 as quoted in www.norfolkmills.co.uk
2. www.wikipedia.com
3bsp; Hingham is on the B1108 and reached by going north through Attleborough - a good 10 miles from Banham.
4. http://www.norfolkmills.co.nz
5. www.norfolkmills.co.nz
6. ANN (HEWITT) GILBERT is probably the same ANN GILBERT who witnessed the youngest Gilbert brother WILLIAM GILBERT's (b 26.12.1802), wedding to REBECCA GASKIN on the 12.10.1831.
7. Norfolk Chronicle - 25th August 1894 quoted in www.norfolkmills.co.uk
8. White's 1836, White's Directory 1845, Hunt's 1850 – not in White's 1883 or Kelly's 1929
9. I concentrated my efforts on Joseph and his family during my research, so the Cook's can easily be checked for in the 1881 census.
10. Robert born 1877 and married to Kate in 1897; George E, born 1878 ; Walter born 1879 and Alfred born 1880
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