CINXE.COM
Norfolk Mills - Wells steam mill
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head><!-- Google tag (gtag.js) --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-QVC3JNXR3E"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-QVC3JNXR3E'); </script> <title>Norfolk Mills - Wells steam mill</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <link href="../Linkstyle.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <style type="text/css"> <!-- .style2 {font-size: 12pt} .style5 {font-size: 14px} --> </style> <link href="../Font10.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <style type="text/css"> <!-- .style6 {font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif} .style7 {font-size: 10pt} .style26 {font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; } .style28 {color: #840000} .style11 {font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif; font-size: 10pt; } .style31 { font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; color: #840000; font-style: italic; } .style32 {font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; color: #840000; } .style33 {font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; color: #840000; } --> </style> </head> <body bgcolor="#dfffff" text="#000066" link="#0000FF" vlink="#990000"> <a name="top" id="top"></a> <br /> <table width="281" border="5" align="center" bgcolor="#C5E6FE"> <tr> <td width="298"> <div align="center"><font size="7"><span class="style6">Wells<br /> Steam Mill<br /> </span></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="158" border="1" align="center" cellpadding="3" bgcolor="#C5E6FE"> <tr> <td width="70" height="20"><div align="center" class="style2"> <div align="left" class="style7"> <div align="right" class="style26"> <div align="center"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" color="#0000FF"><a href="../index.html" class="style7">Home</a></font></div> </div> </div> </div> <div align="center" class="style2"></div></td> <td width="64"><div align="center"><font color="#0000FF" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif"><a href="../contact.html" class="style7">Contact</a></font></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="522" border="1" align="center" cellpadding="3" bgcolor="#C5E6FE"> <tr> <td width="110" height="20"><div align="center" class="style2"> <div align="left" class="style7"> <div align="center"><a href="../windmills-corn.html"><font color="#0000FF" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">Corn Windmills</font></a></div> </div> </div></td> <td width="100" valign="middle"><div align="center" class="style7"> <div align="center"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" color="#0000FF"><a href="../watermills.html">Watermills</a></font></div> </div></td> <td width="150" valign="top"><div align="center"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" color="#0000FF"><a href="../windmills-corn.html" class="style7">Drainage Windpumps</a></font></div></td> <td width="120" valign="middle"><div align="center"><a href="../steam-mills.html">Steam Mills</a></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="500" align="center"> <tr> <td><img src="../images-steam/Wells-steam-mill-c.1912.jpg" alt="Dewing & Kersley's lorry waiting to be loaded - c.1912" width="500" height="335" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15"><div align="center" class="style28"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">Dewing & Kersley's lorry waiting to be loaded - c.1912</font></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="640" align="center" bgcolor="#FFE6E6"> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap"><span class="style28">Wells steam mill was built at Maryland just north of the railway station in 1898. </span><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif"><span class="style5"></span></font><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" color="#000066"><span class="style5"> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"> <!-- var nic="jneville"; var at="@"; var dom="norfolkmills.co.uk" document.write("<a href=mailto:"+nic+at+dom+">email</a>"); --></script> </span></font> </td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="328" align="center"> <tr> <td><img src="../images-steam/Wells-steam-mill-build-1898.jpg" alt="Mill building nearing completion - 1898" width="328" height="450" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15"><div align="center" class="style28"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">Mill building nearing completion with the rail link<br /> already laid - 1898</font></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="328" align="center"> <tr> <td><img src="../images-steam/Wells-steam-D&K-invoice-26Apr1906.jpg" alt="Dewing & Kersley invoice - 26th April 1906" width="362" height="450" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15"><div align="center" class="style28"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">Dewing & Kersley invoice - 26th April 1906</font></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="500" align="center"> <tr> <td><img src="../images-steam/Wells-steam-D&K-workers-c.1915.jpg" alt="Dewing & Kersley workers posing c.1915" width="500" height="378" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15"><div align="center" class="style28"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">Dewing & Kersley workers posing c.1915</font></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="638" align="center" bgcolor="#FFE6E6"> <tr> <td><p align="center" class="style31"><font size="4">NORFOLK MILLS FACE CLOSURE </font></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="justify" class="style31"><font size="3"><strong>Two mills of Dewing & Kersley are facing closure at Wells and <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham</a>. This will be the outcome of the coming retirements of the two joint managing directors, Mr. L. E. Eagling, at Fakenham, and Mr. F. L. Cuthbert at Wells.</strong><br /> Yesterday a reporter was told by Mr. Eagling at the Fakenham head office, "Wells is absolutely certain to go, and nothing short of a miracle could change the closure decision at <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham</a>."<br /> A phasing-down process has been set in motion so the firm closes down by the end of the year. Redundancies will total 30, ten at <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham</a> and 20 at Wells. <br /> </font></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center" class="style32">EFFORTS</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="justify" class="style31"><font size="3">Mr. Eagling, who began his career with the firm in August, 1926, as office boy, added every effort had been made to find a buyer, or buyers, "but we were unsuccessful."<br /> Mr. Cuthbert has been in the flour milling trade for 50 years, most of the time with Dewing & Kersley.<br /> The firm is completely independent, with Wells as a flour mill, and the <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham_mill</a> mill producing animal feed stuffs. There are six lorries in use, three at each place.<br /> The <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham_mill</a> has been using all locally-produced cereals such as oats, barley, wheat and maize from other sources.<br /> Eighty percent of the Wells mill trade has been concerned with producing flour for the biscuit trade and the remainder for bread. The bulk of the wheat has been home grown but there is also a percentage from Canada. The port of Wells is in no way affected by the Wells closure.<br /> "A lot of our trouble is our geographical position. Four fifths of our flour goes to London from Wells and London is 120 miles from Wells," said Mr. Eagling. This alone put the North Norfolk firm at a disadvantage. Dewing & Kersley had been competing against Essex mills.<br /> "We can't give a firm date. It will take some time to run down but we have to cease milling by December 31st at Wells and obviously you couldn't run this place at <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham</a> without that at Wells," he said. <br /> </font></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center" class="style32">ALLOTMENTS</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="justify" class="style31"><span class="style2">Dewing & Kersley are also owners of allotments near the <font size="3"><a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham</a></font></span><font size="3"><a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">_mill</a></font><span class="style2"> and these are let mostly to staff.<br /> Both mills are landmarks in their localities. Straddling the River Wensum at Fakenham, the Dewing & Kersley mill is a focal point of one of the town's most noted beauty spots, which with the bridge over the Wensum, attracts many photographers, artists and anglers.<br /> The company was registered at Fakenham in 1909 but its history as a mill goes back much earlier.<br /> Augustine Canons of Hempton Priory founded during the reign of Henry I may have had a mill at Fakenham. Deeds of the existing mill date back to about 1760 when there was a water mill.<br /> Until the early years of the present century stone-ground flour was made at the mill which was in the occupation in turn of Mr. Joseph Fyson and Charles Horsley & Son., before it passed into the ownership of Dewing & Kersley in 1909.<br /> Closely identified with the developmet of the business was the late Col. Sidney Dewing, who was the chairman of the directors. </span><br /> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center" class="style32">CONCERN</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="justify" class="style33"> <p><i><font size="3"> The Wells mill was built in 1898. Before the war the firm was associated with a considerable export trade.<br /> Wells Town Council decided last night to write to Dewing & Kersley expressing concern and asking whether the firm would be willing to reconsider the decision.<br /> The chairman, Mr. Frank Sawbridge, said small communities such as Wells depended on small industries. No doubt the decision had been taken in the boardroom and the most positive thing to do would be to encourage some other industry to use the premises.<br /> Mrs. M. Cooper said if this was a viable proposition they would come whatever Wells council did about it. <br /> </font></i><font size="3">Eastern Daily Press - 7th October 1977</font></p> </div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="275" align="center"> <tr> <td><img src="../images/Fakenham%20Ryl%20Nf%20Show%201949.jpg" alt="Royal Norfolk Show in 1949" width="275" height="279" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15"><div align="center" class="style28"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">Dewing & Kersley's stand at the <br /> Royal Norfolk Show in 1949</font></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="500" align="center"> <tr> <td><img src="../images-steam/Wells-steam-distance-c.1950.jpg" alt="c.1950" width="500" height="343" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15"><div align="center" class="style28"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">Mill steam chimney can be seen in the distance as a train accelerates<br /> out of the station - c.1950</font></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="500" align="center"> <tr> <td><img src="../images-steam/Wells-steam-1956.jpg" alt="Mill steam chimney had gone by the latter days of steam travel in 1956" width="500" height="314" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15"><div align="center" class="style28"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">Mill steam chimney had gone by the latter days of steam travel in 1956</font></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="500" align="center"> <tr> <td><img src="../images-steam/Wells-steam-c.1990.jpg" alt="Mill front unit in use as an antiques centre - c.1990" width="500" height="317" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15"><div align="center" class="style28"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">Mill front unit in use as an antiques centre - c.1990</font></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="800" border="1" align="center"> <tr> <td><img src="../Maps/Wells-steam-map-1904.jpg" alt="O. S. Map 1904" width="800" height="450" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center"><span class="style28"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">O. S. Map 1904<br /> </font><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="1">Courtesy of NLS map images</font></span></div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="640" align="center" bgcolor="#FFE6E6"> <tr> <td><span class="style28">1898: Mill built <br /> <br /> 1906: Dewing & Kersley already running Wells steam mill <br /> <br /> </span> <table width="640"> <tr class="style11"> <td width="80" valign="top" class="style28">Kelly's 1912: </td> <td width="548" class="style28"><p> <font size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">Dewing & Kersley Limited, millers (steam, wind & water) & corn & seed merchants, <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham mills</a> & Railway station; & at <a href="../Windmills/hempton-towermill.html">Hempton</a> & Wells-next-the-sea</font></p></td> </tr> </table> <span class="style28"><br /> </span> <table width="640"> <tr class="style11"> <td width="80" valign="top" class="style28">Kelly's 1916: </td> <td width="548" class="style28"><p> <font size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">Dewing & Kersley Limited, millers (steam, wind & water) & corn & seed merchants, <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham mill</a>s & Railway station; & at <a href="../Windmills/hempton-towermill.html">Hempton</a> & Wells-next-the-sea</font></p></td> </tr> </table> <span class="style28"><br /> </span> <table width="640"> <tr class="style11"> <td width="81" valign="top" class="style28">Kelly's 1922: </td> <td width="547" class="style28"><p> <font size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">Dewing & Kersley Limited, millers (steam, wind & water) & corn & seed merchants, <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham mill</a> (T N 11) & Railway station; & Wells-next-the-sea</font></p></td> </tr> </table> <span class="style28"><br /> </span> <table width="640"> <tr class="style11"> <td width="80" valign="top" class="style28">Kelly's 1925: </td> <td width="548" class="style28"><p> <font size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">Dewing & Kersley Limited, millers (steam, wind & water) & corn & seed merchants, <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham mill</a> (T N 11) & Railway station; & Wells-next-the-sea</font></p></td> </tr> </table> <p><span class="style28"><font size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif"> Kelly's 1937: Dewing & Kersley Ltd. <br /> <br /> 1956: Photograph showing steam chimney had been demolished <br /> <br /> 1960s: Dewing & Kersley were cleaning wheat for Vitawheat as well as producing animal feed<br /> <br /> Tel. directory 1970: Dewing & Kersley, <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham</a>, also at Wells<br /> <br /> October 1975: <a href="../Watermills/fakenham.html">Fakenham mill</a> closure announced along with Wells mill </font></span><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2"><br /> </font></p></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="577" align="center" bgcolor="#FFE6E6"> <tr> <td><div align="justify"><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" size="2">I<span class="style28">f you have any memories, anecdotes or photos please let us know and we may be able to use them to update the site. By all means telephone 07836 675369 or </span></font><font face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif" color="#000066"><span class="style5"> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"> <!-- var nic="jneville"; var at="@"; var dom="norfolkmills.co.uk" document.write("<a href=mailto:"+nic+at+dom+">email</a>"); --></script> </span></font> </div></td> </tr> </table> <br /> <table width="640" align="center"> <tr> <td width="170"><span class="style28">Nat Grid Ref TL</span></td> <td width="272"><div align="center"><font size="2" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif"><a href="#top"><b>Top of Page</b></a></font></div></td> <td width="182"><div align="right" class="style28"><font size="1" face="Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif"> Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2019</font></div></td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>