TURNING THE
WHEEL OF TIME( Notes on
milling and some "lost"mill
sites on
the Nepean River. )
An example of a small waterwheel, Ireland ( http://www.irishviews.com/water-wheel.jpg )
A much larger wheel, located near Rome, Georgia - This 42 ft diameter waterwheel is one of the largest overshot waterwheels ever built in the United States. The 1930 wheel was built in order to produce corn meal to feed the students of the Berry Schools. Under the supervision of a miller it was meant to be run by students to feed other students, as part of the philantrophic work ethic encouraged by the college. The metal hub was donated by The Republic Mining and Manufacturing Company, and students built the rest of the wheel themselves. (Photo: Martha Berry, a life of dedication and phianthropy - "Martha Berry chose to never marry, instead dedicating her life to the education of the poor mountain children for whom she had such great educational goals", an outgrowth from her teaching Bible lessons to local mountain children. Georgia Historical Society.).
Yet another peaceful water mill scene. Who painted that? He'd wanted to attend the Viennese academy of Fine Arts and become an accomplished artist. If he had been accepted by the academy, maybe world history may have been much different! It's said to be a painting by Adolph Hitler.
Iron-bound French Burr millstones (bedstones).
Bottom photo is from National Mills Weekend. May 8th and 9th 2010 at Felin Ganol, a complete, working cornmill on the river Wyre in Llanrhystud, Wales. Felin Ganol is a restoration project, where: "A pair of original French Burr stones now grind organically grown wheat to produce wholemeal flour just as they did one hundred and fifty years ago" (http://www.felinganol.co.uk). Top photo is with thanks to Les Dillon.
OTHERS KNOWN TO BE INTERESTED IN WATER MILLS (Information sources): Over several years the writer has been on the look-out, and has made enquiries to Penrith Council and local historical societies to try and find anyone else interested in the old water mills along the Nepean River. Council each year has replied that they are aware of nobody so interested and local societies interested in the past also have known of nobody. Further down the Nepean-Hawkesbury there are at least two historical societies interested in the former mill sites there, and who are continuing to investigate about them. In general, this writer's chief sources of information for around Castlereagh has been the ongoing indexing and digitisation of old newspapers. Further downstream the ongoing interest in mills may be noted or found out more about from Mr Les Dollin ( anbrc "@" zeta.org.au ) of newsletter of the Kurrajong-Comleroy Historical Society and Mrs Kay Williams ( pkw "@" live.com.au ) of Dharug and Lower Hawkesbury Historical Society. As shown with below excerpts, Les and Anne Dollin have given talks on mill sites and millers and lead excursions to sites, as may be looked up in the archives of "The Millstone" (newsletter of the Kurrajong-Comleroy Historical Society) at http://www.kurrajonghistory.org.au/pages/millstone.html
From "March Mill Walk report, by Les Dollin. On 1 May 2003 at the top mill site on Little Wheeny Creek, these two descendants of Benjamin Singleton's father William Singleton ceremonially poured a jar of water from the Hunter River where Benjamin Singleton also had flour mill. The Millstone vol. 2, issue 2, 2003. (Photos: Ann Dollin )
The Millstone vol. 5, issue 6, Nov.-Dec. 2007.
Besides such information from along the river itself there is excellent water mill compilation of historical material by the Morawa Historical Society in Western Australia which covers all sorts of wind, water and horse mills in Australia. This is at http://members.westnet.com.au/caladenia/AustralianSites.html
by John Byrnes
( Please send any information or thoughts on these mills or anything else to John at john.mail@ozemail.com.au )
There are a number of former mill sites between Penrith and the mouth of the Grose River which cannot be relocated, and may have been destroyed by river changes (relics of the Yarramundi mill have been found - but not presently known if these were at site or recovered from the river downstream?). Further downstream from the Grose River along the Nepean-Hawkesbury, the relics of water mills become more substantial, and those mills are mentioned at the end of this webpage file.
Introduction
A water wheel may be driven in four ways as shown above. There is no known mention of lengthy flumes of water races along the Nepean, the natural fall is small, and so overshot and pitchback methods can be discounted as having been used. The Castlereagh mills seem to have been built where "falls" existed, plus there are scattered mentions of weirs or wishes to build weirs, whence the undershot-with-weir method seems what anyone contemplating mill construction along the Nepean would consider.
For various reasons, that presumably include periodic flooding, gravel extraction and changes of the river configuration, these are lost mills or mill sites. Those mentioned on this web pages are totally "lost" places and I don't think anyone has ever found the slightest trace of them (yet). A few things found that have been suggested as 'maybe' mill-connected involve, I think, a pretty big 'maybe' and I have refrained from adding them here. This writer has spent only a small amount of time along the river to look for the mill sites, with absolute zero success. There's a very small amount of European phase activity traces along the river course, but nothing especially noteworthy as industrial heritage. There have been in the past mill sites, gravel quarrying sites and (I think) occasional wooden bridge crossing places. Floods can sweep away or bury all traces of such things.
For reason of such poor preservation in a flood-prone 'active' environment , the "Old Mills" downstream of Penrith have remained a little known backwater of history. Many know that water-powered grain grinding mills did once exist there, but that seems about the limit of general local knowledge. Beyond that, even the locations of the mills and their names have likely been confused from time to time as knowing which mill it was, if there is only a vague reference found to some old mill, would be difficult. In particular, the mills thought to have existed at the end of Jackson's Lane and at Jackson's Falls (Bird's Eye Bend) have likely been confused from time to time (I suspect) - and these places also refer to different/unrelated Jacksons I understand.
Along the river downstream of Penrith there were in the past five water mills from Upper Castlereagh passing downstream to the village of Castlereagh (where the main public school, and the subsequent Castlereagh Council Chambers are - now marked mainly by a service station). Over a longer stretch of the river, between Penrith and Richmond, there were six water mill sites, as another likely major mill existed once close to the mouth of the Grose River.
The writer spotted a milling relic sitting at the Nepean District Historical Society at Emu Plains and has since carried out some sporadic (not systematic) enquiry about the mills. No ready record of the mills seems to have been ever written with great certitude.
The single most useful and coherent thing about the mills is that a former keen historian Mr William Freame did write a small very useful article that aimed to review all the mills he could learn about between Castlereagh village and Penrith. This was a newspaper article and to keep it relatively short, presumably,Mr Freame did not minutely state his sources in it.
Freame is known to have had the habit of travelling widely and talking about history to numerous people. Thus his sources were almost certainly hearsay in the main, and possibly obtained in part from talking with relatives of the old millers. He perhaps actually visited himself only one of the mill sites he wrote about. Even at the time Freame wrote, precisely where the other mill sites had been was perhaps already knowledge lost.
Regarding written records, even for events in relatively recent time like the moving of a mill relic to a museum, records are very sparse or non-existent. The museum may not have any contemporaneous written record of where, how, or when the item was moved to its yard at Emu Plains. It is, however, accepted (pers. comm. Mr John Gribble) to have come from the last mill to have operated. This was located , a little downstream of Penrith Weir and was know in the years it was last operating as "Penrith Mill" (also known as the McHenry or the Allen/Allan mill).
Some information findable will be small snippets from old newspapers. A number of likely more substantial references have since been learned of but not yet seen,. These perhaps will yield more information than presently herein when better known about..
No living person has likely ever seen any of these mills or any remains of them - with an exception of course of the relic in the grounds of the museum at Emu Plains. That relic is shown below, and the writer was told at the museum by Mr John Gribble (since deceased) that it had come from the McHenry mill. Mr Freame who wrote on the Old Mills likely saw the dismantled remains of the final "Penrith Mill", the McHenry mill. He also published a separate article on this mill (not yet seen, in The Sun, Tuesday 13 August 1912, p 4, col. 4), referring to it there as the "McHenrys Mill: An old Nepean landmark". That is noted as published under the auspices of the historical society..
One main result of gathering what is herein has been to learn that there are deeper historic roots, not surprising, to the matter of the old mills. It was discovered that the main mill-building family, Howells, had actually been doing this back in England for centuries. And also that another main connected with the milling and grain trade, Mr John Bowman, had actually been selected for government assistance to come to New South Wales as he had skills in building corn grinding mills, or at least such skills would have influenced him being accepted for government support to emigrate to the Colony.
The other main aspect of all this, which is NOT yet fully drawn out (and hopefully will be better pursued) is that on man on nature, and nature on man - the changing river. Man must have changed nature from all the sand and gravel quarried from the river; and the reverse is also true, that the river changed man or the works of man, from time to time. It certainly, in flood, seems likely to have destroyed or terminally damaged some of the mills. One example is given herein of how considerable the changes to the river may have been in just a couple of centuries. This example is at the mouth of the Grose River. Similar changes could usefully be investigated by comparison of maps over time at other places, e.g. around Emu Plains where much quarrying has been carried out.
The last mill to operate, Penrith Mill, was not swept away or ever badly flood-damaged as far as is yet known. However, river change or channel shift might possibly have impaired the economics of it too, perhaps mostly by impact on its mill race. Regardless of the effects of nature and river, all wind and water powered grinding mills were in any case doomed by the march of technology. Whether or not the Penrith Mill's demise was premature or timely, in respect of water mills having been generally rendered obsolete, has not yet been checked upon. With time, such further simple checks may be done and more information added.
The writer has mainly poked around looking for the mill site near Bird's Eye Bend, with no success. This is in the presumed vicinity of the first mill built (known as Kinghorne's). Nothing definitive can be found, although there is an 'interesting' pile of rocks there for some reason. These rocks, sandstone, were probably brought there from some quarry quite a distance away (some have drilling holes in them) - as if at some stage somebody was contemplating/intending to build a weir or more very substantial crossing across the river at this point. Along this stretch of the river there are many shallows and gravel banks and it would presumably be still possible to cross the river there at times in a sturdy vehicle. The site was no doubt a well known river crossing place in the past. However, the original "Jackson Falls", seemingly the main name recorded for old river crossing, might no longer exist. This is similar as for the original "Falls" near the mouth of the Grose River, they very likely have vanished altogether in the ongoing changes undergone by the river(?). The writer has seen one modern 'falls' on the river (see image below "small falls on the Nepean River today, upstream of Shaw's Creek"). Although there is only a very small fall here, perhaps just a few inches, the feature is quite noticeable. It is both visible (a very low ripple of the water stretching across the river) but also is makes a pleasant noise, audible from maybe as much as 50m away. This, on likely a bigger scale of such, may be what the old crossing "falls" formerly known along the river were like(?). The only known depiction of the old "falls" along the Nepean River is that of the falls that once existed near the Grose River mouth (an 1809 view of which is shown below).
Today this little falls only whispers of chuckles or gurgles. In the past the falls of the Nepean were said to "roar":
5th July, 1789, falls were heard:
(From log of boat party of Englishmen exploring up the Hawkesbury) -
""""""
After having rested for the night, we were again under way at day-light, and this day advanced about fourteen miles against the tide. In the woods we frequently saw fires, and sometimes heard the natives; in the afternoon we saw a considerable number of people in the wood, with many fires in different places; we called to them in their own manner, by frequently repeating the word Co-wee, which signifies, come here. At last, two men came to the water-side with much apparent familiarity and confidence. I thought, from this circumstance, that they had certainly seen us before, either at Botany-Bay, Port Jackson, or Broken-Bay. They received a hatchet, and a wild duck, which had been just before shot from the boat; and in return, they threw us a small coil of line, made of the hair of some animal, and also offered a spear, which was refused. The only argument against their having seen us before is, that they were the first we had met with who appeared desirous of making a return for any present they received.
Here the banks of the river are low and covered with what we call the pine-trees of this country; which indeed have received that name merely from the leaf, which is a good deal like the pine, but the wood is very different.
The natives here appear to live chiefly on the roots which they dig from the ground; for these low banks appear to have been ploughed up, as if a vast herd of swine had been living on them. We put on shore, and examined the places which had been dug, and found the wild yam in considerable quantities, but in general very small, not larger than a walnut; they appear to be in the greatest plenty on the banks of the river, a little way back they are scarce.
We frequently, in some of the reaches which we passed through this day, saw very near us the hills, which we suppose as seen from Port Jackson, and called by the governor the Blue Mountains.
At five in the evening we put ashore at the foot of a hill, where we passed the night; and at day-light in the morning of the 5th we embarked, and continued our way up the river; in which we still found good depth of water, from two to five fathoms, and 60 or 70 fathoms wide. As we advanced, we found the river to contract very fast in its breadth, and the channel became shoaler; from these circumstances, we had reason to believe that we were not far from its source: the ebb tides were pretty strong, but the floods were only perceptible by the swelling of the water.
In the evening we arrived at the foot of a high mountain, which was spread over with lofty trees, without any under-wood, and saw a pleasant looking country, covered with grass, and without that mixture of rocky patches in every acre or two, as is common in many other places. We ascended some distance, and erected out tents for the night. The river here is not more than twenty fathoms wide. In the night, when every thing was still, we heard distinctly the roaring of what we judged to be a fall of water; and imagined from this circumstance, that we should not be able to advance much farther.
<snip>
In the morning of the 6th we examined the river ...... <s>
By the time we had reached half a mile higher than foot of Richmond-hill, we met the stream setting down so strong, that it was with much difficulty we could get the boats so high. We here found the river to divide into two narrow branches, from one of which the stream came down with considerable velocity, and with a fall over a range of stones which seemed to lye across its entrance: this was the fall which we had heard the night before from our situation on the side of Richmond-hill.
We found too little water for the boats which we had with us to advance any farther, and the stream was very strong, although weak to what it may reasonably be conjectured to be after heavy rains; for here we had evident marks of the vast torrents which must pour down from the mountains, after heavy rains. The low grounds, at such times, are entirely covered, and the trees with which they are overgrown are laid down (with their tops pointing down the river), as much as I ever saw a field of corn after a storm; and where any of these trees have been strong enough to resist in any degree the strength of the torrent (for they are all more or less bent downwards) we saw in the clifts of the branches of such trees, vast quantities of large logs which had been hurried down by the force of the waters, and lodged from thirty to forty feet above the common level of the river; and at that height there were great quantities of grass, reeds, and such other weeds as are washed from the banks of the river, hanging to the branches.
The first notice we took of these signs of an extraordinary swelling of the water, was twelve or fourteen miles lower down, and where the river is not so confined in its breadth: there we measured the same signs of such torrents twenty-eight feet above the surface of the water: the common rise and fall of the tide did not appear to be more than six feet.
On the banks here we also found yams and other roots, and had evident marks of the natives frequenting these parts in search of them for food. They have no doubt some method of preparing these roots, before they can eat them; for we found one kind which some of the company had seen the natives dig up; and with which being pleased, as it had much the appearance of horse-radish, and had a sweetish taste, and having swallowed a small quantity, it occasioned violent spasms, cramps in the bowels, and sickness at the stomach: it might possibly be the casada root.
We found here many traps, for catching animals, in which we observed the feathers of many birds, particularly the quail.
We now gave up the hope of tracing this river higher up with our boats; and, as in case of heavy rains setting in, which might be expected at this season of the year, there would be considerable danger, while confined in this narrow part of the river, we pushed down and encamped the night of the 6th, about seven miles below Richmond-hill.
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Governor Phillip, in his dispatch to Lord Sydney of 13th February, 1790, gave the above account of the discovery and exploration of the Hawkesbury River. A "Fall of Water prevented our proceeding further with the Boats" Phillip reported. The most detailed account of things was that of Captain Hunter (the log quoted above). Captain Collins, who was on the expedition also made notes. The overall account of exploring the Hawesbury began with the previous expedition on 6th June, 1789.
Phillip wrote: "The great Advantages of so noble a River, when a Settlement can be made on its Banks, will be obvious to your Lordship". And so it was, this would become a 'breadbasket' for the Colony, and perhaps save the colony itself from becoming a basket case in difficult times.
The then considered head of the river (at the first falls near Grose River mouth) was also described then as "The Main Channel to the SW took many windings, following which until they got into very shoal water with very large hard stones ( of which the Natives make their hatchets &c) & at the begginning of the falls, they found themselves at the foot of a hill which they ascended, Capt Hunter observed the Latitude on it 33°37’. The Governor named it Richmond Hill."
Although the most detailed account referred to the falls as a bar ("range") of stones which seemed to lie across "the entrance" (i.e. the mouth of the 'the stream', the Grose River) ["We here found the river to divide into two narrow branches, from one of which the stream came down with considerable velocity, and with a fall over a range of stones which seemed to lye across its entrance: this was the fall which we had heard the night before from our situation on the side of Richmond-hill"] accounts more generally indicate the falls were on the Nepean, not on the Grose. The 1809 painting "View of part of Hawkesbury River at first fall and connection with Grose River, N.S. Wales 1809" (shown below) also confirms this.
Who has, or has had, interest in the old mills ?
Obviously the persons who constructed and ran the mills would have been vitally interested in them but little or no detail is yet know about the builders. Who has since then been interested in them? One man, William Freame has emerged and an article by him has been on of the few attempts to briefly treat "all" of the mills between Castlereagh and Penrith, but ever Freame missed one of these in his account of the "The Old Mills" (shown below).
Early on, Penrith Council, Penrith Lakes Development Corporation and Hawkesbury Council were contacted about the former water mills on the river. None could supply any information, nor did they know of anyone else besides the writer who had any interest in finding out about the mills. Sometime later, the writer learned that there is at least one archaeologist in NSW who specialises in water mills, but it is thought he has not paid any attention to the ones between Penrith and Richmond. Also the writer was informed that a descendant of the Howell family is known to have, or have had, an interest in the old Howell water mills. He has not yet been contacted in regard to this. Thus enquiries up to 2010 had indicated a couple of other persons who might be interested in details about the water mills.
The Nepean River has a long history, and has been flowing for possibly over forty million years (based on age of basalt which overlies ancient river sediments at Maroota - REF: Ian Graham, Zoe Hatzopoulos, Lin Sutherland and Horst Zwingmann, 2010. The age, geochemical affinity and significance of the Maroota Basalt, Hawkesbury, NSW. 37th Symposium on the Geology of the Sydney Basin.). For 'ancient' history purposes it may be called "the river of time" or the "the great lost river" (referring to the string of older abandonned river beds, extending downstream to Maroota and seen upstream from Castlereagh to ascend the face of the Blue Mountains to Lapstone and pass under RAAF Glenbrook. A Methodist minister, the Rev. Hessel Hall, who was "thrown out on his head" by the other ministers after he came to Emu Plains (because he followed/promoted the teachings of Henry George?) was obliged for his livelihood to become a 'farming parson' and he took up bee-keeping and strawberry culture seemingly on the stones of the lost river (he likely lived at the current Hessel Place, off Gosling Street south of Old Bathurst Road). Hessel Hall probably built his house there on, or very close to, the gravels of ancient river. He well recognised that where he lived had once been the river (Rev. Hessel Hall may have had geological training?), and gave the name "Lapstone River" to it.
The Penrith historian Mr. W. Freame wrote: "As we look o'er the river our thoughts revert to those old days ..." although he was likely just thinking of his childhood, not fully back in geological time.
Mr Freame would not have been thinking of the Tertiary days but more likely of the half century or century that had flown down the river before he put pen to paper.
He wrote in the time of the gold rush, as he mentioned "Emu Ford is again the old camping place, alive and aglow sometimes with the fires of those making their way westward to the diggings ..".
"But there is a soft and mystic stillness in the air, an hallowed calm creeps up along the silver river, the long range of mountains grow dim and visionary in the declining light ... "
He recalled to memory words from Henry Kendall, about turning to the river (the Nepean) "the eyes of a lover when the sorrowful days of my singing are over".
River, wrote Kendall, was a torrented power that both simultaneously smites at the rock while it fosters the flower - i.e. if effects erosion but at the same time feeds agriculture and man via the plant-nutrient rich silts it deposits widely at times of flood.
Mr. William Freame's article which is referred to above is show below in full.
William Freame. (1867-1933) was a journalist and frequent contributor to the Nepean Times newspaper. He wrote many history articles for that newspaper. He wandered much along the river and over the Cumberland Plain collecting information from old residents, the "old hands" as he called them. He also wrote for the the Cumberland Argus. Another river-related article that he wrote in 1919 is:
Freame, W., 1919. Emu Island - The Explorers Crossing Place. Journal of the Royal Historical Society. Vol. 4, Pt. 9.
That Freame ended his article on "The Old Mills" of the Nepean with words from Kendall show's he was keen on that poet, and we also know he sought out Kenall's Rock on his travels. This can be seen in the The Sydney Morning Herald of 22 June 1929 on page 12:
"""""""""""""""""""
KENDALL'S ROCK.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
Sir, - May I endorse the remarks of E.R.T. on Kendall's Rock in to-day's "Herald." About 30 years ago, one of the Fagin brothers, the poet's former employers, personally showed me the rock on Penang Mountain, carved with Kendall's name, and also the initials of one of the Fagins; the rock pool was just beneath. Mr. Fagin assured me that this was the real Kendall's Rock.
I am, etc.,
WILLIAM FREAME
Westmead, Parramatta, June 19.
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Mr Freame also engaged for many years in collecting the epitaphs of Australian pioneers, many of which especially those interred in remote and obscure places he reproduced in his books "An Amateur Tramp" and "Sweet St Marys".
Mr. Freame lived at Westmead or elsewhere near Parramatta for many years. He gave long service to the Prospect and Sherwood Council as an alderman, and was Mayor for a number of terms. He was one of the original members of the Parramatta Historical Society, and was a a familiar figure In the western section of the County of Cumberland. His obituary (The Sydney Morning Herald , 20 September 1933, page 10 ) noted that it was his life-long practice to "tramp the countryside" in search of material for his books, newspaper article:, and addresses on local history.
His article on the old mills is the best single early record of all of them. However, even as he wrote they were very much past history with perhaps little of nothing remaining of the most of them then.
Locations of three of the mills (from Penrith Heritage Study)
Record in the latest (2007) Penrith Heritage Study done for Penrith Council. The relic photographed is in the grounds of the Museum at Emu Plains. ( "The Penrith Heritage Study is a comprehensive review of the heritage items and places" - http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/index.asp?id=5450 ; 3 vols, by Paul Davies Pty. Ltd.).
The stone appears to be Frenc Burr millstone material.
"The Old Mills" - by William Freame
Fraeme's article, working upstream, reported 4 mills. There were actually 5 and he missed out on knowing about the oldest one.
1) Colless's mill.
The John Colless mill had a "monster" water wheel and was built after 1840. It is stated to have been located "just under the village of Castlereagh".
John Colless lived about opposite the Wesleyan Church on Castlereagh Road. In 1871 he possibly lived near these persons:
The first six of 183 persons who petitioned in 1871 against the proposed formation of Penrith Municipality
in the belief that they could not afford to pay for more government of taxes.
( Sydney Morning Herald, 3 February 1871, page 8)
Strangely enough, a John Wm. Colless of Emu Plains, John Colless of Penrith, Charles Colless of Castlereagh; John Byrnes of Penrith, James Byrnes of Mount Pleasant, Samuel Byrnes of Castlereagh; John Parker, senr. of Castlereagh, John Parker junr. of Castlereagh, Henry Parker of Castlereagh, Chas. Parker of Castlereagh; David Parker of Castlereagh, Henry Wm. Purcell of Castlereagh, Edward Purcell of Castlereagh; Michael Landers of Castlereagh, John Lees of Castlereagh and numerous others of the Police District of Penrith, signed a petition praying for the erection of their locality into a Municipality in 1860. Some must have had second thoughts on the matter?
The Colless family continued as significant landholders. They owned or occupied at least 120 acres at Castlereagh as late as 1885
( Parliamentary Return of Landholders; NSW Legislative Assembly, Votes & Proceedings 1885 (2nd Session) Vol. 3 - Appendix 2. pp. 435 - 457). The family at Castlereagh began with George Colless (who came to Australia as a convict in 1798 aboard the ship Barwell) and Ann Goodwin (who came to Australia as a convict in 1804 aboard the ship Experiment). Together they had nine children and sixty-three grandchildren.
John Colless was the sixth of the nine children of Ann Colless. He was born on 15 August 1815 and Castlereagh, and died on 4 November 1893 at Castlereagh, NSW.
He married in 1840, aged 25, about which time he joined Joseph Stanton in a wheel wright business, Freame states. Their first child was born at Castlereagh in 1841. The "1872 Greville's Official Post Office Directory for Penrith" lists a Joseph Stanton as Wheelwright at Proctors Lane.
It might be thought that Stanton was likely a member of the Wesleyan church at Castlereagh, as his name appears as witness there at the 10/7/1854 marriage there of Lydia Jones (nee Field) to James Brown. This is further confirmed from a description in the Nepean Times of 2/6/1923 of the Memorial Service to the late Mr. Joseph Stanton. The service was at Penrith Methodist Church, where he was noted to have been a a church member, a class leader, a Trustee of several Churches, Circular Steward, and Society Steward, as well as one of the best local preachers.
The river stretch west of Castlereagh at the Council Chambers and school area was once an 'island' or split channel area, called "River Island", with a ?un-named creek between Shaw's and Fraser's Creeks feeding the western channel. Later on this 'island' area might have been much modified by the 'Yarramundi quarry' that operated there(?). This works/quarry was accessed via Smith Road, Castlereagh, and thence via a wooden bridge that crossed the river. The area was held by Yarramundi Properties Pty Ltd in 1959-1972, under Permissive Occupancy in Portion 75 of Parish Nepean. That extraction site ran for 13 years. The permissive occupancy was likely held under the name of Yarramundi Properties, but the extracting/crushing operation separately controlled, presumably subleased. The operation was commenced about May 1959 by Melocco Bros. who built a new crushing plant there which could process 300 tph. It crushed ca. 1,200 tpd of gravel, increased to 2,000 tpd capacity in 1960. The gravel was at first taken from the gravel banks of the river by front-end loader. In 1959 M N. Heller was manager and Mr J. Jamieson was the foreman. The operation here was sold to Quarries Pty Ltd in 1960. A dragline was introduced before 1962 and two Euclid bottom dump 40 ton loaders introduced for haulage. the river. This operation was acquired by BMG in or by 1972, and no further production is known of after that.
2) Howell's mill.
Presumably near to Colless' mill was that of Mr Peter Howell, as it was also 'below' Castlereagh, and about in a line with the Council chambers. This ceased running in the 1870s, it is stated by Freame. The Howells were holding 100 acres of land at Castlereagh in 1885 (Parliamentary Return of Landholders. NSW Legislative Assembly, Votes & Proceedings 1885 (2nd Session) Vol. 3 - Appendix 2. pp. 435 - 457).
The original Peter Howell died at Castlereagh in 1861 and seeing Freame refers to the late Mr Peter Howell, this was likely his son Peter Howell (1841-1917) who was born and died at Castlereagh. There is a site known as Howell's Crossing (RES-67 SITE-1F in Penrith Heritage Study Vol. 3 - Locality Assessment Paul Dav ies Pty. Ltd., 2007). The mill might have been near there?
The same family was engaged in milling at Parramatta. Also, milling goes a long way further back in time for the Howells, as the family were millers in England. There they operated flour mills for more than 400 years. This has been researched by Robert Ellis, a Howell descendant who lives at Molong, and formerly at Eugowra.
At Parramatta there was a government water mill built as early as 1803 and perhaps Howell was involved very early there with milling?
There was later on at Parramatta a windmill, with a watermill alongside it, painted in ca. 1853 by F.C. Terry which was known as Howell's Mill. That combined water and wind powered mill. and a weir. had begun to be constructed in the 1820s, by George Howell. George Howell (1760-1839) was convicted for stealing a horse in 1800 and was sentenced to a lifetime in the colony of New South Wales. He arrived on the ship 'Perseus' on the 4/8/1802. He married Hannah Hill (nee Ashbury) (1772-1851) who was also a convict and arrived in 1804 on the ship 'Experiment'. Hannah and George had 9 children.
In 1823 George was granted land which he had been leasing, 150m west of Queens Wharf. The mill and weir were built there by 1828 at a cost of 3,000 pounds. The mill operated for over 30 years. It was demolished some time after 1868, and a gasworks built at the site (at (Newlands Bridge) (or near where the Jet cat wharf is today).
That is the version of events in "Wet Mud - Processes and patterns of cultural material depostion in the Parramatta River", by Rebecca Bower and Mark Saniforth of the Australian National Maritime Museum. Others also state that George Howell built this combined water and wind mill, e.g. in National Library catalogue of a drawing of it.
Parramatta windmill painted in ca. 1853 by F.C. Terry. This is often called Howell's Mill. The
mill and the weir had begun to be constructed in the 1820s, but maybe not by Howell.
A later watercolour of the mill, showing the sails deteriorated. ( Artist unknown. State Libary of NSW, http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=25717 )
For information on Howells Mill see Olga Tatrai, Wind and watermills in Old Parramatta, Oatlands, 1994 ML ref: 664.7209944/1
A different version of who built this fine mill is found in a study on wind powered mills by Morawa District Historical Society at http://members.westnet.com.au/caladenia/windflourmills_aust.html This also refers to Ms OlgaTatrai's book "Wind & Watermills of Old Parramatta" (ISBN 0 646 17728 1). That has not been seen but what the historical socierty webpage has might be from there. That has it that this mill near Queens Wharf was built by someone else and later leased by a Howell: "The erection of this tower mill was attributed to SMITH, with construction apparently taking place circa 1823 to 1829 (inclusive). The "SMITH" was evidently John SMITH [ - by 1832], a millwright and miller who arrived in the colony in 1822 . The tower mill was the same Parramatta windmill that is documented in late February 1830 as being owned by Richard PROCTOR and described as "a windmill of Bricks". In 1832 the tower mill with its location then described as Church Street, belonged to a Mr. BLANCHARD.
By 1836, then described as either at or on the "College Green" it was owned by a Mr. HARVEY. Late that year a five storey brick tower windmill that stood on the rising ground between the Female Factory and the then location of the King's School, was advertised for sale. At that time, the mill was being leased by George HOWELL (junior) [c1805 - 1838] who evidently had been leasing the mill since 1833. The mill itself contained a pair of vertical stones for grinding Mustard and Linseed etc, a pair of shelling stones for preparing Oatmeal, two pairs of French burr stones, patent regulators and joggling screens. There was also a dressing, smutting, and winnowing machine with hoisting tackle. Adjoining the mill there was a cottage with a verandah. It had two Parlours, four Bedrooms, a Kitchen and out-offices, a two stall stable and loft. There was also a Miller's Cottage with three rooms. The complex with its garden was fenced and covered .6 of a hectare. In 1837 the tower mill belonged to a Mr. HOWELL [George (junior)?], while he and a Mr John HAMILTON were in partnership operating the combined tide and wind powered mill on the the southern bank of the Parramatta River. George (junior) was killed in February 1838, when sheer legs evidently being used to replace the fan blades on what was now his five storey tower windmill collapsed. A chain or rope, being used to haul up a large beam of timber for placement in one of his mills, broke and the descending beam struck and killed him instantly.
Following George (junior's) death a Mrs Howell (evidently his widow Elizabeth), inherited both the tower mill and the combined tide and wind powered mill on the Parramatta River. However, despite local folklore that shortly following the accident the tower windmill was shut down and soon demolished, by 1840, there had been a rationalisation of the milling assets, with George's widow Elizabeth HOWELL evidently now the owner of the combined tide and water powered mill, and John HAMILTON and a Mr. NUTTER owning and/or operating the tower mill. In 1838 HAMILTON had rented and repaired the Darling Steam Mills which he announced would re-open on 3 September that year. At least the tower of the five storey brick windmill was evidently still standing in 1848, when an advertisement for the sale of a model vineyard at Parramatta, (which was described as being on the rising sandy ground on the north side of the town), mentioned that the vineyard was located 'near the old windmill.'"
The above puts a Howell at this major water mill 'evidently' since 1833. Confirming that is a notice referred to in the Sydney Gazette, of 3 April 1834, page 2: "Notice - Whereas my wife, Rebecca Bishop, absconded from her home six months ago, if she will return, I will forgive her, and take her home again; and if any of the draymen will bring her down, I will give them two pounds; and if they will advance her ten or twenty shillings till they come down, I will return it to them. His mark X - John Bishop. Bring her to George Howell's water mill, Paramatta, and he will pay the money." So Howell was obliging someone by assisting him, Bishop, to try and get his 'absconded' wife back.
It seems that George Howell did not build the mill on the river in the 1820s but rather in that decade he established the Howell Flour Mills of Parramatta, and they became a well known landmark, which people would see from the river. A wooden post mill was evidently erected in the early 1820s at "North Parramatta" and the builder was apparently the "well known millwright and miller George HOWELL (senior)". The case involving Marsden in 1813 which described Howell's mill as a mile from Parramatta accords with this. This may have been the windmill that was referred to in October/November 1820 when Samuel MARSDEN was noted superintending in a private capacity, the construction of a windmill and a watermill in the vicinity of the Female Orphan School at Parramatta, which was then also under construction ( http://members.westnet.com.au/caladenia/windflourmills_aust.html ).
Thus even before 1820s George was seemingly a businessman or miller, and there was an earlier George Howell's mill, as it appears recorded in a court case. That Howell's mill seems to have been local meeting place for carousing or recreation, maybe with drinking. One afternoon in 1813 Rev. Samuel Marsden, was riding by and heard a crowd at Howell's mill. Marsden rode over and ordered them to disperse, which they ignored doing. Marsden regard this as a 'riot' and in later court proceedings referred to Howell's mill as being "about a mile from Parramatta". Numbers of people would assemble there apparently and when one such crowd refused to disperse and go home, Marsden had the Chief Constable of Parramatta go there to disperse them. When Chief Constable Oakes asked them to disperse a Mr Grimes "came forward in a very bold way and said he would be damned if he would disperse for me, the magistrate or any other person. He said he was a free man" (Grimes who had come there with his horse and cart apparently with a load of wheat for the mill for grind said that he was a free man, and that he would not disperse for Mr Marsden, Mr Oakes nor all the constables in Parramatta). Thereupon Grimes was arrested. However, the crowd closed in on the constables who were then under the necessity of relinquishing Grimes and returning without him. A number of soldiers, four of more, were also with the crowd, one of whom was accused in assisting the crowd rescue Grimes after his arrest by the constables. Magistrate the Rev. Samuel Marsden then ordered the specific arrest of Grimes, which was done that evening. A witness questioned at the subsequent court case stated "I cannot take upon myself to say for what purpose the mob was there. All I can say is they were there. I have known it customary for persons to assemble at that spot in holiday time, I believe for the purpose of cockfighting and gambling. I saw no cockfighting there." One witness (Richard Partridge) at the court case discounted the words of Marsden, stating "There was no more riot at the time Mr Marsden arrived there than there is here at this present time" (in the court room). Another (William Smallwood) testified "I saw Mr Marsden come there. I did not see any rioting when he came there." It all rather seems another case of exaggeration by Rev. Marsdem, the 'flogging parson', but Grimes and another who resisted the constables were each given a month in Parramatta goal. ( http://www.law.mq.edu.au/scnsw/html/R%20v%20Accroid,%201813.htm ).
The 'riotous' meeting which Rev. Marsden tried to suppress or disperse at the mill he described as " two or three hundred people, men and women and children, of different descriptions assembled together". The incident perhaps records a degree of antipathy between the convict/working/soldier class and men of 'authority' like Marsden. The following year, 1814, there was also a reference to Howell's mill made by the government surveyor Meehan.
In 1818 George Howell bought 29 acres of land from John Arkell, on the Nepean River opposite the mouth of the Grose River, at what was later known as Yarramundi or Agnes Banks. He built a flour mill there at a cost of 600 pounds. George Howell died on 22/2/1839 and was buried at Richmond. The Yarramundi mill was carried on by his son Thomas, until it was destroyed in the great flood of June 1867. In the "Returns and Manufactories, mills, machinery, mines and quarries in the District of the Hawkesbury" (Archives Office NSW Loc. 4/7267), fide a compilation from such by Barkley and Nichols in 1994, George Howell ran a water mill at "Richmond" between 1830-1841. Unless the Howell's had yet another mill at Richmond, this might be a mis-recording of the Howell mill at the former mouth of the Grose River.
Depiction of the falls in the Nepean River at Grose River mouth in 1809. This is the George William Evans painting
"View of part of Hawkesbury River at first fall and connection with Grose River, N.S. Wales 1809".
Small falls on the Nepean River today, upstream of Shaw's Creek. Note vehicle tracks that
show this has been a river crossing at times in the recent past.
Howell possibly selected this site because of the falls and implication of water power here. He appears to have cut a mill race
across the curve of the river at this place. This is suggested because "mill race" is seen marked on an 1893 parish map as shown below. However, floods and extensive gravel and sand extraction from the river have resulted in dramatic changes to the river here.
The blue tint below shows where water lies or flows today. The old river bend or undulation is now gone. This cut off may have
occurred in the flood that destroyed the water mill. Indeed, perhaps the river during the flood gouged a new and shorter channel by following Howell's artificial mill race? That is purely speculation though. An alternative might be that still earlier floods had cut off the "original channel" even before Howell took up the land there and he cut a race a race between the Nepean River and the Grose River. That seems unlikely but it is hard to judge, on account of the severe landscape modification by human hand. Today the Grose flows freely at its mouth but the Nepean is relatively sluggish with large still areas where sand and gravel removal occurred, and one such still area is is immediately south of the Grose mouth and is often now totally covered with water weed.
Today there seems to be no evidence of the mill race, or of any mill buildings from the Howell mill that once existed near the mouth of the Grose River. However it is not know what Mr Robert Ellis, a Howell descendant and researcher of the former family business sites, may have found or learned about either this mill site or the Howell mill at Castlereagh.
At Yarramundi's relatively recent past floods and the effects of sand and gravel quarrying have dramatically changed the
land since this 1893 parish map. The bottom photo is a 1947 air photo. (Source: Lands Department via the
2007 "YARRAMUNDI RESERVE ARCHAEOLOGICAL & CULTURAL HERITAGE ASSESSMENT"
by Jim Wheeler, for Hawkesbury Council.
"Yarramundi Falls 1" painting, modern, by Yvonne West, Hawkesbury artist.
The entire Grose mouth area is now gone or shifted, but when the river was first explored the falls here over a gravel bar were vigorous enough to be quite audible. Captain John Hunter was a member of the 1789 expedition up the Hawkesbury River and provided the following description in his 6th July diary entry: “In the morning of the 6th, we examined the river, which, as I have before observed, was narrow and shoally; its bed was composed of loose round stones and sand….We here found the river to divide into two narrow branches, from one of which the stream came down with considerable velocity, and with a fall4 over a range of stones which seemed to lye across its entrance: this was the fall which we had heard the night before from our situation on the side of Richmond-hill.” This may be compared to Ashton's Falls (a.k.a. Yarramundi Falls) as shown on old parish map, yet other indications/records have been of falls being just upstream of the Grose River mouth and on the Nepean rather than being on the Grose.
George Howell's daughter Matilda (1816-1891) was married, aged 16, at Castlereagh on 6 May 1833 to Charles Hadley. Peter Howell was a close sibling of Matilda but what first caused him/them to move to Castlereagh is not known here. Another Howell, Vincent Howell (1817-1855), four years later on 26 June 1837, also married at Castlereagh. So that is three consecutive-born children of George Howell who became associated with Castlereagh. Vincent married the 19 year old Susannah Hadley, but there is no suggestion this couple afterwards lived at Castlereagh.
In 1843-44 in the Windsor Express there are references to a Water Mill Farm near Penrith with legal connections to William Bowman, Stephen Denby, and Walter Howell (as owner). Walter Howell (1812-1861) is another brother. That makes four consecutive children of George Howell's with some noted connection to Castlereagh - Walter, Peter, Matilda and Vincent. Why Bowman might be involved and who Stephen Denby is remains unknown as these entries have been seen only in index; the articles themselves not yet seen.
Since the 1867 flood destroyed the Howell mill at Agnes Bank or Yarramundi, it seems entirely likely that it may have destroyed or severely damaged the Howell one at Castlereagh too.
How the Hadleys and the Howells intermarried: First a Howell (Matilda) married Charles Hadley at Castlereagh;
and next there was also there held the marriage of Susannah Hadley to Vincent Howell, Matilda's brother.
The home of Charles and Matilda Hadley, Hadley Park, still exists at Upper Castlereagh.
Remnant of the mill at Yarramundi near Grose River mouth. ( http://members.westnet.com.au/caladenia/graphics/yarramundi1.jpg )
Remnant of the mill at Yarramundi near Grose River mouth. ( http://members.westnet.com.au/caladenia/graphics/yarramundi2.jpg )
Re George Howell's watermill there, these two wooden relics ( - wooden gear , wooden shaft ) were in 2004 all that was was known to remain in 2004. Photos courtesy of the Howell family, at water flour mills compilation, http://members.westnet.com.au/caladenia/waterflourmill_aust.html
3) Jackson's mill.
The next mill Freame mentioned was Jackson's. This mill was known as the Jackson's mill because it was near the river crossing at the end of Jackson's Lane. Although the land around there belonged to John Jackson, the mill did not. It was on a separate small parcel or lease held by a Mr Bowman, as Freame records. It too was long gone when Freame wrote, having stopped working over 50 years prior to them. Who that Bowman was who operated the mill has not yet been ascertained. The family is an old one in the region. Bowman House at Richmond (368-370 Windsor St, Richmond) was built in 1815-17 and has remained much the same since then. It is now occupied by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
According to "Dharug and Dungaree", the Council sponsored history book on Penrith and St Marys till 1860, pages 62-63, John Bowman from Fifeshire, Scotland had skill in corn mill construction and this is what led Sir Joseph Banks to recommend him as a supported migrant to New South Wales. The government gave him and his family a free passage in 1798, victuals for seven years, and a 100 acre grant at Richmond. His brother William followed him, arriving in 1801. According to inferences in "Dharug and Dungaree", the Bowmans illegally distilled spirits and may have sold spirits to small settlers in return of wheat and maize. He is suspected of being one of those who advanced credit with view to taking farmers' land if their crops failed, a practice which devastated many early small grant holders. But via debt foreclosure or purchase, Bowman acquired considerable land portions from several of the initial grantees of Upper Castlereagh. None of these Bowman early land acquisitions were registered at the time with the government in Sydney.
The Kinghorne's mill.
Kinghorne's mill was on the river near the end of Sheen's Lane, Birds Eye Bend. It was missed by Freame in his historical traverse of the river mills. According to one mentin, Kinghorn's mill was on the western side of the river (http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/index.asp?id=225) however an old map shows it on the Upper Castlereagh side of the river.
The Kinghorne's mill is the oldest grinding mill on the river. It was located near Jacksons Falls. The mill is seen on the north side of the river on Alexander Kinghorne's 1826 map of Emu Plains (State Records of New South Wales Map No. 2661). There is likely connection to the fact that in March 1825, Governor Brisbane wrote to Under Secretary Horton to inform him of a "bed of millstone" having been found on Cox's River. This may relate to some exploration party at just before that time (check). Apparently this stone was then quarried, for trialling a pair of millstones at Emu Plains.
James Kinghorne when he became superintendant at Emu Plains in 1826 recorded that the two millstones were there. It was not until 1828 that a government mill was planned for Emu Plains. This was possibly constructed in due course but in fact the private mill on the other (Castlereagh) side of the River may have existed by 1826 (unless the annotation there "New Grinding Mill" only shows a proposed location for such?).
It is thought that Kinghorne's son, Alexander Kinghorne Junior, may have in fact constructed that mill as early as 1825 on land owned by William Bowman of Richmond. Bowman with his knowledge of corn mill construction might have been closely involved?
This mill was later on occasionally known as Jacksons Mill, but it is not known if that if because the Jackson family ever owned/operated it or only because it was situated near Jacksons Falls. The Jackson of Jackson's Falls is believed to have been a different, unrelated, Jackson to John Jackson or Jackson's Lane.
The Kinghorne mill is thought to have still been operating when McHenry of Lambridge built his mill upstream of it and closer to Penrith Weir in 1831.
One of the latest references to the area is:
Stedinger Associates, 2007. Construction of a bridge over the Nepean River at Bird's Eye Corner. Historical Archaeological Assessment. 23 pp. [For Penrith Lakes Development Corporation Ltd].
SA (2007) on their Fig. 2 term a ford at the end of Jackson's Lane "Jacksons Ford (RES 62)" but in Fig. 1 of the same report "Jacksons Ford" is alternatively shown at the end of Sheens Lane, Bird's Eye Corner. According to this report the ford at the end of Sheens Lane was built in the 1830s. Regarding Kinghorne's mill, this report (p. 22) states that 'Kingshorn Mill' (ca. 1826-1860s), if surviving, would be a rare industrial site. They, however, did not find any trace of it. :
A pile of many large sandstone blocks is present on the south bank of the river. The SA (2007) survey must have found these but that is not clear. SA (2007) mentions "Indeed a stockpile of river pebbles and concrete rubble in the survey area suggests that maintenance of Sheens Land Ford and that to the west continue today". Their Plate 3 suggests that they are referring to the pile abovementioned but if so the blocks are not concrete, rather sandstone. Also these sandstone blocks look old, not like anything to do with continuing maintenance. Two separate sandstone blocks on the south bank of the river, a short distance east of the pile, were noted to show drill holes right through them.
Some locally obtained information that there was sandstone outcrop along the river here (obtained from someone who had canoed down the river in the past) and also that the old mill had been "anchored" into sandstone (obtained from someone who appeared to have known of its foundations) was not sustained by examination around this area. Exactly where the mill may have been remains unknown. it was still apparently in existence in 1830 (as referred to below).
4) The Allan's or McHenry's Mill.
Besides mentioning it in his "The Old Mills" article, William Freame also wrote a specific article on this mill (not yet seen in full): "McHenrys Mill: An old Nepean landmark - published under the auspices of the historical society". The Sun, Tuesday 13 August 1912, p 4, col. 4
Freame stated that this mill was built by McHenry, then it was later rented to Mr Allen whose family who retained it till the 1870s. After that the land passed to Mr Michael Long. The dismantled mill remnants were still on the river bank when Freame wrote.
Freame referred to Mr William 'Allen' but most newspaper references found to the 'Penrith Mill' are to William 'Allan' (but also sometimes to 'Allen'). The correct spelling of that surname or any more about the family is presently unknown.
Freame or others mention the mill was built in 1834 but it must have existed from earlier. In January 1832 a James Smith wrote to the government (Colonial Secretary records) complaining about how McHenry's mill and weir ('dam') had diverted the course of the river and raised the height of the water to such an extent as to ruin the convenience of the river crossing. He was possibly referring to a river crossing just upstream and near the later made Penrith Weir, but this is not absolutely certain.
Another mention found is that a mill was under construction in March 1830 on John McHenry's "Chapman's Farm", just upstream from "Jackson's Mill" (the latter obviously referring to the mill at Jackson's Falls, i.e. Kinghorne's mill, and not Jackson's mill meaning the mill at the end of Jackson's Lane). The year 1834 is possibly when further construction works at the mill were completed(?). Perhaps the early river works that James Smith complained of were done first but that the mill was not fully equipped and operating until 1834? However, by 1834 Mr John McHenry had died and the mill passed to his widow Sarah who endeavoured to continue its operation by renting it.
A number of ads are in the papers trying to find someone to lease and run the mill. In the Sydney Morning Herald of 6 June 1843, page 3, the mill was advertised for rent by Mrs McHenry. It was stated to be in "most complete" order, with two pairs of stones, a dwelling house and all necessary machinery. A Mr Bell may have operated it for some time but it was soon up for rent again. In the Sydney Morning Herald of 20 February 1847, page 4, it was offered for rent or sale: "PENRITH MILL. TO LET, THAT excellent Grist Mill, comprising dressing and smutting machines, together with two acres of land, situate about one mile from Penrith, on the River Nepean, lately tenanted by Mr. S. Cooper. For particulars apply to Mr. R. Copland, Lethbridge, Werrington, Penrith, ; if by letter, post-paid". It was also offered for rent again in 1850, noting there was a four room cottage, a small paddock, and "all the requisites for an extensive flour trade". Mr William Allen had taken it up some time before 1853 when he advertised for a miller.
The Allen/Allan family held the mill for all or most of the time from the 1850s till when it was demolished apparently in 1872. The business of the mill was carried on by Mr William Allan and his son Joseph N.M. Allan, although Freame mentions it passed to "John Allen". The Allens/Allans lived at the mill it would seem as "Mr William Allen" was several times indicated to be of that address in small records of local happenings in newspapers. For example, it is recorded that "Mr William Allen (Penrith Mill)", according to the Sydney Morning Herald of 11 December 1858, page 5, seconded a motion for the formation of a Penrith municipality at the public meeting convened to consider that matter in the long room of Mr Salmon's Rose Inn.
THE MILLS FURTHER DOWNSTREAM (Hawkesbury River)
These mills have been recorded by various historians and historical societies, e.g. the following is from http://members.westnet.com.au/caladenia/waterflourmill_aust.html
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KURRAJONG - CURRY[G]JONG MILL [KURRY JUNG MILL] - SINGLETON, Benjamin This mill, commonly referred to as SINGLETON's Mill, was constructed by early 1816 on "Winney Creek" (today Little Wheeney Creek), at the "Currajong Brush" in the Richmond district about 1.5 kilometres to the north of the present village of Kurrajong. The mill's former presence is signalled today by Mill Road, which crosses and runs alongside Little Wheeney Creek. Apparently constructed by Benjamin Singleton and capable of grinding 40 bushels per day, the overshot water mill with 40.47 hectares attached and four bullocks, was put up for sale by SINGLETON in March 1816, but a buyer could not be found. SINGLETON also developed pastoral and milling interests on the St. Patrick's Plains in the 1820's and the town of Singleton is named after him. By late 1821 SINGLETON was referring to this mill as the Kurry Jung Mill. In late February 1823, the Provost Marshal's Office advised that as a result of the case ROWE v. SINGLETON, the latter's water mill and appurtenances would be sold by auction, but SINGLETON evidently beat everybody to the jump, with new owner and baker William LEVERTON (see Lachlan & Waterloo Water Mills) having advertised the mill for let, a fortnight earlier. With LEVERTON's death by mid 1824, as part of his estate, the Curryjong Mill with now 101.15 hectares attached, was in July that year again put up for auction, it being up to that time rented by Mr TOWN for $500 per year. With the mill was also a weatherboard house. The mill at this time was in good repair and equipped with a single pair of French burr millstones. Eight working bullocks and two carts also belonging to the mill, were auctioned separately. From at least 1829, and throughout the 1830's, the mill was owned by John TOWN (senior). The degree of corroboration from another source in 1842 that refers to the Lower Curragong Water Mill, indicates that it is almost certain that this was the same operation being referred to, with the owner John TOWN (senior) of Richmond offering to sell the mill by private contract. The early 1842 description was for a mill with a single pair of 1.37 metre diameter French burr millstones, a smutting machine and a dressing machine, but with now only 4.07 hectares attached. The house was described as weatherboard and shingled. The local Kurrajong Historical Society has the millstones from what is assumed to be this mill as its logo. The millstones were initially dumped in the creek circa 1860, retrieved and used as a war memorial (1920), discarded during road widening (1945), recovered but then forgotten about again and recovered again in 1988 and are now [2005]on display at the Kurrajong shopping centre. It has now been established with reasonable certainty that only one watermill was ever constructed at, or in the vicinity of, Kurrajong, and that seeming references to the existence of two watermills in this area circa the 1830's, simply reflect a clerical error that was perpetuated in official statisitics concerning the area's mills, over at least a ten year period. Members of the SINGLETON family were involved in the construction and operation of two further water powered mills on the Hawkesbury below Richmond, but these were both tidal mills.
HAWKESBURY RIVER - MILL CREEK This mill was built by late 1820, apparently by Benjamin and James SINGLETON, and was by August 1825, owned by James, then described as a miller, of Dillon's Creek. In August 1841 an auction notice appeared listing a water mill on the 20.2 hectare Lot six which was on Dillons or Myrtle Creek, now known as Mill Creek. For Location see Lot 5 description for the Gunderman Mill. The mill was similar to the one on Lot 5 and was equipped with two pair of 1.22 metre diameter French Burr millstones although at the time only one pair was at work. Also listed were dressing machines. It had an estimated rate of six to eight bushels an hour which it could maintain about half the time but it was suggested that improvements could double this performance. The house which came with the mill was built of cut stone on a solid stone foundation. It included three front rooms and two rear, one chamber, three sleeping places for servants above stairs and a spacious loft in the roof. There was a cellar under the house which opened to the wharf alongside. There was also a blacksmiths shop on the property. The watermill was occupied by a Mr T. SAWKINS when it was advertised to let in 1846. [NB: A later mill on this creek, at the creek mouth, was a saw mill, known as Bailey's mill - JGB.]
GUNDERMAN - LAYBURY'S CREEK - SINGLETON, James James SINGLETON established a water mill on Laybury's Creek in 1833-34. In August 1841 an auction notice appeared listing amongst various lots, two water mills at what then was referred to as "Singleton's Valley, on the Hawkesbury." There appears strong reason to suspect that Benjamin and perhaps also James Singleton were involved in the construction of these two watermills, both of which were tide mills. Lot 5 which was a special grant of 2.02 hectares, was one of five lots described as being on a lower property, all of these being either on, or in close proximity to Gunderman Creek, which is a located a little upstream on the Hawkesbury River estuary from the town of Gunderman. The water mill being referred to in this case was that, which by 1842, had become known as the Gunderman Mill. The water mill was capable of storing two thousand bushels of grain and was equipped with an undershot wheel which at the time was driving a pair of French Burr millstones of 1.37 metre diameter with another pair of 1.22 metre diameter waiting to be set. Also listed were dressing and smut machines. It had an estimated output of eight to ten bushels an hour which it could maintain for about half the time, but it was suggested that improvements to the mill could double this performance. The weatherboard and shingled house which came with the mill had a verandah, three front rooms, and two at the rear. Both the house and mill stood on rock foundations.
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THE SOURCE OF FRENCH BURR STONE
In November 2010 it was learned of the above sign being on a wall at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre
( http://www.la-ferte-sous-jouarre.fr/component/content/article/462.html )
The town or commune of La Ferté-sous-Jouarreis located on the bank of the River Marne, 66 kilometres east of Paris, in the department of Seine-et-Marne.
Announced on the above website of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre (November 2010) was:
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Collection meulière : appel à votre participation
Le projet de création d’un Centre d’Interprétation de la Meulière à La Ferté-sous-Jouarre avance ! Vous avez pu le constater avec la présence récente d’un panneau près des bâtiments situés Quai des Anglais, signalant leur acquisition par la Ville. La collection d’objets et documents sur l’industrie meulière acquise par la Ville en 2005 y sera prochainement tranférée. Afin de l’enrichir, la Ville fait appel à votre participation. Peut-être avez-vous dans vos greniers, placards ou au fond d’une grange, des objets ou documents relatifs à la meulière (cartes postales, outils, correspondances...) ? N’hésitez pas à contacter le service “patrimoine” au 01.60.22.25.63 ou par mail : info@la-ferte-sous-jouarre.fr Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.
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The council chambers (La Mairie) and the Mayor (La Maire) Marie Richard
The full Municipal Council of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre
Information from the Tourism office at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre
REFERENCES
Oakes, J. Sydney's fogotten quarry railways. (Not seen, approximate contents = 79 page book with B&W photos - covering quarrying at Prospect hill , The Fullagars Bank tramway , Widemere , quarrying the Nepean at Emu Plains, the incredible railway to Yarramundi Falls, the Thornleigh quarry Zig Zag and a quarry railway at St Leonards.]
Tench, W. (1996). [reprint of Watkin Tench 1788, 1793]. Edited by Tim Flannery, The Text Publishing Company, Melbourne.
Wilson C, 1985. Nepean Sand: The Railways of Yarramundi Falls, The Light Railway Research Society of Australia.
A few links about milling
Vintage Windmills A premier windmill site. Gallery info and advice line.
- W D Moore West Australian Windmill Manufacturer
- Australian Windmills A premier site for Australian windmills
- Windmillers' Gazette Site edited by probably the world's foremost authority on American type windmills.
- The Lily A five storey working Dutch type flourmill, near Borden in the Stirling Ranges S.W. Western Australia.
If anyone has comment or information on any of these matters, or their builders/millers or their families, the writer would be very pleased to receive such. Please send to john.mail@ozemail.com.au or PO Box 121, Burwood 1805.
