Milling and Millers in Coddington

1600 - 1830

This article is about milling in Coddington after 1600 upto 1830, though we know nothing yet about the period 1600-1789.  It also includes what we know about the families of millers in Coddington (the Else and Burton families, Edward Johnson and Joseph Vicars), apart from the milling dynasty the Lee family, who are covered elsewhere.

In 1789 Valentine Farmorice took out a fire insurance policy for £160 on a timber windmill at Coddington.

Chapman's 1774 Map of Nottinghamshire (a small scale map in which Coddington village covers about a square cm) shows no mill on Balderton Lane, but three are shown on the Newark slopes of Beacon Hill, and one on the northern edge of Balderton (Chapman's map appears to lack detail and may be missing some mills - also Beaconfield Hall or Beaconfield Farm are not shown).

In 1818 there was a post mill owned by William Else still standing when a new smock mill with brick base was built on a separate site by John Else.

In 1859 the post smock mill was replaced by a tower mill.

Early Millers that we know about are:

1789 Valentine Farmorice

1815 William Burton

1816 William Robinson

1817/18 Thomas Rimmington

1818 William and John Else - owners.

1826/28 Thomas Rimmington, listed on the survey for rating purposes.

1829 Edward Johnson

1831 Joseph Vicars

1831 William Lee

An 1835 map of Newark shows 10 windmill symbols on the eastern side of Newark- including 4 on the slopes of Beacon Hill. The map finishes at Coddington parish boundary, and only the Catch'em Inn (at the corner of the turnpike road) is marked within Coddington.

Coddington is right on the edge of Sanderson's 1835 Map "20 Miles around Mansfield". It shows the windmill on Balderton Lane, three on the lower slopes of Beacon Hill and another outside the parish, just north of the Foss Road close to Two Mile House, on the outskirts of Winthorpe.

The Else Family

In 1817 we have a record of paperwork resulting from a William Else having died intestate. Signatories included William Else (jnr.), Mr John Else (Millwright of Fulbeck), Mrs Phillis Pidd (nee Else) and Joseph Pidd, Mary Else of Norton Disney, Mrs Elizabeth Snell, Mrs Frances and William Grocock, and John Pilgrim of Shelford, who state that his estate in York didn't exceed £100 in value.

In 1815 a William Else married Ann Johnson and in 1841 they appear on the Census as William Else carpenter aged 50, wife Ann and children Edward (aged 20 wheelwright), Ann (aged 15) and William jnr (aged 9). It is not clear if this is the son of Miller William Else or not. In 1864, 1872 and 1879 a Mr William Else (presumably William jnr) is listed as a cottager, and in 1894 a farmer. In 1861 William Else aged 29, cottager born in Beckingham is living with wife Mary and his widower father William aged 72. By 1871 he is a woodman and cottager with 20acres and wife Mary is boarding a pauper child aged 7 from Claypole.

There are other Elses in the village: in 1844 Christopher Else, listed as shoe and bootmaker and c 1857 - 61 Mrs Martha Else a dressmaker with 4 small children (Anne, Maria, Lucy and Eliza) living on Brownlow?s Hill. In 1878 Mrs Else briefly held the post of sewing mistress at the school.

In 1881 William and Mary Else still live on Beckingham Rd - with Nephew William Browitt aged 10 and boarders Florence and Ada Ellis (aged 7 and 5) painter James Davies aged 36 and servant George Davies aged 20.

The Burton Family

We have a record of an early marriage of a Coddington Miss Sarah Grime and William Burton on 21.12.1721 at Elston Chapel, and records of marriages of Burtons in the period 1820 - 1837.

Henry Burton is listed as a carpenter and wheelwright in the period 1844 - 1855. The 1841 Census also describes farmer William Burton aged ~50, his wife Lucy Burton aged ~50 and children - John aged ~25, Sarah aged 10, and Lucy aged 9 all born in Notts - plus Sarah Heslam, aged 100 , and labourer John Stanley aged 15. In 1861 we have only Lucy and William Burton (from Winthorpe aged 72 and described as '(unreadable) cottager') living near Coddington House.

Edward Johnson and Joseph Vicars

1832 - Joseph Vicars married Susan Swingbourn but they do not appear in the 1841 Census for Coddington.

In 1833 Edward Johnson married Amey Weatherall. In the 1841 Census there are a number of Johnson households and singletons in Coddington, but no sign of an Edward Johnson.

Follow these links for more information:

Coddington Windmill Introduction

Milling around Newark before 1600

The Lee family at Coddington mill 1830 onwards

From windmill to house (including a technical description of the tower windmill)