Sir William Cubitt
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Bacton Wood
postmill |
Bacton Wood post mill was a small mill that stood at Spa Common near North Walsham just to the north of Bacton Wood watermill. The two mills were probably always worked under the same ownership. |
Notice to Debtors & Creditors |
The inventor, Sir William Cubitt was born at Dilham in 1775 where his father Joseph Cubitt, ran a mill. From an early age William helped his father in the windmill, showing particular aptitude in the repair of the machinery. A few years later in 1802 his father moved to Bacton_Wood_watermill and William joined him in 1804. William then had several jobs within Norfolk before moving back to Bacton_Wood_watermill in 1807. On 9th May in that year was granted a patent titled 'Method of Equalising the Motion of the Sails of Windmills.' This was a system of self regulating shuttered windmill sails,known as Patent Sails that eventually became the industry standard, replacing the canvas covered Common Sails. He then embarked on an illustrious career in civil engineering that included general, railway and waterway projects. He died in 1861. |
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Sir William Cubitt |
The first windmill to be fitted with William Cubitt's Patent Sails was Stalham smockmill run by Mr. Cox. At the time William Cubitt was still working with his father Joseph at Bacton Wood. |
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O.S. Map 2005 Image reproduced under licence from Ordnance Survey |
Faden's map 1797: Mill |
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| Nat Grid Ref TG30003085 |
Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2006 |