Stoke Ferry towermill was built by William Pollard snr in the 1860s on the site of his earlier mill, which was possibly a postmill. The mill had five storeys built of red brick until a further two were added c.1900 using buff brick, taking the tower height up to 58 feet. At the same time a set of second hand sails and a new ogee cap were installed, these probably being made necessary by damage from a severe gale in 1895.

To Journeymen Millers etc.

WANTED, a Young Man as MILLER who understands his business. He will Board and Lodge in the House and be expected to make himself generally useful. A Wesleyan preferred. Also a Youth as an APPRENTICE to the same business, who will be treated as one of the Family.
Apply to Mr. Pollard, Junr., Stoke Ferry Windmill, Norfolk.
Norfolk News - 5th April 1862

To Merchants, Millers and others

Valuable Estate situate at STOKE FERRY in the County of Norfolk
To be Sold by Auction by Messrs. CRUSO & HAWKINS at the Globe Inn, King’s Lynn on Tuesday 3 June, 1873 at 3 for 4 o’clock by order of the Mortgagee.

Lot 1. All those 3a. 0r. 23p. (more or less) of Land in Stoke Ferry aforesaid together with all that BRICK TOWER WINDMILL containing five floors with Patent Sails and Winding gear, working three pairs of Stones, with Dressing Machine, Smut Mill and all necessary appliances in good working order, with ample storage therein, together with a Building near fitted with two pairs of Stones and dressing Apparatus driven by a Portable Engine, with large and convenient Granaries adjoining, also Barn, Stabling, Piggeries and other Buildings.
23 Perches of this Lot are Copyhold of the Manor of Kavenham, Stoke, Wereham and Wretton.
All the above are newly erected and in thorough repair.
Apply to the Auctioneers, King’s Lynn and Downham Market or to Messrs. Wedlake & Letts, Solicitors, 3 Mitre Court, Temple, London.
Norfolk Chronicle - 24th May 1873

The Bankruptcy Act 1869

In the County Court of Norfolk holden at King’s Lynn
In the matter of the Special Resolution for liquidation by arrangement of the affairs of WILLIAM POLLARD of Stoke Ferry in the county of Norfolk, Miller, Corn and Flour Factor and Baker, Coal Merchant and Horse Dealer.
William Briscoe Whall of King’s Lynn in the county of Norfolk, Accountant, has been appointed Trustee under this Liquidation by Arrangement.
All persons having in their possession any of the effects of the debtor must deliver them to the Trustee and all debts due to the debtor must be paid to the Trustee.
Creditors who have not yet proved their debts must forward their proofs of debts to the Trustee.
Dated this Eleventh day of June 1873
W. B. Whall
Trustee
Lynn Advertiser - 14th June 1873

STOKE FERRY, Norfolk

Important Notice to agriculturalists, Millers, Machinists and others
ROBERT HEYHOE
Is instructed by the trustee in the estate of Mr. William Pollard, Miller And Baker, to Sell by Auction at the Mill Premises on Friday June 20, 1873 the following valuable LIVE & DEAD FARMING STOCK & STOCK IN TRADE viz. HORSES….
The DEAD STOCK consists of a superior eight horse power portable steam engine and elevator (by ROBY & CO. Lincoln), two excellent threshing machines (by BURRELL, Thetford)…..THE STOCK
IN TRADE includes about 46 coombs of oats, six coombs of rye, 11 ditto of grey peas and 7 sacks of flour.
Sale to commence at One o’clock precisely.
Lynn Advertiser - 14th June 1873

After renovation and enlarging, the mill had a distinct conical shape as the two additional floors used the same batter as the original five. On pair of the four double shuttered sails were fitted with 12 bays of 3 shutters and the other pair with 11 bays of 3 and were struck by rack and pinion. An 8 bladed fan was strutted to a 17 foot diameter horizontally boarded ogee cap with a petticoat and ball finial and a gallery.

Ted Sharpe ran the mill from c.1904 to c.1926 when he used a steam mill driving 2 pairs of stones in a building to the rear of the towermill.

When Roger Wright bought the mill to conserve it and turn the complex into a restaurant, much of the machinery was still intact, including a section of the upright shaft, the great spur wheel, 3 pairs of underdriven peak stones, stone nuts, tentering gear and governors, along with the cast iron crown wheel that powered the sackhoist gearing. Ancilliary equipment included a smut mill, dresser and a stone lifting crane.

Conversion included rebuilding the steam mill and linking it to the mill tower with a new two storey extension. The restaurant bar was in the ground floor of the new extension, the lounge cum function room was in the ground floor of the mill and the restaurant was in the upper floor of the granary. The top of the mill was fitted out with a 360 degree glazed sun lounge but access to this had not been provided by the time the mill was sold the following year.

ABBOTTS Chartered Surveyors, Estate Agents, Valuers, Auctioneers.
PROPERTY GUIDE No. 4 July/August 1983
CONVERTED MILL RESTAURANT £175,000
Magnificent Mill restuarant, Mill house and luxurious 3 bedroomed bungalow amidst 3 acres.
Unique investment opportunity. Apply Downham Market off.ce. (DM. 7391)

My gr grandparents were Ted Sharp and Emily Sharp (née Doy). They owned Stoke Ferry Mill and were the last working millers. I visited the mill in the middle nineties when it was a restaurant, I now believe the mill is a private house. I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge of the whereabouts of the photographs that were in the mill. I remember there being some of Ted and Emily as well as the mill.
Nicola Sharpe - 23rd April 2008

Other mill at Stoke Ferry: Stoke Ferry postmill

O.S. map 1824: mill

Before 1836-c.1846: William Pollard snr

Census 1841: William Pollard (35), miller; Rebecca Pollard (35); William Pollard (15); Robert Pollard (6); Henry Pollard (1); John Riches (20) servant

White's 1845: William Pollard, corn miller

c.1846-1850: William Pollard snr and William Pollard jnr

1850-1868: William Pollard jnr

Census 1851: William Pollard (45) b.Shouldham, miller

Census 1861: William Pollard jnr

May 1873: William Pollard jnr defaulted on mortgage repayment and mill put up for sale by mortgagee

June 1873: William Pollard bankrupt

Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2005