(45) Glen Auldyn (Criggal's) Mill

The Lib Assed for 1511 has John McCristen for the mill of Breryk 7s. and the mill of Altadale 5s., demised to him - which would imply two seperate mills; but by 1539 this 12s entry under Mills reads Wyllm McCrsten for mill of Breryk 12s - Breryk includes today's Milntown

The Lib Assed for 1600 notes Euan Christian equally joint with Edmund Christian for a mill rent 12s - by 1702 the owners were John Christian Deemster 6s, Edmund replacing Thomas Christian 2s, Ew Curleod[Corlett] 2s and Wm Knickle 2s; by 1716 the owners for Ewan Christian (Milntown) 6s, Ew Curlett 2s, Edm Chistian hommy [son of Thomas] 2s and Wm Knickle 2s

The name "Knickell's Mill " would appear to be first noted in November 1692 when Ewan Curlet (of the Gill) give 1/6th share of Knickell's or Cannon's Miln (rent one shilling) together with a croft of 4d rent (tho mortgaged for 10s to his brother Edmond) as marriage settlement to his daugher Elizabeth with William Mcylboy [old deeds Lezayre bundle 2 #27]. The 1s rent would correspond to a chief rent of 6s which corresponds to the mill called the 'middle miln' in the 1760 copy of 1704 composition book - the sd mill being equally shared between Edm Christian hommy ['son of Thomas'], Ewan Curlett and Wm Knickle. which was compounded for in 1643 by Jo Christian, Wm Knickle and Jo Cannon (hence the names given to the mill. It is also possible that John Quayle, clerk of the rolls, was confused about the two mills each of 6s rent as he places the Altadale mill as Deemster Christian's and the 'middle' mill as that with three shares - the 'middle' mill could relate to the group of mills within the Milntown complex.

Lib Vas for 1663 notes the sale by John Cannon of his third share in the mill to Ewan Curlett - "Jo Cannon hath acknowledged to have sould his intrest of this 2s rent to ye sd Ew Curleod by bill of sayle confirmed by ye officers & ye sd Cannon beinge in court acknowledged ye consideration to bee all satisfyed to wit £3 7s & an [cree?]" - Wm Knickel was also entered as right tenant to another third share being son of the deceased Edmund Knickell.

It is possible that the Miltown Christians dispensed with the Altadale [Glen Auldyn] mill further up the river when Milltown was developed around the early 16th century but the rentals remained merged in the records each paying 6s; Milntown remaining in the same Christian family until mid 19th Century meant few public records of ownership exist other than notes of the transfer from father to son. The wanton destruction by bonfire of the records held at Milntown by Sarah Christian in 1852 certainly lost much information about their many properties.

The sequence of transfers and changes of use from a water corn mill, then as a Manure manufactory (possibly by grinding animal waste) and then to its final use as a woollen manufactory can be traced through the numerous deeds

NSS Oct 1831 22

dated 6 Aug 1831;John Corlett(Liverpool) sells for £42(Brit) to Edmund Kneale(Andreas) the sixth part of a certain corn mill in Glen Oldin(Lezayre) called Criggals Mill; Witt John Cowley, John Quilliam

Registered deed May 1848 #111

dated 27 Oct 1847;Robert Kissack(draper, Ramsey) + wife Caroline als Owen sell for £125 to James Lloyd(miller, Lezayre) an undivided half of that water corn mill, Kiln etc known as Criggals Mill in Glen Aldin Lezayre and now in occp of sd mill as tenant;Witt J B Clucas, P Cowley

Registered deed Aug 1848 #37

dated 27 Jun 1848;Edmund Kneale(Glenoldin) + wife Margaret ack indebted for £65 from John Corlett(Ballamaughen, Lezayre) and give in security that dwelling house [Criggal's?] Water Corn Mill and premises in parish of Lezayre which were settled on Edmund by John Knickle + wife Jane by deed dated 3 Feb 1827 []; Witt P Cowley?, Wm Callow

Registered deed Jan 1851 #29

[cancelled] dated 27 Jan 1851;James Lloyd(miller, Lezayre) + wife Lydia ack indebted to Wm Clucas(surgeon, Ramsey) for £100 @ 6%(5% if paid punctually) and give as security one half of Criggals Mill in Glen Auldin in the parish of Lezayre including kiln, machinery etc lately purchased from Robert Kissack + wife by deed dated 27 Oct 1847 - mill be be insured by Caledonian insurance Co ; Witt Robt Kelly, H Christian; discharged 28 Sep 1852 Wm Clucas acks full repayment

Registered deed Oct 1851 #26

dated 4 Jul 1851;recites various executions agt Edmund Kneale which being placed in hands of Philip Cowley(coroner) pawn was given of one undivided half of the water corn miln, kiln + premises known as Criggal's Mill - at public auction 26 Jun 1851 James Lloyd(miller, Lezayre) was the highest bidder at £155 ; witt Robert Cowley, Edmund Kerruish;

Registered deed Oct 1851 #29

dated 25 Sep 1851;James Lloyd(miller, Lezayre) + wife Lydia ack indebted to Ven Archdeacon Joseph Christian Moore + Wm Fine Moore trustees of Agnes Ritchie(spinster, Douglas) for £400 @ 6% and give in security Criggall's Mill and lands one half being purchased from Robt Kissack [reg deed May 1848 #111] and the other half from coroner [reg deed Oct 1851 #26]; witt P J Wilson, Esther Lace [Lydia 'x']; discharged 16 Jun 1857 Philip Bland(assignee of sd deed by reg deed Jul 1853 #26) acks full repayment by Hugh Gill + John Corkill purchasers of sd Mill;

Registered deed Jan 1853 #23

dated 15 Jan 1853;James Lloyd + wide Lydia als Longbottom sell for £480 (£400 to discharge a B+S) to Thomas Gill (late of Narradal but now Ballachrink nr Ramsey) and Robert Christian(farmer, Ballakelly Andreas) those lands, houses + corn mill known as Criggals Mill in Glen Oldin late the property of Edmund Kneale together with the half belonging to me; Witt John Corlett, Anne ? G Corlett (Lydia 'x')

Registered deed Jul 1863 #18

dated 6 Dec 1853;Thomas Gill(now of Ballachrink) sells for £270 to brother Hugh (miller, Lezayre) my interest in Criggall's Mill purchased from James Lloyd [reg deed Jan 1853 #23] witt John Corlett, John Corkill
(a Hugh Gill was noted as a corn miller at Milntown in Pigot's 1837 directory)

Registered deed May 1859 #21 dated 2 May 1859; Hugh Gill and wife Margaret sell part of Criggals Mill to John Corkill
Registered deed May 1859 #19 dated 4 May 1859; John Corkill sells part of Criggals Mill to William Lace
Registered deed Jul 1862 #30 dated 23 May 1862; John Corkill, William Lace and wife Ann give B+S to John Cannell and Jane Cowley with Criggals Mill as security

Registered deed Nov 1862 #47

dated 25 Nov 1862;John Corkill(Glen Oldin, Lezayre) acks indebted to Thomas Goldsmith(Andreas village) for £33 5s and gives in security Criggall's Mill in parish of Lezayre; Witt Robert Christian, John Corlett; discharged 23 Aug 1866 Thos Goldsmith acks full repayment

Registered deed Sep 1866 #9

dated 21 Aug 1866;recites that John Corkill + Wm Lace by deed dated 23 May 1862 [reg deed jul 1862 #30] gave B+S to John Cannell + Jane Cowley for £400 secured on premises known as Criggalls Mills being purchased property by sd Corkill + Lace; and sd Cannell + Lace did on 4 Dec 1865 obtain execution for £30 balance of interest due with result that John Chystal(Coroner) put up sd premises for public auction for which John Crellin Goldsmith(Ramsey) was the highest bidder at £737 (paid £82 19s 4d + took on the incumbrances); Witt A Dumbell, Chas B Nelson

Registered deed Mar 1875 #23

dated 14 Feb 1874;recites that John Crellin Goldsmith(merchant, late of Ramsey) was possessed of certain premises at Glenauldin formerly known as Criggalls Mills purchased by him at a coroners sale dated 13 Apr 1866 and subsequently converted by him unto Manure Works. J C Goldsmith died intestate without leaving issue whereupon Laurence Radcliffe Goldsmith (his eldest surviving brother) became heir-at-law subject to widowright of Eliza Jane Goldsmith - being resident in foreign parts L R Goldsmith appointed Thomas Corkill(bank clerk, Ramsey) as agent who together with sd widow sell for £650 (from which various encumbrances of £566 5s 10d are to be deducted) to George Lawton (who paid £83 14s 2d and took over the mortgages); Witt Thomas A Fargher, Fredk [];
[the mortgages were £150 to John Shimmin and £400 to John Cannell + Jane Cowley by former proprietors John Corkill + Wm Lace]

Registered deed Jan 1900 #13

dated 1 Oct 1899;George Lawton(woollen manufacturer, Glenaldyn) sells for 5s + an annual sum of £78 for life (30s per week) the premises + stock in trade etc of Glenaldyn Mill in Lezayre together with a dwelling house shop + premises in Parliament St Ramsey to Thomas + Josiah Lawton; at decease of vendor the purchasers are to pay £10 to George Lawton(son of vendor) and £100 each to Mary Ann Graham, Esther Kinley and William Henry Lawton (children of vendor);witt Henry Goldsmith, Malcom McWhannell

The Isle of Man Examiner 2nd August 1919 noted that "Mesrs Lawton's woollen mills in Glen Auldyn are about to have electric light and power installed", however no further details were given - possibly a small generator was to be attached to the water wheel.

George Lawton

George Lawton 1827-1904, was the son of english born George Lawton and Sarah Southward who were married at Braddan in November 1812 - George junr, their 4th child and 2nd surviving son was baptised at Lonan on 29 June 1827, their eldest son James remained in Lonan; George senr died 1848 and was noted in the 1841 census as a wool carder living next door to miller James Gale in Glen Aldyn. George junr remained in Glen Aldyn, now married to Esther Craine in February 1851, described as woollen manufacturer in the 1851 census sharing the house with his widowed mother and a 18yr old handloom weaver. He remained in Glen Aldyn noted as a woollen manufacturer in each census though the first directory entry was in Thwaite's 1863 directory, by 1882 his entry in Brown's directory was "Lawton, George, woollen mill, Glen Auldyn, cloth, flannels, serge, blankets, and yarn". He passed the mill and a shop in Ramsey to his sons Thomas & Josiah in 1899 - Cowley states the mill closed sometime in the 1920s. George and sons Thomas & Josiah were trustees of the Ramsey Methodist New Connexion chapel who bought the Old Assembly room in Bowring Road in 1890 and opened it as a chapel.

References

J. W. Cowley The Manx Woollen Industry through the Centuries Proc IoM Nat History & Antiquarian Society vol 6 no 1 pp39/45 1960

		Water powered Mills etc
Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor © F.Coakley , 2023