(34) Peel (Cooper's) Mill

The earlier Plan, found at UK National Archives, is c.1830 and, along with a similar plan of Lands near Castletown, was produced as part of the purchase of the manorial rights of the Duke of Atholl in 1828. It shows the Mill, known as Cooper's Mill, to the north of the small dam in the same position as that of the 1868 plan where marked on the plan as a Flour Mill, though the buildings now reflect the 1859 rebuild. The 'old mill', missing from the 1868 plan, sits on what is labelled as 'the new mill race' to the east of the old race which does raise a query as too how the old mill was fed. The new race took water from the Neb just up stream of the Glenfaba Mill and downstream of the old race. .The Mill is being on the south side of the Neb and outside of the old boundary of Peel town is actually in Kk Patrick

In the 1515 Lib assed this was described as the mill of Halmtoun rent 11s 8d.

The Coopers (or Cowpers) were owners by 1639 as Wm Cowper and wife Margrt were paying 13s 4d - the inclusion of his wife's name suggests that it came as part of a marriage settlement from her family. In the 1704 Composition book for Kk Patrick we read:

Wm Cooper for a water corn mill of 13s 4d rent compounded for in 1643 (being called by name of Colvill's Mill) by Wm Cooper the grandfather Fine for this + 20d cottage £3 Lives one in being so pays £2.

The sequence of owners can be seen in the sequence of marriage contracts and deeds - note that milns are always mentioned - the upper miln being associated with the Waterbailliff's Close. In Lib Vas 1722 noting the death of Wm Cooper senr and the transfer of the mills to his son Wm the two mills are noted seperately, one rented at 13s 8d and the other at 13s 4d - the latter corresponds to the mill of 1639, the 13s 8d would appear to that associated with the Waterbailiff's Close noted as the upper mill - possibly these are the two mills shown on the 1830 plan. Wm Cooper would appear to have obtained this mill in 1676 as in Lib Vas for that year is the transfer from Sir [ie Parson] Tho Harrison and Tho Ratcliffe to Wm Cooper "entered by force of an order of court in pursuance of an order from ye Right honble Lord of ye Isle". It appears by an entry in Lib vas 1647 that this mill was sold by Isabell Lace widow of Peter Dawson & his son Henry Dawson & David Callister to Thos Harrison clerk & Thos Ratcliffe of Knockaloe who have compounded wth ye Lords Commissioners for ye same; In the 1689 Lib Assed Wm Cooper junr is noted for the 13s 4d mill with Wm Cooper [?senr] against the 13s 8d mill

Old Ger Bun2 93
dated 12 Jun 1704;Alice Banks obo dau Katherine Moore;Wm Cooper (Peel), obo son Wm; to marry before feastt of St John the Baptist; Wm senr to give half houses etc and if they live in same house to pay half the costs but if Wm junr + wife move to a separate house they are to bear full cost; Wm junr to pay half costs of labourer's wages in rebuilding + repairing houses; Alice to give £40 which includes Kath's father + sister's shares of inherited goods; Houses + milns to pass as heirship; witt Jon Cosnahan, Henry Wattleworth, Wm Gell, Cha Moore (Wm + Alice sign + seal)

NSS May 1730 2
dated 20 Dec 1729;William Cooper(Peel), being possessed of a small spot or nook of moorish or boggy ground adj and partly surrounded by Wm Tear's meddow, with wife Catherine (+ son Wm) sells for 10s(Brit) to sd Wm Tear; witt James Radcliffe x, Daniel Clague x;setting quest place 1d rent to be deducted out of Waterbaliff's close which is an appurtance of Mr Cooper's upper miln.

NSS May 1733 21
dated 22 Jun 1730;Wm Cooper snr + wife Cath (Peel) obo son Wm; Christian Christian als Lace obo dau Margt (Kk Bride);to marry within a month; Coopers to settle half estate inc milns in Peel without any further incumbrances except current £40 due to Mr Philip Moore (mercht Douglas); Christian to give £30 (incs goods due by death of Margt's father) + a feather bed;Witt Wm Tear, Chas Lace

NSS May 1767 8
dated 9 Jan 1766;William Cooper(Peel) give to son + heir Charles Cooper(Peel) all concerns of inheritance - qtrland Ballaterson, houses + concerns in Peel + milns near Peel after death of sd Wm who is at liberty to take a further mortgage of £40 if necessary but will not dispose of any. Witt Wm Crain x, John Wilkinson, Angus Munn, Robert Wain

In 1810 Charles Cooper gave his mill, chief rent £2, to trustees to give an annuity of £20 pa to to the Vicar and Wardens to be distributed to the poor of Peel and after the decease of both him and Ann, his wife, to be transferred to the Vicar and Wardens for the benefit of the poor subject to the proviso "that in case the said Vicar and Wardens shall at any time hereafter suffer or permit the said house and concerns, mill or machinery, or appurtenances, water courses, or mill races, to go or fall into disrepair, and to neglect keeping the same severally in proper repair, that it shall and will be lawful for the heir-at law of the said Charles Cooper to possess himself of the said house and concerns, mill &c". [see CTD Tri 1811 #39]

Ann Cooper died in 1856, aged 93, but as noted in Mona's Herald 21st April 1858 that "The Peel Old Water Corn Mill was totally destroyed by fire on Wednesday night last [14th April]. The property is insured in the Caledonian Office. The fire is supposed to have originated in a spark from a lamp". The Wardens, now responsible for the Mill, advertised in a repeated advert:

Manx Sun, Saturday, 1st January, 1859;

NOTICE to MILLWRIGHTS, &c.

TENDERS will be received by the Vicar and Church Wardens of German, up to TUESDAY, the 18th of January, 1859, from Parties desirous of contracting for the Millwright's Work and Machinery of " Cooper's Water Corn Mill," Peel, and which is about being rebuilt. Specifications can be had upon application to Messrs. HENRY GRAVES or EVAN QUIRK, the Town Wardens of German, Peel, to whom sealed Tenders can be forwarded, marked "Tender for Millwright's Work." Tenders for the Mason's and Joiner's Work will also be received up to TUESDAY, the 11th January.

Peel, Jan. 1. 1859.

Mona's Herald, Wednesday, 31st August 31, 1859

WATER CORN MILL AT PEEL TO LET

TO BE LET, for such a term of years as may be agreed upon.- That new, powerful, and most conveniently situated WATER CORN MILL, with THRASHING MILL attached, immediately adjoining the Town of Peel, known by the name of COOPER'S MILL the property of the Poor of Peel.

The Old Mill having last year been destroyed by fire, the Wardens of German have erected the present enlarged buiilding on the old site, and have fitted it up with Machinery of the best description and in accordance with the most modern improvements. The Corn Mill is 36 feet in length, by 20 in breadth, and consists of three floors, the upper one extending over the water wheel case, eight feet wide, and the Thrashing Mill 16 feet in length.

The Mill is supplied with one pair French Burrs, one pair Barley Stones, one pair Oat ditto, and a Shell Barley Stone. Flour Dressing and Barleymeal Machines, Oatmeal Screen, Sifter, &c, all driven by upright shafts, from an iron water-wheel:15 feet in diameter by 7 feet wide. There is a powerful Threshing Mill, driven by a lying shaft from the water-wheel which works between the Mills. The Kiln is 12 feet sqnare. There is always an abundant snpply of Water to this Mill as the whole of the Peel River can be thrown on if necessary.

A small House for Miller is attached, and there is a Mill Easement of about an acre in extent, and a Field of equal size. The Mill being in the course of completion, will be ready to be entered upon almost immediately. Further particulars may be known upon application to JOHN GELL, Esq , C P., Kennaa ; or to Mr. EVAN QUIRK, Peel, on behalf of themselves and the other Wardens of German.

Peel, 30th Angust, 1859

The 1868 plan predates the Douglas to Peel railway which was built between the river and the old race - the new mill site is now under the land occupied by Peel Power station, the railway has gone, though the track bed is used as a footpath

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