(33) Squeen Mill

There is no entry for this Mill under Mill Rents in Lib Assed - in the 1704 composition book for Ballaugh a Wm Christian is entered for "an Intack of 16d whereon there hath been a Milne erected compounded for in the year 1643 half by Philip Twaites and the other half by Sr Robert Parr. Fine for the same was 30s. Lives expired so to pay now £1 10s". He paid a further fine of £2 for "the Soaken of all the Cottlers of Ballaugh and others not being bound to any other miln".

Post Act of Settlement (1704) this 16d forms part of intack #33 with 2s 3½d rent - in 1704 this was held by Don/Dan Christian of Kk Bride, would also appear to hold it until 1741 when a change is indicated - in 1760 held by Wm Christian with a change indicated in 1771; in 1783 held by Matthew Cowle with change indicated in Oct 1794. In 1797 lib assed held by four individuals - John Craine(Ellan Squeen) held 1s 4d (16d), Wm Craine & Phil Craine held 9½d and John Corkill 2d.

The change of ownership from Christian to Cowle is seen in the following deeds - Wm Christian initially borrows the significant sum of £120 from John Cowle, dyer of Peel, an additional mortgage two years later indicates that Christian's financial woes were not assuaged and unsurprisingly the mill was sold two years later.

NSM May 1774 12

[cancelled]dated 18 Mar 1774;William Christian(Balleaymin, Kk Bride) + wife Catharine acks indebted for £120 from John Craine(dyer, Peel) and give as security our land known as Ellan Squeen together with Squeen Miln situated adj Thomas Cowley on east, highway on south,Brooghjarg mooar on west and Squeen qtrland on north being part of Balnecropey - rent 8s 11d - John Craine to have but half the produce & income as interest;Witt Philip Craine, Dan Stephen Wm Christian signs(shaky hand), Catharine 'x';setting quest state qtrland rent 6s 8d, miln + intack 2s 1.5d; redeemed 26 May 1794; Wm Leece assignee under Mathew Cowle by deed dated 24 May 1794 who became entitled by assignment dated 10 Oct 1776 [NSM Oct 1776 10] from John Craine together with an additional mortgage(Christian-Craine NSM Oct 1776 9) dated 5 Aug 1776 for £26, acks full repayment of both

NSM Oct 1776

dated 5 Aug 1776; Wm Christian(Ballaeymin, Kk Bride) + wife having alread a mortage of £120 from John Craine have a need for a further £26 in an additional mortgage on same property

NSM Oct 1776 10

dated 10 Oct 1776;John Craine(Peel) + wife Margret als Killey assign for £146 to Matthew Cowll(of or near Peel) being the consideration moneys due on two mortgages from Wm Christian(Ballaeymin, Kk Bride) [ + NSM Oct 1776 ] assigned to Wm Leece by Cowll by deed dated 24 May 1794

NSS May 1778 22

dated 5 May 1777;William Christian(Ballaimen, Kk Bride) proprietor & heir-at-law of Ellen Squeen pt of qtrland of Ballnecrottery(Ballaugh) together with a corn mill(intack) sells same for £210 to John Craine(Peel) mortgage on same to be first discharged - premises adj Wm Kneen on north, Robt Gawn, Finley Stephen + Wm Cowley on east, road on south and John Cannell + Thos Corlett on west. Witt John Cotther, Thos Cowin; Setting quest place 6s 8d on qtrland and 2s 1.5d intack

It would appear from the redemption notes appended to the original mortgage deed of 1774 that though Craine had assigned the mortgage to Mathew Cowle, he did not pay it off until 1794 when the mortgage was reaching its 21st year and in danger of becoming legally lapsed.

Mona's Herald, Wednesday, 28th May 1862

BALLAUGH. — On Thursday last, a very melancholy occurrence took place at Squeen Mills, in the above parish. It appears from the information we have gleaned of this sad affair, that there is at these mills a connecting shaft running from the corn to the threshing mill, and that the same has been for years unprotected by any wood casing, to the eminent danger of passers by. This wanton neglect was doubtless the cause of the horrible death of the victim — a fine, intelligent little boy, of some five years, the son of Mr. John Martin, the miller. Whilst returning home in all the buoyancy of youth, from school, between twelve and one o'clock on Thursday morning, the poor little fellow in passing under the shaft (the mill being in operation at the time), was caught by his clothes on a nail driven into and projecting from the shaft, and whirled round it for a considerable time, mutilating and crushing his body before it was discovered. No cry or shout was heard from him by the miller , or any of the family, consequently no assistance could be rendered by stopping the mill in order to rescue him from his fatal position. A correspondent informs us that some two or three years ago, the late proprietor of this mill was caught in a similar manner, by a nail or nails that had been driven in the shaft, and his coat torn in shreds from his back. Luckily, he was a corpulent man, and his great weight saved him from sharing the same fate as this unfortunate little boy. How lamentable to think that to this day no provision has been made to remedy the evil! Proprietors of mills cannot be too careful in encasing their machinery, especially when such is exposed to children and persons passing by; in England the law compels them to protect their machinery.[a similar comment was issued by an inquest jury in 1879]

This earlier accident is probably that described in Mona's Herald 14th November1855

ACCIDENT. — An accident, fortunately not of a serious nature, occurred last week to the respected captain of the parish of Ballaugh, Mr. John Craine, of Squeen. Mr. Craine was examining some new machinery just finished and set to work in his mill, when his clothes were caught by one of the wheels and torn from his body. It was a fortunate circumstance that the clothes gave way, as otherwise Mr. Craine must have been drawn into the machinery, and killed on the spot. He was so severely crushed, however, that it is feared he must suffer considerably for some time to come.

Ramsey Courier, 15th September 1896

TO be LET, SQUEEN - MILLS, Ballaugh, with Dwelling House and Out-offices attached, and about 5 acres of Land adjoining. — Apply to J. CRAINE. Broughjairg, Ballaugh.

It would appear that the tenant soon ran into financial problems as Ramsey Courier, 27th October 1899;

Coroners Sale, Ballaagh. SHORTLY will be SOLD BY PUBLIC AUCTION under due process of law, all and singular the GOODS and EFFECTS of James Midgley. Squeen Mill. Ballaugh. Date of Sale and particulars in next issue of this paper. PHILLIP TEARE , Coroner, Michael Sheading.

 

Craine writing about the parish in 1939 notes Squeen mill as disused.

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