(76) Ballig Bridge Mill

Cowley writing in 1960 states "Gill locates the German tuck-mill at Ballig bridge and he says that the noise of the milling 'freckoned' the fairies from their haunt in the then wild, desolate Glion Mooar up into Beary Mountain. He says, too, that the mill now stands roofless The dating is clear from the sequence of deeds

NSS Oct 1792 5

dated 22 Jul 1785;Thomas Kelly(Kk German) + wife Jane als Crellin sell for £3 13s 6d to William Killey(Kk German) a small parcel of my estate 12yds in front adj highway in east and 18 yards inward (12 yds broad at both ends) together with ground to erect a mill race through sd Thomas Kelly's land from the mill dam as far a Kelly's land doth extend thru pt of the qtrland of Beary called the Ingeage Phlacked; Killey to erect fences and Kelly is at liberty to receive the water of the mill race when Killey does not need it;Witt Wm Quilliam, Wm Mylechreest

NSM May 1786 5

dated 25 Apr 1786; William Killey(Balla Killey-ne-Howin, Kk German) + wife Ann mortgage for £115(Brit) from Robert Moore(merchant, Peel) our estate of Lords rent 8s 9d together with that parcel of land wherein a tuck mill is erected which was lately purchased from Thos Kelly together with the sd Tuck Mill; Killey to occupy and pay interest at 6%; Witt Richd Corkill, John Taylor

SSS May 1799 13

dated 25 Aug 1797;Thomas Kelly(BallaKilley, Kk German) + wife Jane als Crellin sell for £3 1s 3d to Willm Killey senr(Kk German) a piece of ground adj the high road on the NE and east and adj the rent of sd Wm Killey's Tuck mill + mill race on south and west; Witt John Crellin, Phil Quirk

William Killey and wife Ann als Shimmin owned Ballakilley to the west where they had built a dye house - a tuck mill would be a very useful addition as its function was to beat the damp woven material to tighten the weave. They settled the dye house and the tuck mill on their son Matthew

SSS May 1819 13

dated 14 Feb 1806; William Killey(dyer + clothier, BallaKilley-ne-Howin Kk German)+ wife Ann als Quirk in consideration of a mortgage for £500 to be paid by Matthew settle on son Matthew Killey(dyer + cloth dresser, Kk German) those lands pt of Bally Killey-ne-Howin to which they are now entitled adj Balla-ne-Howin on south, BallaChrink on west + north + old high road leading from Northside to St Johns by Ughtagh Brishsheyleree + lands of Thomas Myleworrey on east + chief rent 8s 9d with all houses, dye houses inc tools + utensils provided for dying + cloth dressing and also that tuck mill + dwelling house lately buit near 10 milestone on new high rd Castletown to northside with all tools etc and also that millstead or millrace purchased from Patk Kelly + John Crellin of Ballaligg; Wm + Ann to continue to receive profits until the decease of first - the survivor to have a half share - if Matthew dies without issue then this deed to have no effect;; Witt William Quillia, William Mylechreest

SSS May 1819 14

dated 30 Jan 1819; recites Wm Killey late decd + wife Ann by deed of mortgage for £115 on estate of BallaKilley-ne-Howin dated 25 Apr 1786 from R J Moore - and whereas sd Robt Moore died leaving Ellinor Moore exex since decd and whereas Wm Killey had fully pd the principal etc but was neglected to be cancelled and thus became lapsed in law; John Moore(of the Hills), heir to Ellinor, now quit claims and as Matthew Killey became entitled by a sale dated 14 Feb 1806 John Moore for 5s now paid by sd Matthew releases + quit claims; Witt Philip Moore, Carlo Mafinno Biffi

Wm Killey,senr died, aged 75, in 1818, his widow Ann in 1824; their son and heir Mathew inherited the property but died relatively young aged 52 in 1827, leaving a son Wm junr who had married Ann Crellin but he too died early, aged 30, in 1829 leaving his widow Ann with several children (all daughters) under age, the eldest of whom was Ann.

SSS May 1835 29

dated 27 Nov 1833;recites that Thomas Kelly(BallaKilly, Kk German) did by deed dated 16 May 1796 for £100 grant a mortgage to John Shimmin of a certain parcel situate westward of the highway from St Johns to Kk Michael + a further deed dated 18 June 1797 for £20 - mortgages assigned by Catharine Shimin(widow) for £169 11s to Wm Killey and as mortgages about to lapse the sd Thomas Kelly on 14 May 1817 filed a bill in court of chancery to be let into equity (a moiety) but abated by death of sd Thos Kelly, his eldest so Patk Kelly on 26 July 1830 filed his bill of revivor agt Ann Killey(widow) and Wm Kinley + Thos Mylechreest guardians of Ann Killey a minor which came to court 2 May 1833 where judgement was that for payment of £34 12s 8.75d Killey should quit claim half of the lands - which Ann Killey did on receipt of sd sum.;Witt John Moore, Thos Karran;

Ann Killey als Crellin later married George Radcliffe who after her death aged 48 in March 1852, put the dye-works and a tuck mill up for sale

Cowley continues to say "the present well-preserved building there, locally called the Tuck Mill, and used as a wool store, was built about 1820 by Ann Killey of Ballakilley, German. It was in use as the carding-mill for Moore's mills until about 1920. Its machinery was driven by a water-wheel" Here I think he is confused - Moore's mill was further south of the Bridge and it was the 1848 dye-house and carding mill that became the wool store.

References

J W Cowley The Manx Woollen Industry through the Centuries Proc IoMNHASoc vol 6 no 1 pp39/45 1960

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