I posted this on oldwirral but I gather this forum might be better...

Thanks to a fellow researcher, I have the will of a Thomas Spark of Eastham, who in 1591 leaves his "dwelling house and appurtenance the milne called Estam milne" to his son Thomas.

In his turn, in 1624, son Thomas left to his son Robert: "all my house Messuages or Tenements and all and singular, houses, edifices, buildings, gardens, orchards, yards, lands, tenements, hereditaments and appurtenances together with my wyndie come milne and all and singular that appurtenants together also with my Indenture of Lease of and concerning the same house messuage milne and premises". There was a proviso that his wife Margery be the "chief ruler" of the mill, and retain profits from it.

I am having trouble locating any information about it: where it was? when it was built? who built it? etc. Some husbandry items were also part of the wills, eg a team of oxen, carts, ploughs, etc. After this I descend from a younger son who worked land in Poulton & Spital & Bebington - separately, (and then other Sparks who farmed land in Prenton/Oxton ie Woodchurch in the 17th century and then Brimstage, Thornton Grange and Storeton in the 18th and 19th centuries) so I don't know what became of the mill. It's not listed in "Windmills of Wirral". I considered the Bromborough windmill but it wasn't built until the early 1700s so too late.

Ideally I'd like to go even further back - before the parish records began, to find out how long there were Sparks there and how they came to be there, but I wouldn't know where to begin as I live some 200 miles away

Very many thanks for any help you can give

Fiona

PS the info about the later Sparks is a little by-the-by, but I will be following up which farms they had etc, so any pointers on this also welcome

There is an area in Eastham called Mill Park. Could this be named as once there was a Mill on the land? That is all I can think.

Apparently there was an Eastham Windmill in Liverpool from 1250 to 1644 - see Here (use Ctrl-F to search for Eastham). I doubt if it is the mill you are looking for as your man came from Eastham, but may be of interest?

Source: Wikipedia - List of Windmills in Lancashire

thanks to Historybook , lifted from Hooton Park topic

https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/434001/Re_Hooton_Park.html

Good call Alan - and I've replied to your message

Great find Billy - I didn't come across the info at British History Online, and I wouldn't have though about checking Liverpool or Lancashire records. After studying it, I wonder if the writer is wrong to identify Eastham mill as being located in Liverpool. He gives no reason or reference.

I wonder if the mill was owned by either the crown or the Duchy of Lancaster (and both when the Duke of Lancaster became king), and leased ("farmed") by the good burgesses of Liverpool. And that Liverpool people had to cross by the Eastham ferry to the mill - thus paying tolls twice, once for the ferry (and back) and once to use the mill.

I also wonder if it was part of the Moore estate? According to the article, they owned the Townsend mill and Sir Edward Moore in the 17th C was having trouble getting people to use his "mills". I shall study it some more... I definitely think it is the mill in Eastham that is being referred to, and that the only other windmill in Liverpool was the Townsend mill.

Fiona

Thanks Inflatable bone - great map that would confirm Alan was right then, Mill Park it is.
In fact, looking at streetview, it looks as if the mill, or at least, the mill and or the house were just below Tesco or may be the Spa. Maybe in the car park behind... What a shame

Fiona

Could this be of any use to you Fiona and maybe give a bit more on the Sparks family. It is much later, but looks as if someone has done quite a bit of research already.
Sparks La, Thingwall, Wirral (not to be mistaken with Thingwall,in Liverpool) is named after Jack Sparks, a local farmer in the area, possibly with connections going a long way back.

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BIRKENHEAD/2001-10/1003783922

No I think the mill is in the land nearer the motorway (between Mill Park and the motorway).

Have a look if you can find it on this

http://maps.cheshire.gov.uk/tithemaps/TwinMaps.aspx?township=EDT_147-2

This Mill is on the 1875 OS map (you can zoom in and out) and then you can then click on a more modern aerial view

Maps from Burdett in 1777 have all shown a mill at this site. Bryant's map (1831) names it as Eastham Mill.
The site is closer to Hooton than Eastham.
I calculate the site to be on the fields behind the Little Chef on the A41 at M53 junction 5.

The old map is showing eastham village road.before A41 was built bypassing the village.I make Mill park estate runs up to the area showing Eastham mill
The old map is a good find

Comparing the old map with current satelite image, the enclosure shown where the mill was seems to correspond quite closely with the area where the Travelodge is now.



The confirmation seems to come from what now occupies the site...

Mill Nurseries is a good clue wonder if they have any information if they bought the land on any of the deeds. Waiting for them to ring me back.It is nearer to travel lodge

Final proof, from the excellent Twin maps site above



The mill was definitely on land now occupied by the nursery.

http://www.hslc.org.uk/show_pdf.php?item=1896_84.pdf

Hoping the link above is accessible for you.

It takes you to an article written in 1896 about the mills of Liverpool. (I'm trying to work out how to access the whole article as there may be more info.)
In 1394 Eastham mill appears to have been leased to Liverpool corporation, and may then have been leased to a Thomas Fletcher in 1451.
There may or may not be a connection, but a Thomas Spark, son of Thomas Spark of Eastham, was apprenticed to Robert Fletcher, baker, for 7 years in February 1623 (1622 Julian calendar).

Well done on locating the mill at the nursery - the maps are extremely helpful. Thank you.

And thanks to those of you enjoying this thread who have sent me private messages! We aim to please!

Fiona

http://www.hslc.org.uk/show_pdf.php?item=1903-1904_170.pdf

According to this article written 1903-04, the mill worked up to 1895.

Fiona

No problemo Erainn. It's totally fab

There used to be a transport cafe where the Travel Lodge is now.
If my memory serves it was called The Mill Cafe.
It was a very "greasy spoon"!

Had many a brew & a bacon butty in the old place over the years!

http://cheshiredirectories.manuscripteye.com/index.htm

mention of the Mill in a few of the Directories on this website in the later 1800's .William Crabb was the miller listed in the 1857 & 1878 Post office Directories & 1864 Morris & Co Directory. Mary Crabb listed as the Miller in the 1883 Slaters Guide.

I now have the will of Thomas Spark of Eastham 1651 - he was leaving the windmill & lands to his son Thomas. The executors were instructed to renew the lease for a term to include his son's son with the Landlord. Frustratingly, he doesn't say who the landlord is. And so far, I haven't been able to find out if that was done. So we have:

up to 1591 Thomas Spark
up to 1624 Thomas Spark, son of above Thomas
up to 1651 Thomas Spark, son of second above Thomas
from 1651 Thomas Spark - did he get the lease?

1857, 1864 & 1878 William Crabb (same man, or father & son do you think?)
1883 Mary Crabb

There is a 1690 will for a Thomas Spark but no mention of the mill that I can see, and no proof that it's the same Thomas who had to get a new lease. The above all had brothers who stayed in the area and also called a son Thomas!

Has anybody got copies of any of the Subsidy Land Tax rolls for Eastham during the period it was operational? Was the messuage/tenement large enough for tax?

Also, just a question, would Eastham windmill have been the earliest windmill on the Wirral?!

Fiona

Hearth tax records - that's what I mean...

Spital had a windmill in the 13th century.

The 1841 census shows Joseph Crabb as miller, aged about 60, with his son William, also a miller, and William's family (wife Margaret, daughters Mary (age 9), Hannah (age 8) and Jane (6 months).

In 1851, William is now the only miller, aged 43, born in Eastham, with Margaret (44), and children: Hannah (18), Margaret (8), Robert (6), Sarah and William (both 5). Also a visitor, Jane Roberts (15), a sawyer's daughter.

In 1861, William is now the miller, aged 53, with Margaret and children Margaret, Robert (also shown as miller), Sarah and William. 16 year old Samuel Phillips is living there as a servant (employee) and carter.

In 1871, Margaret is widowed and she lives at "Eastham Mill" with daughter Sarah and son William, who is the miller. 18 year old Luke Lee is also there as servant and labourer.

In 1881, the son William is now the miller with his wife Mary and young children William (3) and John (1). Two servants live with them: 19 year old Henry Davies is an agricultural labourer and 15 year old Mary Clarke is a domestic nurse

In 1891, young William has died and Mary has remarried, to John R Mill, a carpenter's labourer, and the younger William and John Crabb are living with them. No address is shown but it isn't the mill. When I find it, I'll post again...

Fiona

Please see picture on attached link ;

http://cheshireimagebank.org.uk/frontend.php?&keywords=all%3BMATCHES%3B%28%5E%7C%5B%5Ea-zA-Z%5D%2B%29Eastham%28%24%7C%5B%5Ea-zA-Z%5D%2B%29&action=search&page=3

Sorry that didn't seem to work , but if you go onto the Cheshire image bank and search Eastham , there is a picture on the 3rd page ,

Cheers Ian

http://cheshireimagebank.org.uk/about.php

Eastham mill, click here

Thanks kimpri

a few more photos

Wow! I love the photographs inflatablebone and Kimpri. It must have been such a landmark as it stands so much taller than the house. The photo with the horse really shows what it would have been like around the mill. Such a pity it was taken down.

I have had no luck yet connecting the early history dots...

Fiona

Hello FABFiona, In my ancestry I have Thomas Spark born abt 11th Aug 1650 in Bebington, died 11th Jan 1699 in Noctorum married Catherine Shaw 1673 (his father was also Thomas Spark from Bebington. I have never been able to tie him in with any of the Eastham crowd (parish records which are in Latin, for which I had to buy a latin/english dictionary, don't always include mother's names in christenings, which complicates things.) my info came from St Andrews (Bebington) parish records. I will look back through your posts and see if I can tie anything up. Regards Locomotive

The photos of the Windmill at Eastham that have been posted here are not of the same mill as mentioned in several Spark(e) wills. The photos are of a tower mill which I am led to believe was moved from Carlett Park in the early 1800's to the location which has been found here. The medieaval mill from the Spark(e) wills would have been a peg mill.

Locomotive, Thomas Spark born 1650 in Bebington, was the son of Thomas Sparke born 1618 in Eastham, who in turn was a great grandson of the Thomas Sparke who died in 1591, leaving the mill to his son Thomas.

Do we know we are talking about a Windmill, there were quite a few water mills around as well.

At one time, Eastham included Birkenhead and Wallasey areas, I'm not sure what date it became purely the township of Eastham as we know now but 1591 could well be before that time?

Yes diggingdeeper, it was a windmill. The will of Thomas Sparke of Eastham’s Will of 1591 states the following:

“And as concerninge my worldly goods goods I give and bequeath them as foloweth. First I bequeath assigne and sett out my estate titles & interest of my now dwelinge house w[it]h appurtenance the milne called Estham milne and the furniture thereto belonging to my sonn Thomas Sparke”

And the will of his son Thomas Sparke of Eastham dated 1624 states the following:

"Item I give bequeath assigne and sett over unto my sonne Robert Sparke and his Assigns all my house Messuages or Tenements and all and singular, houses, edifices, buildings, gardens, orchards, yardes, landes, tenem[en]ts, hereditaments and appurtenancis what soever thereunto lying or belonging or …….. ………. together w[i]th my wyndie corne milne and all and singular that appurtenants together alsoe with my Indenture of Lease."

I don’t think it would be a water mill when it was described as “a wyndie corne milne”.

I missed that again on the first read

Thank you for that piece of information, I've been trying to link the two families up for years. I have sent you a pm.