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An early engraving of The Holt, the finest of
the Dakeyne houses, completed in 1800
Edward and James prospered. By 1829 James who held title to virtually all the properties, held not only the mill but 150 acres of land. In fact, the Schedule of Tithes in 1838 showed that he had regained practically the whole of the Dakeyne estate with the exception of The Holt. Daniel had died destitute in 1819 and the two brothers with their older brother Peter lived at the Green House, built by their brother Thomas prior to the bankruptcy. Daniel's eldest son, John a solicitor,was living in the original family home, Knabb House - as James' tenant.
the Dakeyne houses, completed in 1800
Edward and James prospered. By 1829 James who held title to virtually all the properties, held not only the mill but 150 acres of land. In fact, the Schedule of Tithes in 1838 showed that he had regained practically the whole of the Dakeyne estate with the exception of The Holt. Daniel had died destitute in 1819 and the two brothers with their older brother Peter lived at the Green House, built by their brother Thomas prior to the bankruptcy. Daniel's eldest son, John a solicitor,was living in the original family home, Knabb House - as James' tenant.
The Holt had been built by Daniel's second son, Daniel Jnr, a barrister. Evicted from his fine new house within months of its completion, he soon had the funds to buy it back from the receiver. But died in 1806, just a few short years later. His wife Mary had to leave in 1808, setting up a drapery business in the village. The Holt was bought and sold several times until, by the 1861 Census, three
of Mary's children, Ann, Charles, and Baldwin, had moved in. Ann, the head of the
household was a "railway shareholder," and mysteriously had made enough money to buy her father' s
house.Their niece Catherine, daughter of their eldest brother, went to live with them.
Little is known of the flax business during this period although it is recorded having 98 (predominantly female) workers in 1839. But it must have been making money. The brothers built a third reservoir in Ladygrove, the Potter, and when James died in 1862 at the age of 88, he left £3.8m (in today's money). The bulk of his estate, including the mill, went to Charles and Baldwin. How good they were at running the flax company is not known although by 1871 the number of employees had shrunk to 54, half the number of 30 years previously. This is not surprising, flax had been fighting a losing battle against the lighter and softer cotton for years. By the time of Charles' death in 1881 production had ceased.
Charles' estate was valued at £13,367 or £9m in today's money.* The estate was put into trust, with the principal beneficiaries being the six sons of his niece Catherine. She and her husband, the Reverend James Cannon, moved into The Holt. For the next 23 years, Cannon was in charge.
Initially the mill was let to a glove manufacturer, but in 1882 Hope Brothers, twine manufacturers, moved in . They lost no time in installing a Gilbert Gilkes 60hp water turbine to replace whatever power was left in the mill. (the disc engine was long gone).
Little is known of the flax business during this period although it is recorded having 98 (predominantly female) workers in 1839. But it must have been making money. The brothers built a third reservoir in Ladygrove, the Potter, and when James died in 1862 at the age of 88, he left £3.8m (in today's money). The bulk of his estate, including the mill, went to Charles and Baldwin. How good they were at running the flax company is not known although by 1871 the number of employees had shrunk to 54, half the number of 30 years previously. This is not surprising, flax had been fighting a losing battle against the lighter and softer cotton for years. By the time of Charles' death in 1881 production had ceased.
Charles' estate was valued at £13,367 or £9m in today's money.* The estate was put into trust, with the principal beneficiaries being the six sons of his niece Catherine. She and her husband, the Reverend James Cannon, moved into The Holt. For the next 23 years, Cannon was in charge.
Initially the mill was let to a glove manufacturer, but in 1882 Hope Brothers, twine manufacturers, moved in . They lost no time in installing a Gilbert Gilkes 60hp water turbine to replace whatever power was left in the mill. (the disc engine was long gone).
The 60 hp turbine at Ladygrove mill (2010)
A vortex turbine (similar to a Francis turbine) purchased in 1882
which ran intermittently until 1979. Still in the cellar where it was
first installed, it had a flat belt drive to a shaft on the floor above.
Hopes left in 1901. Empty for the next 12 years a local furrier was the next tenant, only to be displaced by an Army training unit in 1914. After WW1 there were two or three short term tenants for parts of the mill.
After Cannon's death in 1904, the estate seems to have been run by the bailiff (manager). Cannon's will and indeed Charles Dakeynes will before it, seemed mainly directed to the maintaining of the estate as an entity. Although Charles seemed to have left an enormous sum of money, the £9m present value is based on wage inflation and is perhaps unrealistic. Rental income from the estate was minimal and with no mill to earn profits, it appears most of the money trickled away. In 1924 the decision was taken to sell of the estate - by then only one Cannon son was still living in England although two had left for Canada. Withdrawn at £2200, the mill was sold to Sidney and Ernest Johnson a few months later for £2400. The Johnson's were millers running their father's mill at Alport.
What was little more than a building shell was converted to a modern flour mill by the two brothers and this was the beginning of a highly successful business until well after WW2. Competition from the major flour conglomerates made it increasingly uneconomic through the 1950's and S & E Johnson, as it then was was, withdrew from the business. David Westmoreland succeeded his step-father Sidney Johnson in the early 1960's and continued to build up the other milling business at Ladygrove Mill, animal and pet foods. He embarked on a progressive programme of modernisation and expansion, but the business was simply not big enough to compete with the major manufacturer's increasing market domination.
After Cannon's death in 1904, the estate seems to have been run by the bailiff (manager). Cannon's will and indeed Charles Dakeynes will before it, seemed mainly directed to the maintaining of the estate as an entity. Although Charles seemed to have left an enormous sum of money, the £9m present value is based on wage inflation and is perhaps unrealistic. Rental income from the estate was minimal and with no mill to earn profits, it appears most of the money trickled away. In 1924 the decision was taken to sell of the estate - by then only one Cannon son was still living in England although two had left for Canada. Withdrawn at £2200, the mill was sold to Sidney and Ernest Johnson a few months later for £2400. The Johnson's were millers running their father's mill at Alport.
What was little more than a building shell was converted to a modern flour mill by the two brothers and this was the beginning of a highly successful business until well after WW2. Competition from the major flour conglomerates made it increasingly uneconomic through the 1950's and S & E Johnson, as it then was was, withdrew from the business. David Westmoreland succeeded his step-father Sidney Johnson in the early 1960's and continued to build up the other milling business at Ladygrove Mill, animal and pet foods. He embarked on a progressive programme of modernisation and expansion, but the business was simply not big enough to compete with the major manufacturer's increasing market domination.
Ladygrove Mill in 2006
The 1826 mill built by Edward and James Dakeyne had not
been substantially altered after 180 years.
In 2004 all production ceased and for the next six years S&E Johnson continued as wholesaler and retailer of feeds. THe directors of the company decided to wind up the business in 2010. The mill was sold to a local property developer who intends converting it to residential use.
