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Drews Mill

O

O.C.

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Does anyone know what type of mill Drews Mill was which was right at the bottom of Grosvenor Rd Handsworth (in the middle of the pic.)
Behind it would be Perry Hall playing fields
 
Two great minds think a like, I was just researching the Handsworth and Perry Barr mills to put in my research, because they are so close to Birmingham. I know of possibly 4 mills those areas, Mr Harveys Mill, Upper and Lower paper mill (2 seperate ones), Perry Barr Mill and a windmill. That is all I've come up with so far!!! I haven't really looked close at Handsworth but will do over the next few days. Perhaps Di or Chris will do a census for you, sometimes you can find out from that what type of mill it is. :)
 
According to the 1890 survey map it was Handsworth Steam Flour Mill and right next to it was Handsworth Perry Bar Brewery. I don't believe that this has any thing to do with Perry Mill. The photo seems much later than 1890 though so that the mill name may have changed if it is the same place. Just north of there was what I think may have been Perry Mill located on the Tame. See Perry Mill 2. Just to the right of the brewery it looks like Aston Villa had a football ground at one time.
 
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In 1733 there were 4 corn mills in Handsworth, by 1794 there were 5 cornmills. It is hard to visulise Handsworth with this description:
"The manor of Handsworth, 44 mesuages, 7 cottages, 5 mills, 2,000 acres of land, 300 acres of meadow, 300 acres of pasture, 100 acres of wood, 700 acres of heath, 50 acres of moor, 30 acres of water."....1794 :)
 
That was when Handsworth covered the area from Hamstead right out to Perry Barr, Loisand. You can follow it on the census returns.

Rupert the Villa land was near the Old Crown and Cushion pub, in Wellington Road. My dad used to tell me that is where the club started.
 
From "Bennetts Buisneass Directory for Warwickshire 1914":
J. Drew & Sons Ltd, Perry Barr Mills, est. 1858, millers and corn merchants, self raising flour manufacturers. :)
 
If Drew’s Mill is the same mill as the Handsworth Steam Flour Mill, it was substantial. The whole estate was put up for auction in 1865. If it had 5 mill stones, it must have been turning out a lot of flour. It’s described as close to Perry Barr Station. Viv.

56B0A190-F446-41DC-BDBF-07DEF94C60EF.jpeg
 
Viv
I think Drews mill and the Mill above must be the same The 1913 Kellys lists John Drews mill in Grosvenor Road, but it is very close to the junction and could possibly be accessed from Wellington road,
map c1914 showing John drews mill.jpg
 
Thanks Mike, thought it might be, but couldn’t be certain. Given the size of the mill, I thought it unlikely there’d be two flour mills so close together. Viv.
 
I am the grandson of John Drew, the last flour Miller in our family. Drew’s flour was a small company. I have a picture of the annual works outing in the 20’s when there were little more than a dozen people on a works lorry. So if they used this large mill I think it will have only been as one of a number of tenants. The ‘Mill House’ shown in the map on one of these threads was, however, the family home and it was here that my father, also John Drew, was born in 1920. My grandfather died suddenly in the 30s and my grandmother then sold the business to what became McDougals.
 
Thanks oldMohawk. Putting this picture together with the other one and the map completes a coherent account of the location although I still feel that the mill would have been too large for just my grandfather (in the family we call him ‘Jack’ Drew) alone. I had always understood it as a smallish enterprise. ‘Jack’ father, also John (Angel James) Drew, had a ’girlfriend’ (not my great grandmother Rosa) who he is alleged to have installed in a house opposite the mill entrance, as told to me by his daughter. Presumably one of the terraced houses shown opposite. Doesn’t sound like a great man!
 
“Drew's business was founded at Edgbaston Mills in 1871 and they moved to the existing mill on this site in 1886.”

There are adverts for Drew at Edgbaston in 1871.
 
There exists a Thread for Perry Barr Mills.

Posts 11 and 13 show previous history.

Perry Barr Mills

Two great minds think a like, I was just researching the Handsworth and Perry Barr mills to put in my research, because they are so close to Birmingham. I know of possibly 4 mills those areas, Mr Harveys Mill, Upper and Lower paper mill (2 seperate ones), Perry Barr Mill and a windmill. That is...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
Thanks Pecrocut. Incontrovertible evidence indeed. My grandfather Johm ‘Jack’ Drew died of pneumonia very suddenly in 1933 or so, leaving my grandmother virtually destitute. She worked as a travelling saleswoman for the company for a while but there was certainly no money so I wonder whether they lost a lot during the financial collapse.

On the Edgbaston Mills connection I think the original John Drew was based there and his son then branched off to Perry Barr. I’ve got some records to check but will revert in a couple of weeks.

John Drew V
 
johndrew said:
Thanks Pecrocut. Incontrovertible evidence indeed. My grandfather Johm ‘Jack’ Drew died of pneumonia very suddenly in 1933 or so, leaving my grandmother virtually destitute. She worked as a travelling saleswoman for the company for a while but there was certainly no money so I wonder whether they lost a lot during the financial collapse.

On the Edgbaston Mills connection I think the original John Drew was based there and his son then branched off to Perry Barr. I’ve got some records to check but will revert in a couple of weeks.

John Drew V
Click to expand...
john we would love to see that photo of the works outing when time permits as it would make a nice edition to this thread

lyn
 
johndrew said:
I am the grandson of John Drew, the last flour Miller in our family. Drew’s flour was a small company. I have a picture of the annual works outing in the 20’s when there were little more than a dozen people on a works lorry. So if they used this large mill I think it will have only been as one of a number of tenants. The ‘Mill House’ shown in the map on one of these threads was, however, the family home and it was here that my father, also John Drew, was born in 1920. My grandfather died suddenly in the 30s and my grandmother then sold the business to what became McDougals.
Click to expand...
I have been researching the Drew family as Flour Millers. I am in the Milton Drew's side of the family tree. Milton is John Angel Drew's brother. Both are sons of the original John Drew (1836-1923) who started John Drew and Sons in 1858. I believe your father John Drew died in 2004 but am not sure who your mother was and so cannot trace further. I have no people photos that go back to other era's so am intrigued in the possibility that some exist. Did you post the photo on this site?
Cheers
Steve Drew
 
Steve, how good to hear from a cousin! I have some photographs, one of which I will eventually post on this thread but need technical help from a more agile mind (aka son ... who is John Drew VI!) I also have various other records which I would love to share with you but they will probably be of less interest to the BHF. So shall we go off line. I would be happy to hear from you, using my email [email protected].

BTW the 1881 census names all John Drew I's family but has Marton (Martin?) Suther (Luther?) as a son and Milton Augustine as a daughter (Milton doesn't sound like a girls name to me). I have a mirror painted by their sister, Florence Edith (born 1871) and also a painting of their home Mill House also by Edith although this is undainted.

John
 
There's a mention of the marriage of John Drew's daughter, Mary Jane, in 1883 in which it says John Drew of Ward End. So wondering if Drews Lane was named after your Drew family?

Also on the subject of Milton (definitely a son), there is an old thread (started by a descendant) about him here...

DREW family

Hi, I have traced my family back to the Drew's of Birmingham. In the 1881 census, my great grandfather Milton Augustin Drew was living with his parents at Mill Lane, Aston. His father, John Drew was the master miller at the time. I was wondering whether anyone had any further information on...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
Looks like the lane did get its name according to Bill Dargue.

“The road takes its name from the mill which was known as Drews Mill in 1886 and was John Drew's second flour mill after Edgbaston Mill. Drew was noted for the famous self-raising flour he made here. The mill pool lay between Winnington Road and Ingleton Road and is shown on a 1933 map; Northleigh Road Allotments now cover the site.”

Ward End

Ward is first found here as a family name in 1297 when Thomas le Ward de Eryngton is recorded; Henry le Warde de Bromwich is documented in 1315. The name Ward End was used from at least 1460 and was synonymous with Little Bromwich and later for that part of Little Bromwich adjacent to Washwood...
billdargue.jimdofree.com billdargue.jimdofree.com
 
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