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Perry Barr Mills

Perry Barr and its Water Mills, part of the Transactions of Staffs Archaeological Society (2006) by Peter King.(Probably mentioned in Post 29).
It gives a very detailed history of the mills. Not sure if it can be accessed online free but can be via Academia.
It sheds light on many of the questions raised in the thread.
 
The CONCLUSION by Peter King in his paper…

“The careful use of deeds and other documents has enabled the identities and histories of about five mills in Perry Barr to be sorted out. It has also thrown light on a number of other matters, notably the probable location of several ironworks, including a late 16th century forge and a blast furnace (or even two). These were preceded by hammer mills, used in connection with an earlier ironmaking process. Nevertheless, gaps remain in what is known, both in the occupation of some of the mills in the 17th century and in the precise dates of the various 15th- and 16th-century iron-works. However, the documents that would enable these gaps to be filled do not survive.
In the 16th and 17th centuries Perry Barr was essentially a rural community, with a variety of different industrial mills. The ironworks disappeared due to rationalisation in that industry. They were followed by a fulling mill and paper mills. In the 18th century these were altered to blade mills and wire mills to serve the expanding metal manufacturing industries of Birmingham and the Black Country. In addition, there was a change in the trades using the blade mills between the 17th and 18th centuries; this reflects the decline of the Birmingham's old cutlery industry (in the face of competition from Sheffield), and the rise of armament production, so that swordcutlers dominated among occupiers in the late 18th century. Corn mills were still needed to make flour to feed peo-ple; Hamstead Mill and Perry Hall Mill remained corn mills throughout, and two of the Hol brook mills were converted to corn mills after the Napoleonic War. The final demise of the mills has not always been traced. Most seem to have remained in use until the mid 19th century, but they eventually went out of use due to availability of new sources of power and the need of the people of Birmingham for water.”
 
Pedrocut said:
The CONCLUSION by Peter King in his paper…

“The careful use of deeds and other documents has enabled the identities and histories of about five mills in Perry Barr to be sorted out. It has also thrown light on a number of other matters, notably the probable location of several ironworks, including a late 16th century forge and a blast furnace (or even two). These were preceded by hammer mills, used in connection with an earlier ironmaking process. Nevertheless, gaps remain in what is known, both in the occupation of some of the mills in the 17th century and in the precise dates of the various 15th- and 16th-century iron-works. However, the documents that would enable these gaps to be filled do not survive.
In the 16th and 17th centuries Perry Barr was essentially a rural community, with a variety of different industrial mills. The ironworks disappeared due to rationalisation in that industry. They were followed by a fulling mill and paper mills. In the 18th century these were altered to blade mills and wire mills to serve the expanding metal manufacturing industries of Birmingham and the Black Country. In addition, there was a change in the trades using the blade mills between the 17th and 18th centuries; this reflects the decline of the Birmingham's old cutlery industry (in the face of competition from Sheffield), and the rise of armament production, so that swordcutlers dominated among occupiers in the late 18th century. Corn mills were still needed to make flour to feed peo-ple; Hamstead Mill and Perry Hall Mill remained corn mills throughout, and two of the Hol brook mills were converted to corn mills after the Napoleonic War. The final demise of the mills has not always been traced. Most seem to have remained in use until the mid 19th century, but they eventually went out of use due to availability of new sources of power and the need of the people of Birmingham for water.”
Click to expand...
I wonderful where I can find information about the 15th and 16th century iron works, any ideas?
 
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