ASTON BROOK MILL with its pool lay above the point where the Aston Road crosses the Hockley Brook. It may have been the newly-built fulling mill in the tenure of Richard Short in 1532 (fn. 75) and one of the two fulling mills in Aston in 1585. (fn. 76) In 1721 it was a fulling mill in the tenure of Zachary Gisborne; (fn. 77) it was apparently at that time also known as Bourn Work Mill. (fn. 78) It was called Gisborne's Mill in 1758, (fn. 79) and Hooper's Mill in 1791; Thomas Hooper had earlier been the tenant of Aston corn mill and may have converted Aston Brook Mill for flour milling. (fn. 80) In 1806 an agreement was made between Walter and Thomas Phillips, tenants and late owners of the mills, and John Rose of Thimble Mill on the use of the waters of the brook. (fn. 81) Thomas Phillips was still miller in 1830 when it was known as Mr. Phillips' Mill, (fn. 82) but the mill was sometimes called Aston Mill at this time. (fn. 83) A steam engine had been installed in the premises by 1830 when steammill power was advertised as to let, and John Phillips was then described as a timber merchant and wood turner. (fn. 84) The water wheel continued to be used, for flour milling. Thomas Powell was miller in 1850 (fn. 85) and William Best in 1854; (fn. 86) in 1855 the property came into the hands of the Evans family. (fn. 87) During their tenure, which lasted at least until 1875, the premises were still used both for flour milling and other trades. (fn. 88) It was said that £10,000 worth of damage was done in a fire there in 1862. (fn. 89) The pools had disappeared by 1887-8, (fn. 90) but Edward Evans was a corn merchant at Aston Brook Flour Mills in 1908. (fn. 91) The site is marked by Pool Street, Powell Street, and Phillips Street.
From: 'Economic and Social History: Mills', A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 7: The City of Birmingham (1964), pp. 253-269. URL:
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22970. Date accessed: Sunday, October 14, 2007.
