Buxhall, Suffolk

Harry Elmer

I'm sure I remember a Harry Elmer......did he have a shop in Elmswell or did he rent out motor cars or even caravans from Woolpit?

I was born in Elmswell in 1947 and the name certainly rings a very loud bell and was constantly mentioned in our household at the time.

Elmers Mill - Family History

Hi there. Harry Elmer (who I understand was my GGrandad's brother) owned and ran this Mill into the 1940s. The Muggeridge Collection has some wonderful images of him replendent in the very gentlemanly working clothes of a miller of his ilk, and still working in his 80's.  Anecdotally Elmers Mill in Woolpit and Drinkstone Mill close by were dead ringers for each other, except they ran (i.e. their sails rotated) in the opposite direction to each other. This has recently been questioned on the Suffolk Mills site which has some memories posted about the structure of Elmers Woolpit Mill after it was tail-winded in 1963 and collapsed, saying it was built of "inferior materials" and therefore of much more recent (perhaps 19th century) construction than the recognised ancient (and still-standing) Drinkstone Mill. It's recognisably old design however would seem to counter this argument, and it's more likely I believe that the "inferior materials" found after it collpased may have been due to the need for successive and ongoing repairs, required due to the hard life a constantly used mill was subject to. I would greatly welcome any further information on both these Mills and/or on the Elmers of Woolpit, or my particular branch of the family who are recorded as living in Elmswell; Great Ashfield; and Walsham-le-Willows at various times throughout the 17th to 19th centuries. Please email me to elmers@xtra.co.nz  Many thanks. Les Elmer, Auckland, New Zealand.     

family connection to the Shoulder of Mutton

My great great grandfather was Richard Thurston and I believe that his family lived at the pub about 1845.
They had several children Deborah,John Palmer,Mary Jane,Richard and William Mumford (thurston) His wife was Susannah.
John Palmer Thurston was my great grandfather.
My grandfather William John Thurston emigrated to Australia in 1910 with his wife Agnes Alice Thurston(nee Stillwell) from Sussex.

My Early Years

Hi, I guess it's one of those things you do as you get older, to take a walk down memory lane and to do a little bit of reminiscing. I was doing such a thing when I came across this photo of the village in Bildeston and saw the old house in the High Street that as a child and also in my early teens I lived in with my parents. When we lived there it was the local fish and chip shop. We also had a mobile shop that my dad used to take around to the outlying areas, to Watisham and Lavenham, I believe. Those were good days. There are many memories of my years in the primary school but none more than when my teacher (I can't remember his name) attempted to get me to go to an assembly. I had no idea what that was then and wasn't going to go so when he picked me up to take me in to the hall I kicked him rather hard and he put me back down. Once I learned that assemblies were good things I enjoyed them. I don't remember getting punished for that incident though.

My years at Hadleigh High School are still very precious and my woodwork teacher probably has no idea that it was because of his teaching me the skills of woodwork that I eventually did my apprenticeship in the building trade and built houses here in New Zealand for over 20 years.  

I also remember the great times we had at the local Baptist Church and one of the Youth Leaders teaching me to play the guitar. I still play and have continued to play in the church where I am the Senior Pastor. I have very fond memories of Bildeston and one day would like to return there to introduce my wife and family to the beauty of the Suffolk countryside and one of the greatest little villages I was privileged to live in during the 1960s.