Memories of Woolpit

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.