This article appeared in the newsletter the 13th March 2026

MR JOHN EARLE.

John was the miller at Warwick Bridge from 1804, he probably took on the lease of the newly built mill, the mill we have at present. He was resident in the area  in 1798 when his daughter Frances was baptised at Wetheral. John was not a local, he was baptised on 22nd July 1759, his parents William and Mary lived at Uckerby Mill, Bolton on Swale, where William was the miller. John is next recorded getting married to Alice Alderson on 18th February 1783 at Middleton Tyas. They had two children baptised there, Mary on 28th September 1783 and Margaret on 1st May 1785.

He next appears at Kirkby Ravensworth with William Baptised 26th November 1786, George on 20th November 1788 and Ann on 2nd January 1791. What his occupation was at these places hasn’t been found yet.

What drew him to Wetheral? Was he an under miller for William Gillespy?  Or was he working for another mill in the area? We know the mill was advertised to let in January 1804 and he was presumably the successful applicant. Alice and John had another daughter baptised at Wetheral, Sarah on 11th May 1800 and their final child John on the 21st November 1806.

John unfortunately didn’t live to see his last son grow up, he died in April 1813 and was buried in Wetheral Churchyard on 21st April 1813. His wife died on 15th January 1821 and was buried at Wetheral with John and their daughter Jane who had died in January 1818.

What happened to the mill? We know that it was advertised to let again in 1817. When the advert states the tenant will show the mill, but doesn’t name him. Did one of John’s sons run it for 4 years? We know his son William was married to Margaret Warwick on 27th April 1817 at Warwick on Eden. When his son William was baptised on 7th September 1828 he described himself as an alehouse keeper, and a directory of 1829 he is listed at the Warwick Arms, Warwick Bridge.

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