During the latter part of the 19th century, a miller came to Woodnewton, and took up residence at Conegar Mill. His name was Sydney Spademan, (b.1856 – d.1937). Sydney had been milling at Easton on the Hill, but unfortunately ran into trouble and the mill ceased to function.

 Flour was produced at Conegar for a number of years, but sadly, due to high maintenance costs and mill wright charges, things began to deteriorate.  A few years into the 20th century the mill stone ceased to turn and what had been a good little ‘undershot water mill’ was lost forever.

In a 10 mile radius of Woodnewton, `windmills and watermills were becoming silent; Morcott, Luffenham, Ketton, Oundle, Cottestock, Perio and Barnack to name but a few.

The mill at Woodnewton slumbered on whilst the war clouds gathered over Europe; wheat and flour prices doubled over night.  Bakers and contractors looked further afield for flour; Browns of Godmanchester and Ranks of Hull (later Rank Hovis McDougall)

War flour was produced, darker in colour and not as fine, almost like the flour produced at Conegar and little mills up and down the country thirty to forty years earlier, before the roller process was introduced.  The mill stopped producing flour in 1906 or thereabouts, an opportunity missed, to feed the local inhabitants of Woodnewton and surrounding area.

Sydney carried on residing at Conegar, no longer milling, but as a market gardener; one of the many twenty seven market gardeners recorded in Woodnewton.

After Sydney retired, he moved to 1 New Road (now known as 1 St Mary’s Hill) and died there on October 29th 1937.

2015