Percy’s Mill

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 196, 16 May 1936, Page 26

Percy’s Mill

A most interesting landmark, one of the oldest in. the Hutt Valley, is “Percy’s Mill,” situated in Mr. Arthur Percy’s property adjoining that of the late Sir Janies Hector on the hillside a few hundred yards fromMhe railway line at Petone. Mr. Percy is the last surviving member of his family. His father and grandfather came to New Zealand in the ship Clifton about 1844, and the family settled at Alicetown for a few years. Both these pioneers were carpenters, and built the first three bridges across the Hutt River. The first, which was a suspension bridge, was destroyed by earthquake. All the bridges were about where the present old one is. They also built the Roman Catholic church, which is still standing, and the little Anglican church, part of which is now used as a Sunday school. Other houses built by them were Mr. Edward Riddiford’s, which stood where “Woburn,” the home of Mrs. Vivian Riddiford now is, and that of Mr. Ludlam, in McNab’s gardens. A few years later the Percys bought one of a number of 100-acre sections surveyed by the New Zealand Company and built a home and mill to serve the farmers in the valley, who came for their flour in horse drays, and, on rare occasions, even down the coast from Waikanae in bullock drays. Later, the demand for flour became so great that the millers were unable to mSet it, as the power of the little stream used to drive the mill was not strong enough. They therefore built another mill further down, near the Koro Koro Stream, where the woollen mills now are. Later, as the demand lessened, they moved back to the old mill. A little old oak tree, still growing in Mr. Percy’s property, was transplanted from Alicetown, where his father planted it nearly 90 years ago.— “J.J.G. ’ (Lower Hutt).