William Catt

This is the story of this fine old citizen of Sussex, William Catt.

One of the best examples of self-help, he was born at Buxted in 1780, son of a small farmer. At 19 he married, and on his going to pay for a little farm at Robertsbridge his mother sewed the banknotes into his waistcoat lining. In his new home he and his wife used to rise at three in the morning, and while he threshed she fed the poultry.

After experience with a mill at Lamberhurst he entered into partnership with a cousin here. Leasing from Lord Sheffield the waste land between his mill and Newhaven harbour, he devoted one part of it to cultivation, while, helping with his own spade and barrow, he converted the other into a reservoir to give extra power to his mill.

His first crop of oats paid the whole cost of reclaiming the land, and he was able to extend the capacity of his mill from five pairs of grinding-stones to 16, making it the largest water-mill in Sussex.

He prospered and was generous, but he was thrifty too, his motto being to earn a shilling and save a penny. He would pick up pieces of metal or timber or anything that could be turned to account to add an honest penny to his store.

The great event of his busy life was a visit to Paris when he was nearing seventy. At that time Louis Philippe had a flour-mill run by another gifted son of Sussex. The old miller was introduced to the king and sent by him to inspect the mill.

Two years later Louis Philippe, disguised as Mr Smith, fled for his life to Newhaven, where he said;

"If it were not for the generosity of the Queen of England I should not have either this house to cover my head or the plate or anything that is on the table."

It was within a mile of the Bishopstone Mills that he landed, and one of the first men to wait on him was the miller. Catt made a handsome fortune, brought up a large family, and had the comfort of sitting down to dinner with his six sons and their six wives before he died.

 

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