To the Wholesale Stationers and Paper Makers TO be SOLD by AUCTION By Mr. ELDERTON, by Directon at the Assignees of Mr. Zachariah House, late of Nash. Mills, near King's Langley, in the County of Hertford, Paper Maker, a Bankrupt, and may be entered on immediately.   On Wednesday the 24th of January next, at 12 o'Clock at Garraway's Coffee House, near the Royal Exchange, all the said Bankrupt's Right and Title to that new built and commodious Paper Mill, situate as aforesaid; together with a Dwelling House, a Garden, and about 12 Acres of good Meadow Land adjoining : The Whole held by Lease for 21 Years from Michaelmas 1768.   The said Paper Mill has been new built within these Two Years last past at the Expense of about Eleven Hundred Pounds, and is still capable of considerable Improvements by Addition of Corn Mills, as it stands on a powerful and constant Stream of Water, with the Priviledge of Fishing, distant 21 Miles from London, 1 from King's Langley, 1 from Hemell Hempstead, and 6 from Watford. - Particulars and Conditions of Sale may be had at the Rose and Crown, King's Langley; the Red Lion, near the Premises; of Mr. Meade, at High Wycombe; of Mr. William Lepard, Stationer, Queenhithe, London; Mr, Elderton, No. 42. Ludgate Hill; and at the White Hart, at Watford.

While the presence of a paper mill at Nash Mills had been noted because Zachariah House, paper maker of Nash Mills, went bankrupt in 1769 the above sale suggests that the mill was newly built - putting the starting date at about 1767. The mill appears to have been purchased (or at least managed) by Roger and/or Laurence Greatrake.

For more about the Greatrake family see JOHN DICKINSON AND THE BRANDYWINE

For more about Nash Mills see Nash Mills - The Endless Web Revisited.

Some Relevant 18th century references   MARRIED. On Friday se'ennight, at Hemel Hempstead, the Rev. J. Hamilton, to Miss Greatrake of King's Langley, Herts Northampton Mercury, 13th October, 1792   DIED ... A short time ago, at an advanced age, Mrs. Greatrake, wife of Mr. Greatrake, of Apsley Mill, in Hertfordshire. Northampton Mercury, 10th August 1793   Marriage Bond for £200 by Laurence Greatrake, paper maker, of St Dunstan, London and Eliza Newton, of Lambeth, dated 25 February 1796. Ancestry   Baptism 26 Dec 1799 at Hemel Hempstead, children of Laurence & Eliza Greatrake. Eliza Greatrake Born 18th February, 1792; Charles Laurence Greatrake, Born 8th May, 1793; George Greatrake, 27th October, 1794; Marianne Greatrake, Born 27 June 1796Henry Joseph Greatrake Born 18 February, 1798. Ancestry   Will of Roger Greatrake, paper maker, Kings Langley, 29 November 1804 (PROB 11/1417/269) National Archives