That was according to John Boughton who once occupied the old snuff mill by the bridge at Butter Hill on the border of Wallington and Carshalton.
He was speaking to Robert Thurston Hopkins, a ghost hunter and writer who visited Carshalton in 1930.
R Thurston Hopkins (1884–1958) had written a book called “Old English Mills and Inns” in 1927, though that was more about wind mills than water mills.
The Lower Mill water wheels at Butter Hill had been dismantled, and hardly anything remained of the old industry. Instead, Boughton used the building for parchment and vellum manufacturing.
Parchment is animal skin used for writing, as is Vellum, which is of better quality and is from younger animals, usually calves. Boughton used the best vellum to coat the heads of bass drums. They helped produce a rich, deep sound.
Mr Boughton worked at Butter Hill from around 1918, and his name is on the building in the photo below – this image has been colorised and enhanced. Source unknown.
The sign reads
J.Boughton
Parchment
Vellum & Drum Head
Manufacturer.
The mill is now called Vellum Mill in recognition of this time, and currently used predominantly as an art space.
Jazz is still going strong in venues across Carshalton.
Additional historical information thanks to research by Wandle.org (Wandle Industrial Museum). Main image enhanced with AI.
