H.S. Pledge & Sons Ltd

H. S. Pledge & Sons Ltd

Company type	Private
Industry	Milling, Corn trading
Founded	1890
Founder	Henry Sturgess Pledge
Defunct	2014
Fate	Dissolved after final mill destroyed by fire
Headquarters	Ashford , England, United Kingdom
Products	Flour and milled corn products

H. S. Pledge & Sons Ltd was a milling enterprise founded by Henry Sturgess Pledge, who completed his training at the Black Mill located in Barham, Kent. The company operated in Ashford until 1984, when its final mill was lost to a fire.

History

The company was launched in 1890 by Henry Sturgess Pledge, who had apprenticed at Black Mill around 1850. Initially, the business managed the Wind, Steam and Water Mills in Kennington until 1892. Henry Sturgess Pledge conducted operations alongside his sons, Lawrence John and Walter Ebeneser Pledge. H S Pledge & Sons Ltd focused on milling and corn trading, owning two mills in Ashford: Victoria Mills and East Hill Mill.

East Hill Mill – Template:Gbmapping

Situated at the base of East Hill Road in Ashford, East Hill Mill functioned as both a water-powered and steam-driven mill. By 2010, the site had been converted to operate as the Liquid and Envy nightclub under Luminar Leisure management.

An inscription reading "Flour Mill 1901" is present on the mill. According to the 1901 census, Lawrence Pledge—son of Henry—was the miller residing there with his family.

Victoria Mills – Template:Gbmappingsmall

Victoria Mills was established as a steam-powered facility in 1890, with this date clearly marked on its structure. The 1901 West Ashford Census lists Walter Pledge, another son of the founder, as the miller living at the site with his wife Emma. The mill remained operational until September 1984 when it was severely damaged by fire and later demolished for safety reasons. Prior to closure, the Garnham Family had acquired the business. The company was formally dissolved in 2014.