De Lelie
The first paper about this mill that I found dates from the 31th of January 1777 when Tijs van Zeventer and Jacob de Werken who were living in the village of Kralingen sold to Johannes Schaaij living in Overschie the ownership of a piece of land with a mill, a derelict cottage and everyting else what was lying or standing on the land, situated at the Westside of the korte kade in Kralingen for the price of Dfl. 1800,-. In the tax registration book of the "Ambacht van Kralingen" from 1733 Johannes Schaij is in 1781 assessed for Dfl. 2,- on account of a newly built snuffmill with house number 358a. This could be a renovation of the existing mill which implicated a lengthening of the trestles with 1.5 m, which can still be seen.
On the 7th september 1796 Catharina Sollevelt widow of Johannes Schaij sells to Willem van der Lugt a piece of land with a snufffmill, a cottage, a shed and with everything else what is on it, situated at the Westside of the Korte Kade for the price of Dfl. 1600,-. "according to Tijs van Zeventer the buyer passes a debenture in behalf of the above-mentioned Tijs van Zeventer large Dfl. 1600,- against 4% and to redeem with one hunderd guilders each year. The outstanding debenture will be canceled.
On 29th of July 1803 Willem van der Lugt sells to Isaac Hioolen Junior a snuffmill, house, shed, garden and premesis with all loose and fixed tools situated at the Korte Kade in Kralingen, adjecent in the east the forementioned kade at in the west Pieter Krijgsman, stretching from Johannes Breeborst till the premesis of the widow of Arie Hoogerwaard. The mill and the house are registered in the tax register with the numbers 359a and 359aa for Dfl 4,- each.
Isaac pays in the following way: "First by taking over a debenture still great one thousant guilders from the forementioned Willem van der Lugt, which was passed for the mayors of Kralingen on the 7th September 1796 and specially mortgaged on this property, and about which the buyer Isaac Hioolen declared that he would take over this debenture with the promise that he would behave according to the text of the letter in paying the the interest and redemption. Furthermore with a debenture great two thousant guilders passed today for the mayors of Kralingen through the buyer in favour of the seller and specially mortgaged on this property and at last with a sum of two thousant eighthundred guilders cash."
He buys the mill, the house, shed, garden and premises all together for Dfl 5800,-. From the will of Isaac, made up on 4th of May 1830, can be deduced that the house near the snuffmill had become a bakery and that besides a garden, there was also an orchard. With this mill "De Lelie" is meant. The shed will probabely become the "karotten" factory.
De Ster
In the division of the inventory of Isaac Hioolen made up on the 12th of December 1838 is mentioned "A wind cornmill called the "Nieuwe Star" situated at the westside of the Korte Kade adjacent in the East the formentioned Korte Kade and in the West the "Veenwater".
The windcornmill was, according to the will of Isaac, build in 1829 on a piece of land bought in 1828. This is confirmed by a mortgagecertificate passed on the 25th of January 1830 which certifies that Isaac Hioolen and his wife Jansje Glas borrow Dfl 5.500,- from Godefridus Biesta with the security of "A completly new build eight-sided railing wind cornmill, called "de nieuwe Star", and premesis "formerly a piece of land or field" situated West of the korte kade in the municipality of Kralingen."
The mill "De Nieuwe Star" burnt down on the 16th of August 1865. In the "Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant" of 17 en 18 August 1865 this fire is mentioned and the article of the 18th says: "About the fire in Kralingen, which we mentioned yesterday, can further been said that the disaster took place in the recently completely renewed cornmill of the Brothers Hioolen. After the lightning struck one of the wooden sailstocks and smashed it to splinters, which were found the following morning at great distances, it searched a way through the mill and set it completely on fire. A considerable supply of wheat and flour, partly insured, was destroyed. Thanks to speed and diligence of the fire brigade of Kralingen and of the fire brigade of this town (Rotterdam), who was also soon at the place of the calamity, the other mill and the buidings at short distance who ware exposed to shower of sparks, could be saved. Fortunately we didnot regret any loss of human lives with this disaster.
After the fire a snuff- and spicesmill was rebuild in the same place on a new stone foundation. This mill was originally situated at the "Trekvliet" in Rijswijk and was build there in 1842. The name of that mill was "De Stier" but after years of confusion it got its original local name "De Ster" back again. On June the 13th 1962 "De Ster" burnt down again. The rebuilding took untill 1969. The mill was then completely rebuild with the use of an old windshaft from the dismantled cornmill in Oudenhoorn.
De Ceres
On the 23rd of April 1842 Alexander and Willem Hioolen buy from Leendert Dooremans, manufacturer and merchand voor the price of Dfl. 75,- "A piece of meadow situated at the Korte kade in the municipality of Kralingen adjacent in the South the seller in the North the buyers in the East the separating ditch and in the West the water course.
On this plot the corn mill "Ceres" will be build. But first another piece of land has to be bought. That happens on the 26th of August 1844. Then the brothers Hioolen buy from "Pieter Wachter Junior Esq., merchant"....." A small piece of land and water with the length of twelve Dutch "Ellen" and a width of five Dutch "Ellen" situated East of the Korte Kade in the municipality of Kralingen part of the country-seat named “Weltevreden”.
This document mentions that it is the buyers intention to build a cornmill on this site. Under the conditions in the title-deed is mentioned: "fourth: That as long as the the mill to be build exists the railing and sailstocks may stick out over the premises of the seller and that the mill must have a free and unimpeded flight, against which the seller or his successors never may put up any hindrance, but on the contrary will have to brook this at any time."
The Ceres didnot work very long, which can be deduced from the division of the inventory after the death of Alexander Hioolen on the 17th of January 1876. Which mentions: "While in the year 1871 the cornmill "Ceres" burnt down to the ground and a steam cornmill was build instead, of which the cost was far greater than the insurance money received".
The cause of the fire becomes clear from an article in the "Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant" from Sunday the 18th of June 1871, Number 166: "In a heavy thunderstorm that broke out above our city last night, lightning has struck the cornmill Ceres, at the "Kortekade", in Kralingen, which belongs to the Brothers Hioolen. Despite the firebrigade of Kralingen was assisted by two fire-engines from Rotterdam, they ware not able to save the building. The entire mill with the supplies of grain was completely destroyed in less than an hour."
The steam corn mill Ceres existed also for a short period. According to the land registry office the mill was since 1900 no longer in use. In the official report of the expropriation in 1916 is mentioned: "In section C No. 1170 exsists a stone building formerly used as a corn mill, but at the moment in use as a warehouse. The building has four attics and one inbetween, in the building are present a millstone, a porcelain rollingmachine, some driving gear and so on. Against the side front an engineroom and boilerhouse are situated. Behind that there is a chimneyshaft. On this lot is also situated a wooden shed constructed of planks with open seams. On section C No. 1171 a shed of wooden planks and covered with tiles is situated.
According to the landregistration office the buildings were pulled down in 1921. In 1916 the mills and houses of the Hioolen family ware expropriated in connection with the construction of the Waalhaven and somewhat later the Kralingse Hout. The city of Rotterdam became the owner of the mills. The business was carried on by the masterhands Noordergraaf and Krijgsman for the spicemill and Bukman for the snufffactory and later by Van Harrewijen.