Lost Children

Lost Children by Adam Cann

The Turners of Kettering

The Parish Church of SS Peter and Paul, Kettering, viewed from Sheep Street. (2017) Photo: Chlo

In Kettering, Northamptonshire, the Turner family thrived for nine generations. The lineage began with the weaver, Edward Turner, born in the late 18th century. The Parish Church of SS Peter and Paul in Kettering holds records of Edward's marriage to Mary Underwood in 1782, marking the first known appearance of the Turners in the town. Their daughter Hannah was baptized there in 1785, but the fate of the girl remains unknown. Edward and Mary went on to have eight more children. The Turner surname lasted until the passing of my grandfather, Terence Walter Turner, in 2000, whose only child was a daughter that later took on a new name.

The Parish Church of SS Peter and Paul, Kettering, viewed from Market Walk. (2017) 

Chapel of Rest, London Road Cemetery, Kettering. Graveyard of SS Peter and Paul. (2017) 

Life Lessons From 100 Year Olds

The Stoics

Old Tom Miller 1876-1960

James (Tom) Thomas Miller (1876-1960) was born in Warrenby Redcar, North Yorkshire on October 30th 1876. Warrenby is a small town in present-day Redcar & Cleveland which was founded in 1873 to house workers at the nearby ironworks Downey & Co and Walker Maynard. It is believed that Tom’s father, Charles, was employed by one of these two companies.

By 1881, Tom, his parents, and his many siblings had returned to Burton Latimer, to Nichol’s Yard on the High Street. They were still at Nichol’s Yard in 1891 when a 14-year-old Tom worked as a riveter in the town’s shoe trade.

As a young man Tom was a keen and talented footballer. He was vice-captain of Burton’s oldest known football team - Burton Temperance FC. The picture below was taken at the end of the 1893/94 season. Tom is second left on the back row, to his right is goalkeeper and captain William (Billy) Henry Perkins (1876-?) who went on to play for Liverpool FC, Luton Town FC and Northampton Town FC amongst other teams.

A quote from Tom was printed alongside the team photo in a newspaper article in c.1934.

“Perhaps there was not the scope to show up in those days as there is today, as there were no League or Cups to play for. The only Cup, as far as I can remember, was one which Mr. Bill Cattell gave, and which was played at the Kettering North Park grounds, which he used to own. We reached the semi-final on one occasion, but were beaten by Finedon Excelsiors, who went on to win the cup, beating the then famous junior team, Kettering Vics. Probably the Finedon Excelsiors were the best junior team of all time. We had many strenuous games, and some exciting times, even in those days; but the Temperance eventually ceased to exist, and it became the Burton Vics., who took its place, and who also did well, winning the North Section of the Kettering United in the final by 1-0; and incidentally that goal came off my legs.”

Tom married Annie (Fanny) Manning James (1876–1963) at St Peter & Paul's Church in Kettering on April 19th 1897. Fanny was the daughter of  Edward James (1852-1881) and Mary Elson (1851-?) of Kettering.

On their marriage documents, Tom & Fanny are both listed as living at 37 Bayes Street in Kettering. This suggests that Tom and Fanny may have lived together as an unmarried couple for a short time, with Fanny’s parents. After their marriage, they moved to Duke Street in Burton Latimer, where they can be found living in 1901 with their first two daughters -  Winifred (Winnie) Ellen Miller (1898–1977) and Gladys Ada Miller (1899–1985).

By 1911 the family had moved to Finedon Street in Burton Latimer, Tom still worked in the shoe trade, but now as a ‘shoe-laster’. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Tom enlisted with the Royal Navy. He completed basic training at Crystal Palace Naval Depot in London; performed shore-based duties as an Aircraftsman in the Royal Naval Air Service at RNAS Wormwood Scrubs in London and RNAS Mullion in Cornwall.

Whilst stationed at Mullion, as a Private, he was absorbed into the newly formed Royal Air Force on April 1st 1918. His enlistment record reveals many details about his physical appearance at the time  - he was 5 ft 6 inches tall, had brown eyes and grey hair, and his complexion was described as ‘fresh’. Tom’s chest measurement was 39 inches and he had a birthmark on his left shoulder.

The record also shows that Tom was engaged in hostilities on five occasions between 1917 and 1918, three times aboard HMS President II and twice aboard HMS Daedalus. Tom’s younger brother Samuel also served aboard these vessels at the same time. In Burton Latimer’s electoral rolls of 1918 Tom’s home address is listed as Roseberry Street and he is recorded as an ‘absent voter’.

After the war Tom returned to his wife and family in Burton Latimer, and they continued to live on Roseberry Street until at least 1934. During this time Tom worked as a newsagent at 58 High Street in Burton Latimer.

By 1935 Tom and Fanny had bought 52/54 High Street - Burton Fish & Chip Shop - which they ran until 1940 when ownership of the chip shop was passed down to their youngest child, also called Tom. After leaving the chip shop the couple moved to 41 Queensway in Burton Latimer where they saw out their days. Whilst at this address the couple are known to have had a red setter called Jess, it is also known that Tom liked to smoke a pipe.

In later life Tom became known as Old Tom, partly to avoid confusion with his son who was also called Tom (James Thomas Miller). Old Tom died in Kettering on October 6th 1960, he was 83 years old. Fanny died nearly three years later in Wellingborough, together they had seven children:

Some Parents

All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair.

From Kettering to Ypres: The Courageous Tale of Horace Towell

Horace Towell was a brave soldier who served in the Great War. It is a tale of courage and sacrifice, of a man who gave his all for his country.

Horace was living in the town of Kettering when war broke out, with his beloved wife Margaret and their two daughters, Doris and Mabel. But duty called, and in June 1915, he enlisted to fight with the 4th Sussex Regiment.

He served with distinction, but on July 31st, 1917, Horace was badly wounded in the infamous Battle of Ypres. The fighting was fierce, and sadly, Horace lost his arm in the conflict and was sent back home to recover.

Despite his injury, Horace showed remarkable resilience and went on to live a long life, reaching the grand old age of 95. His niece, Marie Turner, who is now 89 years old, remembers him fondly. "He was my favourite," she says, "a lovely man with beautiful blue eyes. When he looked at you, his eyes would sparkle and make you feel all warm inside."

But Horace was one of the fortunate ones. Many of his generation never returned from the war. Among those was Arthur Horsley, the brother-in-law of Horace's sister Letty Horsley (nee Towell), my great, great aunt. Arthur was just 21 when he was killed in action at Flanders in October 1918. Tragically, his elder brother Reuben was also killed there just two weeks earlier. The third image shows their names on the War Memorial in Desborough.

Lest we forget the sacrifices made by so many in the Great War, and the bravery of men like Horace Towell, who risked everything for their country.

The Descendants of Joseph Miller

Summary

As we delve into the life of Joseph Miller, a resident of Burton Latimer in the late 18th century, the details surrounding his birth and parentage remain elusive. However, what we do know for certain is that he wed Elizabeth Torton (or Turton) at Burton Parish Church in 1784, and together, they had five children. Sadly, their third-born son, William, passed away before his third birthday, while their youngest child, also named William, was born five years later. In 1801, Elizabeth died, and Joseph went on to marry twice more, but the details of the first of these marriages remain uncertain.

Each of Joseph's children were baptized at the Old Meeting Hall in Wollaston between 1807 and 1813. The reason for this choice of location is unclear, but it may have been due to Joseph's non-conformist religious beliefs or the popularity of the church's pastor, the Rev. David Hennell. The marriage of Joseph and Mary ended sometime between 1813 and 1823, most likely due to Mary's passing. Joseph would later marry again to a woman named Elizabeth, who became a stepmother to his children. Joseph worked as a shoemaker, and the 1824 Burton Latimer Baptist register recorded the birth of his daughter Martha Yeomans Miller.

Joseph's son George Yeomans Miller, born in 1809, lived in Nichols Yard, 4 High Street, Burton Latimer, and like his father, worked as a shoemaker. He married Elizabeth Aldwinkle in 1835, and the couple had twelve children. Their second-born son, Edward Yeomans Miller, was widely known as "Teddy the Potato King." At age eight, Edward worked as a farm boy, and by the time he was 18, he had become a pig dealer. In the 1851 census, Edward was a resident of the Horse and Groom public house with his aunt Sarah Miller. Edward's life was marred by a crime he was suspected of committing - stealing someone's cape on the grounds of the Horse & Groom. However, the charges were eventually dropped.

Tragically, Elizabeth and two of her sons, Thomas and James, lost their lives in the great typhoid outbreak of 1872. George passed away in 1881, and his gravestone is located in St. Mary's graveyard in Burton Latimer, where it can still be viewed today.

Edward 'Teddy' Miller with his daughters Fanny (Rachel Anne) and Topsy (Charlotte) pictured horse-hoeing in Teddy's potato plot on Finedon Road. Photograph taken c.1900. Photo credit: www.burtonlatimer.info/

Detail

Joseph Miller was born in Burton Latimer in either 1767 or 1768. It's unclear who his parents were; the two most likely candidates are William and Martha Miller, who baptised their son Joseph on September 9th 1776, and David and Dorothy Miller, who baptised their son Joseph on August 31st 1778.

Whilst Joseph's exact date of birth and parentage remains uncertain, there is concrete evidence that he married Elizabeth Torton (Turton?) at Burton Parish Church on February 1st 1784. Together they had five children John, Sarah (b. April 9th 1787), William (b. August 8th 1790 - d. February 8th 1793), Joseph (b. October 4th 1793) & William (b. February 25th 1798).

Joseph & Elizabeth's children:

John Miller (b.18 Dec 1784)

Sarah Miller

William Miller

Joseph Miller

William Miller

Unfortunately, their third eldest child, William, died before his third birthday, and their fifth-born child, born some five years after his death - was also called William. Then, in 1801, just three years after the birth of the 'second' William, Elizabeth died.

Joseph went on to marry again, it's unconfirmed exactly who this Mary was, but the two most likely candidates are - Mary Glover and Mary Robinson. In either event, the marriage occurred in 1804 at Toller United Reformed Church, and the couple had eight children. The eldest two children, John (b. September 8th 1802) and Francis (b. December 20th 1803), may have been born out of wedlock.

Joseph & Mary's Children:

John Miller

Francis Miller

Eliza Miller

Benjamin Miller

*George Miller (25 Jun 1809 - 1891)

Samuel Miller

Edy Miller

Each of Joseph and Mary's children were baptised at the Old Meeting Hall in Wollaston between 1807 and 1813. This venue was much further to travel than the Great Meeting Hall in Kettering. Joseph may have opted for this due to his religious observances (non-conformist) or the popularity of Wollaston's pastor at the time, the Rev. David Hennell.

At some point between 1813 and 1823, the marriage of Joseph and Mary ended, most likely due to the death of Mary. However, Joseph married again, and just like his first wife, her name was Elizabeth.

Burton Latimer Baptist register records the birth of Martha Yeomans Miller on October 12th 1824. Several of Joseph's other children adopted the forename Miller which suggests that Elizabeth Yeomans was stepmother to all of the children from around 1824 onwards. The same register records Joseph's occupation in 1824 to be that of a shoemaker. In total, Joseph Miller produced 13 descendants from three different women.

George Yeomans Miller

George Yeomans Miller (Joseph's tenth-born child and sixth-born son) was born in 1809 and lived in Nichols Yard, 4 High Street, Burton Latimer. Like his father, he worked as a shoemaker and was a member of Burton Latimer's Baptist congregation. George married Elizabeth Aldwinkle (1815-1872) at St. Mary's Parish Church in 1835. Elizabeth was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Aldwinkle of Drayton, Leicestershire. Together George and Elizabeth had twelve children.

George and Elizabeth's children

Mary Ann Miller (May 7th 1835 - November 26th 1911) died aged 76

Charlotte Miller (b. 7 Feb 1837)

Thomas Miller (1839 - October 16th 1872) died of typhoid aged 33

Edward Yeomans Miller (1843 - 1912) died aged 69, nicknamed 'Teddy the Potato King.'

Samuel Yeomans Miller (c. 1844 - 1919)

Elizabeth Miller (c. 1847)

George James Yeomans Miller (c. 1849)

Charles Miller (b. 20 Feb 1851)

James Yeomans Miller (1853 - September 2nd 1872) died of typhoid aged 19.

Ellen Miller (c. 1854)

John Walter Yeomans Miller (c. 1856) was the father of Elizabeth Anne Miller, who married William Toseland on October 18th 1906, aged 25.

Henry Miller (c.1858)

http://boards.ancestry.se/surnames.toseland/6/mb.ashx

Unfortunately, Elizabeth died in the great typhoid outbreak of 1872, aged 57, along with their sons Thomas and James; George lived on until 1881. His gravestone is shared with his eldest daughter Mary Ann and can still be seen today in St. Mary's graveyard.

Edward Miller - The Potato King

George and Elizabeth's second-born son, Edward, was well known in the county and went by the nickname 'Teddy The Potato King'. Historical records reveal some interesting details about Edward's life.

In the Burton Latimer census of 1851, Edward was just eight years old and employed as a 'farm boy'. By the census of 1861, he had become a pig dealer and lived with his aunt, Sarah Miller, at the Horse and Groom public house. A crime was said to have occurred on the grounds of the Horse & Groom. Edward had been suspected of stealing someone's cape. But after questioning, all charges were dropped against Edward. However, he was accused of stealing someone's cape.

Edward then worked as a shoemaker in Leeds (1871 census) and Irthlingborough (1881 census) before returning to Burton, where he worked as a 'dealer' in the censuses of 1891, 1901 and 1911. He dealt in retail, wholesale, furniture and potatoes, for which he would gain local fame. Edward's stock was stored in a large barn on Duke Street, which was later demolished to make way for Burton Latimer Fire Station.

George married Mary Ann Daft in 1861 at Leicester and they had ten children together. But unfortunately, only eight children made it to adulthood. George and his family lived in a thatched house on the corner of High Street and Piggotts Lane. He also owned a plot of land on Finedon Road, where he grew his potatoes, ably assisted by two daughters, Fanny (Rachel Anne) and Topsy (Charlotte).

Charles Miller

The fifth son of George and Elizabeth and the younger brother to Edward was Charles. Charles worked as an engine driver and ironstone worker and left Burton Latimer c.1869 to live with his future wife (Susan Brains 1853-1932) in Grafton Underwood. George and Susan were married in 1871 at the Parish Church and had their first child, Fred (b.1871), soon after. 

In about 1872, Charles and his family moved to Warrenby in Yorkshire due to the demand for ironstone workers, and it is here where their following three children were born - Thomas James (b. 1873), Louisa (b. 1875) and James Thomas [Tom] (b. 1876). By the time their fifth child had arrived in 1879 (another James somewhat confusingly), they had returned to Burton Latimer, where they would have five more children. They lived at Nicols Yard, 4 High Street, until at least 1918. Susan died in 1932, and by 1934, Charles had moved to 87 High Street, where he is believed to have lived until his death.

John Walter Yeomans Miller

John Walter Yeomans Miller (c. 1856) was father to several daughters, one of whom - Elizabeth Anne Miller - married William Toseland on October 18th 1906, aged 25. Mr Toseland had been a lodger in the family home on Alexandra Street from at least 1901 onwards. John's elder brother, George (Elizabeth's uncle), was one of the marriage witnesses. The marriage records show that John was a shoe manufacturer, Elizabeth was a machinist, and William was a shoehand. Following their marriage, Elizabeth and William moved into a house on Newman Street.

Charles and Susan's children

Fred [Fred] Miller b. June 2nd, 1871

Thomas James Miller b. November 20th, 1873

Louisa Miller b. March 20th, 1875

[James] Thomas Miller b. October 30th, 1876

James Miller b. May 14th, 1879

Ada Miller b. October 30th, 1881

Charles Miller b. September 24th, 1883

Florence Miller b. May 20th, 1885

Samuel Miller b. December 13th, 1886 (7?)

Rhoda Miller b.  20 August, 1889

Edward Archable [Archibald] Miller b. July 27th, 1892