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Hello!
I have been trying for over 30 years to find the above man. He was my paternal grandmother's great-grandfather on her mother's side. I have some references to him as a painter, japanner, or painter of wooden ornaments, and once, no doubt in the spirit of excess common in Victorian times, as a 'manufacturer of Tunbridge Ware'. I cannot find evidence of his marriage, nor his birth date and place, and hence his parentage. I suspect that his daughter's name, Hebe Jane Mills may contain a clue, but i have been unable to prove any links:
My grandmother, Hebe Ann Fox (1906 - 2003) was the daughter of Rosina Curd (1863 - 1911). Rosina was born in Brighton the daughter of one Charles Curd and Hebe Jane Mills. Charles and Hebe Jane were married in Brighton in 1844, living in Gloster Terrace; Hebe Jane's father is shown on the gro certificate as being a 'Manufacturer of Tunbridge Ware'.
Hebe Jane Mill's christening has been found in Brighton (St. Nicholas, if i remember correctly) in 1827; parents being William and Mary Mills, William being a painter.
I can find neither William, nor Mary Mills in the 1841 census; though Hebe Jane is easily found by virtue of the rarity of her name. She is employed as a servant in a hotel in Brighton.
The 1851 census gives a great deal of information:
87, Trafalgar St, Brighton:
Charles Curd - - - - - - - - - - 29, Musician, Middlesex, Islington
Hebe Jane Curd - - - - - - - - 23 - - - - - -- - -Sussex, Brighton
Maria - Dtr - - - - - - - -- - - - - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - ditto
Matilda Dtr - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - -Sussex, Arundel
Anna May, Dtr - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - Sussex, Brighton
Child born Mar - - - - - under 1 mth. - - - - - - - ditto
Mary Mills, mother in law, Widow, 64, nurse, Staffordshire, Wednesbury
Elizabeth Mills, dtr in law, unm, 30, laundress, Middlesex, Holborn.
I have found the christening records of Elizabeth Mills - dtr of William and Mary:
Details extracted from a transcript of the Holborn, St Andrew register in archives, County Hall, London, in 1982:
''Elizabeth Mills, born: 28/9/1820, baptized: 24/10/1820 at Holborn, St Andrew, daughter of William and Mary Mills, of Fleet Row, William being a painter.''
William Mills is not on the family gravestone in the municipal cemetery:
'Gravestone in Woodvale Cemetery, Lewes Rd, Brighton which I saw and transcribed on a visit in 1981 or 1982 with Grandma (Hebe Fox). Stone at that time lying on surface, and somewhat chipped by municipal mowing machines
'' In loving memory of Charles Curd died June 23rd, 1869, aged 47, Also of Hebe Jane Curd, widow of the above, died December 17th, 1895 aged 6'?', Also of Mary Mills died May 22nd 1857, aged 71, Also of Elizabeth Strudwick, died April 27th 1883,
aged 6 '?2 or 3' " '
I have found the christening records of another two children of William and Mary:
From the digital image of the registers of St Andrew, Holborn, London:
'Baptizm, page 299, date: 6/3/1817, Mary Elizabeth, dtr of William and Mary Mills. Wm a japanner, of Backhill. Said to be born: 29/9/1816
Burial: 21/10/1817: Mary Elizabeth Mills, of Fleet Row, 1 year old'
and:
'Details from a transcript of the Holborn St Andrew register in archives in County Hall, London, in ca 1982:
William Mills, born: 4/9/1818, baptized: 26/9/1818 at Holborn, St Andrew, son of William and Mary Mills, of Fleet Row, William being a Japanner.'
Unfortunately, i don't know Mary Mills' maiden surname, and in any event, cannot reliably identify a marriage between William and Mary. I cannot locate a death or burial for William.
I am unable to travel as widely as i once did, so cannot trawl through the death registers of Brighton as i once did. (Sussex Family History group have been unable to help).
I have located a Hebe Mills in the Birmingham area for the 1770's on the old 'familysearch.org' websight', and hypothesize that she may be related in some way, but cannot prove it.
It is now time to bring fresh minds to this problem. Not just my problem either - there are a number of 'Curd' descendants whom i have contacted who would appreciate knowing some more about 'Old William Mills' !
I close on a digression, but in the hope that it will stimulate the tired genealogical minds of those who may try to assist:
Charles Curd, husband of Hebe Jane Mills, a musician, also described as a 'Professor of Music' at various times got himself discharged from a Dragoon regiment on account of profound deafness caused by a severe cold!
Thankyou.
LP
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This from 1841
'Mall' could be 'Mills'. Correct age and born out of county. A F S (Female Servant?)
1841 England Census
about Mary Mall
Name:Mary Mall
Age:55
Estimated Birth Year:abt 1786
Gender:Female
Civil Parish:Brighthelmstone
Hundred:Brighthelmstone
County/Island:Sussex
Country:
England
Street address:
Occupation:
View image
Registration district:Brighthelmstone
Sub-registration district:Palace
Neighbors:
View others on page
Piece:1122
Book:2
Folio:11
Page Number:14
Household Members:
Name
Age
Ann Tuck 40
Elynth Vick 29
John Tuck 6
Alfred Tuck 3
May Tuck 1
Mary Tuck 1 Mo
May Done 55
May Done 30
Georg Blyth 19
>>>>Mary Mall 55
Sarah Lack 17
Elizabeth Maye 14
Andy
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This one was born abt. correct date and died in Holborn (place of baptism of the elder children)?
London, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1980 about William Daye Mills
Name: William Daye Mills
Record Type: Burial
Age: 55
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1784
Death Date: abt 1839
Burial Date: 22 Dec 1839
Burial Place: St Andrew Holborn, England
Parish or Poor Law Union: St Andrew Holborn
Borough: City of London
Register Type: Parish Register
???????
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Marriage for above:-
William Daye Mills
mentioned in the record of William Daye Mills and Mary Hill
Name: William Daye Mills
Spouse's Name: Mary Hill
Event Date: 25 Dec 1807
Event Place: Saint Luke Old Street,Finsbury,London,England
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M02069-1 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 585446, 585447, 585448
........so he did marry a Mary.
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He married again?....Signatures look the same
Name: William Daye Mills...Widower
Spouse: Jane Abbott Lamley....Widow
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 9 Oct 1836
Parish: Parish Chapel, St Pancras
Borough: Camden
Register Type: Parish Register
Chris
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Hello Everyone (Dea, Catharine, and Andy), and thanks for replying with your ideas.
I'm not altogether convinced by the William Daye Mills connexion, because the name has never appeared as that before: I have 'my' Williams Mills' wife's death cert, his daughters' (Elizabeth 'Strudwick', and Hebe Jane 'Curd') marriage certs, and the parish records listed in original enquiry, yet he is never shown as William Daye Mills. Also, I forgot to mention (I didn't want to 'drown' you with info) the grandson, the one shown in 1851 census as freshly born, was later named as William Mills Curd. Presumably, if the family were going to commemorate 'father' or 'grandfather' they would have used the full names?
But i shall endeavor to follow up your suggestions to see if i can draw up anything.
LP
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Maryb!!
Aha! Where did you get your info from: the family in question had a 'relationship' that continued down the generations with Trafalgar Street, Brighton:
perhaps we are getting somewhere . . .
LP
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As Mary has posted. The corpse was brought frm 15 Trafalgar Street
Name: William Mills
Birth Date: abt 1781
Event Type: Burial
Death Date: abt 1831
Death Age: 50
Burial Date: 10 Jul 1831
Burial Place: Brighton, Sussex, England
Denomination: Independent
Piece Title: Piece 3134: Brighton, Hanover Chapel General Burial Ground (Independent), 1825-1848
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Connection ??
William Mills married 29/4/1816 Marylebone Middlesex
to Mary Lane witnessed by John Mills and Elizabeth Mills
Mary Elizabeth born 29/9/1816
Mary lane baptised saint Bartholomew Wednesbury Staffs 13/4/1788 by Elizabeth lane.
There was a Hebe Mills baptised the same place as Mary lane on 12/9/1775 by Elizabeth and John Mills.
Thought I would post just in case
Maryb.
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Dear All and especially Mary B:
Thanks for all your replies, and for the information gathered: little steps in the right direction.
I like the link with a non-conformist church (did funeral service for William Mills). One of his daughters, Elizabeth Mills, married a chap called Strudwick in a non-conformist chapel in Brighton: all helps to firm up the hypothesis.
Just as an aside - it's those that make genealogy extra interesting for me - the Strudwick bloke was a Chairman, or so said the marriage cert. At first i thought it read charman (male version of char woman). But a little research showed that chairmen used to carry the rich around, and especially in Brighton on boxed in chairs, balanced upon two stout poles; one chairman in front, and one at the back. Somewhat perilous for the 'inhabitant' at the end of a long day, or early morning after a night's worth of carousing!!! But perhaps Mr Strudwick was ideal since he, it seems, was involved in the non-com. scene: perhaps he was teetotal...
Once again thankyou
PS: sorry for late reply, i use library computer once or twice a week...
LP
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Hello again everyone:
i have followed up the links provided by Mary B and rootgatherer: if the William Mills referred to is an ancestor, the non-conformist chapel burial register shows the location of said Wm Mills' grave: it cost a pound and a shilling: £1. 1/0 in old money
(ah those were the days: when you got 5 gobstoppers for a ha'penny; and got whipped, literally, for turning up late at school after walking the two miles to school to keep the bus money to buy the gobstoppers with!)
LP
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Dea!
Fantastic!! Would you fancy your luck in a chair run by those brigands!!
Hard work, if you ask me; let's hope the tips were good.
Once again, thankyou
LP
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