Genealogy Forum UK

Seriously!

Was anyone aware that one of the co-founders of 'Mills & Boon' was born in Wollaston (Stourbridge)?
I wasn't, until I started looking at the families of some distant cousins today and information about one of them and the publishing company kept popping up.

Gerald Rusgrove Mills was born 3 Jan 1877, in Wollaston (Died 23 Sept 1928, London).

If you type his name into Google it brings up lots of information, such as this:
http://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s ... rove+Mills

and this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Rusgrove_Mills

His parents were Harry Mills, a Solicitor, born about 1848, Wordsley, and Jane Elizabeth Nash, born abt 1854, Belbroughton they married March Qtr 1876, Birmingham. It is through Jane Elizabeth Nash that I connect - her father was born in Kingswinford, and her ancestors lived in the Old Swinford/ Clent area for centuries. I haven't looked at his fathers family yet.

This might be Harry Mills in 1851:

William Yeomans Head M 33 Halesowen, Worcestershire
Emma Yeomans Wife F 28 Oldswinford, Worcestershire
David Yeomans Brother M 16 Halesowen, Worcestershire
Charlotte Mills Wife'S Sister F 17 Oldswinford, Worcestershire
Eliza Mills Niece F 5 Wordsley, Worcestershire
Harry Mills Nephew M 3 Wordsley, Worcestershire

In 1861 he seems to be a pupil at a boarding school in Kidderinster - no sign of parents gr......

but there is this bapt 13 Apr 1848, St Mary, Kingswinford, s of Richard & Elizabeth Mills

This is him in 1871, with his mother - he is now a Solicitor, so it looks like that bapt is the correct one:
Elizabeth Mills Head F 56 Wordsley, Staffordshire
Eliza Mills Daughter F 25 Kingswinford, Staffordshire
Harry Mills Son M 23 Wordsley, Staffordshire
Betsey Thatcher Servant F 19 Wordsley, Staffordshire

Harrys parents in 1851?

Richard Mills Head M 40 Stourbridge, Worcestershire
Elizabeth Mills Wife F 35 Kingswinford, Staffordshire
Frederick J Mills Son M 16 Kingswinford, Staffordshire
Jane Mills Daughter F 9 Kingswinford, Staffordshire
Emma Mills Daughter F 7 Kingswinford, Staffordshire
Elizabeth Wakeman Servant F 24 Kingswinford, Staffordshire
Elizabeth Cartwright Servant F 23 Kingswinford, Staffordshire
Thomas Cartwright Son M 18 Thornbury, Herefordshire

Richard Mills occupation is given as Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths.

1911. 33 Great James St, Bedford Row, London W C.
Gerald Rusgrove Mills. 34. Single. Book Publisher. Wollaston, near Stourbridge, Worcs.

sp1 wrote:This might be Harry Mills in 1851:

William Yeomans Head M 33 Halesowen, Worcestershire
Emma Yeomans Wife F 28 Oldswinford, Worcestershire
David Yeomans Brother M 16 Halesowen, Worcestershire
Charlotte Mills Wife'S Sister F 17 Oldswinford, Worcestershire
Eliza Mills Niece F 5 Wordsley, Worcestershire
Harry Mills Nephew M 3 Wordsley, Worcestershire

In 1861 he seems to be a pupil at a boarding school in Kidderinster - no sign of parents gr......

but there is this bapt 13 Apr 1848, St Mary, Kingswinford, s of Richard & Elizabeth Mills

This is him in 1871, with his mother - he is now a Solicitor, so it looks like that bapt is the correct one:
Elizabeth Mills Head F 56 Wordsley, Staffordshire
Eliza Mills Daughter F 25 Kingswinford, Staffordshire
Harry Mills Son M 23 Wordsley, Staffordshire
Betsey Thatcher Servant F 19 Wordsley, Staffordshire

William Yeomans and Emma Mills on BCC Here:
http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... ver=374881

1901. 27 Wellington Square, Chelsea.
Gerald Rusgrove Mills. 24. Book Publisher, Educational worker, Wollaston, Worcestershire.

1891. Beech ?, Upper Swinford,
Harry Mills 42. Solicitor of the ? Worcester.
Jane E Mills 37. Belbroughton.
Gerald R Mills 14.
Henrietta R Mills 9.
Alice W Mills 8.
Kenneth L Mills 6. Stourbridge.
Ann Harris 28. Servant. Clent.
Carrie Garbett 18. Servant.

Others born Wollaston.

1881. High Park, Wollaston.
Harry Mills 32. Solicitor. Wordsley.
Jane E. Mills 27. Belbroughton.
Gerald R. Mills 4. Wollaston.
Dinah Bunn 26. Servant. Hanbury.
Ann Harris 23. Servant. Clent.

Image available on Ancestry.

28 Mar 1876.
Marriage Place: Birmingham, St Philip, Warwickshire, England.

Harry Mills. 27. Bachelor. Solicitor. father Richard Mills. Glass Manufactor.
Jane Elizabeth Nash. 22. Spinster. Belbroughton. Father: Isaac Nash. Sythe Manufactor.
Marriage Place: Birmingham, St Philip, Warwickshire, England

Some nice finds there Jimmy! - that occupation on the 1891 is 'Solicitor of the Supreme Court' (just found it as you posted!).

Harry Mills, Solicitor, has been mentioned on the forum before:
http://www.genealogyforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 29&t=17566

I think the information there is more than co-incidence due to him being a solicitor- from what I have been looking at I think his father was Richard Mills, b 1811, Old Swinford, Glass Manufacturer (& ? Coalmaster, of Summerhill), and his mother Elizabeth Webb born abt 1815, Wordsley

Edit to add: I have loads on Isaac Nash!

Further edit:
Have just checked- I believe this Richard Mills/ Elizabeth Webb are the parents of Harry, the Solicitor, born 1848
http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... ver=374901

The proof is here:
http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... ver=374901
Note Elizabeth's son Harry, Solicitor, in the 1871 census!!

Who would have believed all of these connections from 'Mills & Boon'!!

Have started a separate post here for Richard Mills:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=20045

Ta I will go thru this

sp1 how do you connect back thru Isaac Nash

is the connection on Bcc so that I can connect up Isaac to your lot?

can you detail the line
but I can't add any livng peeps