| Name |
Thomas William MILLS |
| Suffix |
R.E |
| Birth |
5 Mar 1874 |
3 Mead Terrace, Willesborough, Kent  |
- 1874 Mar Quarter in EAST ASHFORD Volume 02A Page 713
|
| Christening |
5 Apr 1874 |
Willesborough, Kent |
| Gender |
Male |
| School Attendance |
Bef 1883 |
Wood Street School |
| School Attendance |
Between 3 Jul 1883 and 15 Jun 1888 |
Vicarage Road School, Plumstead |
- Description: Admission number 589
- London Metropolitan Archives - Microfilm No. XO95 334 - frame 00369/370
|
| Census |
1891 |
not recorded |
Missing from 1891 Census - assumption was that he had been posted to Jamaica. There are no census records of people serving abroad.
Research now proves that he didn't enlist until 1892 - so where was he in 1891?
Was he with his sister Louisa and her future family, the Carters, who were also missing from the Census in 1891?
|
| Stationed |
1 Apr 1892 |
F Company Royal Engineers, Chatham |
- Sapper
- WO16/2980, Muster Roll
- Enlisted on 22nd February 1892 - Trade on enlistment - Fitter.
The likelihood is that since leaving school he had been an apprentice at the Royal Arsenal.
The Muster Rolls for the previous year - 1891 show clearly that his Army Number, 26372 hadn't yet been issued.
|
| Stationed |
1 Apr 1893 |
30th Company Royal Engineers, Plymouth |
- Sapper
- Noted as being at Fort Picklecombe. WO16/2980-2991-2992
- Fort Picklecombe was a Palmerston Fort on the Western (Cornish) side of the entrance to Plymouth Sound. Fort Bovisand protected the Eastern side.
|
| Stationed |
2 Oct 1893 |
30th Company Royal Engineers, Plymouth |
- Sapper
- WO16/2980/2991 Muster Roll
|
| Stationed |
2 Apr 1894 |
35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock |
- Sapper
- WO16/3002 Muster Roll
|
| Stationed |
1 Oct 1894 |
35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock |
The company was stationed at Pennar Point and was involved with experimental torpedos and submarine mining.
2011 - the old buildings have been demolished, the only remains are of the jetty. |
- Sapper
- Noted as being on Guard Duty
|
| Appointed |
Aft Oct 1894 |
|
| Stationed |
1 Apr 1895 |
35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock |
- Lance Corporal
- WO16/3012 Muster Roll
|
| Stationed |
1 Oct 1895 |
35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock |
- Lance Corporal
- WO16/3047 Muster Roll
|
| Stationed |
1 Apr 1896 |
35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock |
- Lance Corporal
- WO16/3014 Muster Roll
|
| Appointed |
1 Sep 1897 |
| The Muster Rolls of the Royal Engineers (WO16 3031 3032) show a Lance Corporal T Mills No. 26372 stationed at Pembroke Dock on the 1st April 1897 with the 35th Company Royal Engineers. This ties up with the photo of Eva Annie taken in Haverfordwest. |
|
| Appointed |
Aft 1898 |
|
| Appointed |
Abt 1901 |
- Military Mechanist Staff Sergeant RE
|
| Stationed |
? and 11 Sep 1900 |
Port Royal, Jamaica |
- He sailed back to the UK on the Royal Mail Steam Packet Elbe(a compound engine ship of around 3100 tons) arriving at Southampton on 27th September 1900.
|
 |
Manifest of the "Elbe" Arriving at Southampton on 27th September 1900
His name doesn't appear but he would have been one of the "3 English Soldiers".
This ties up with the account in "The Sapper" of his leaving Jamaica |
| Death |
25 May 1901 |
Barrack No. 2, Newcastle upon Tyne |
- Description: Typhlitis (9 days) & Peritonitis
- His father James was present at the death.
|
| Burial |
29 May 1901 |
Preston Cemetery, North Tyneside |
- The ceremony was performed by a Presbyterian Mininster.
He was buried in unconsecrated ground - No. 9821
The Entry No. in the register was 2952
|
 |
Thomas William Mills Obituary 1901
This is a composite image formed from the header page of "The Sapper" that his obituary appeared in, the actual text and a contemporary photo.
The same Obituary appeared in the "The Shields Daily News" on Thursday May 30th 1901 |
| Notes |
- Lance Corporal - R.E when he was married.
Second Corporal - R.E - When his son was born
Mechanist Staff Sergeant - R.E - When he died
Possibly stationed in Jamaica, Pembroke, Chepstow & Gosport areas. Ron remembers seeing the places in his army pay book (now lost).
|
| Person ID |
I000044 |
Mills/Rushton Family History |
| Last Modified |
4 Dec 2019 |
| Family |
Eva Annie WILLIAMS, b. 18 May 1873, Clayhall, Alverstoke d. 8 Sep 1915, 88, Clayhall Road, Clayhall. (Age 42 years) |
| Stationed |
Abt Mar 1897 |
Sutton On Plym, Plymouth |
- Rank - Lance Corporal
- Residence when married - Sutton On Plym - Parish of Plymouth - St John the Evangelist
|
| Marriage |
2 Mar 1897 |
the Parish Church, Alverstoke |
- Witnessed by William George Williams and Annie Mills
- His sister Sarah Ann attended the marriage.
Stationed at Sutton On Plym.
Rank - Lance Corporal
|
| Stationed |
1 Apr 1897 |
Pembroke Dock |
- Lance Corporal 26372
- With 35th Company Royal Engineers
|
| Stationed |
From Sep 1900 to |
Cliffords Fort, Tynemouth with the Tyne Division Submarine Miners |
| Census |
1901 |
59, Coburg St. North Shields, Northumberland |
 |
1901 Census. Thomas William, Eva Annie and William George Mills
|
| Children |
|
| Family ID |
F000018 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
9 Nov 2008 |
1874 - 1901 (27 years)
