completed mills family

[VMills]

I'm the great great granddaughter of Charles Mills, who was born in Guernsey in 1857. He married Annie Hall (or Howell as it is listed on one record I have got thus far) and they had a son called Harry Leslie Mills. Harry is my great grandfather, his son Robert my grandfather.
I'm only just starting on the Mills line, and today got records through from NZ about Harry Leslie Mills (birth, death, marriage).

Any info about Charles' parents would be marvellous (have gleaned so much from these posts already). Why did they migrate from Guernsey to NZ - to Christchurch? Where did Alexander & Em live in Guernsey, and what were their occupations?

On Harry's NZ birth certificate, 34 year old Charles was listed as a watchmaker, born in Guernsey and married Sydney born Annie Hall / Howell, on dec 17 1886. Though admittedly the writing is very scribbly on the certificate!
And I'll follow up any info about Harry Leslie Mills born in Christchurch, and the NZ Mills family through posts in another section of this site or if the mills email forum is still going as mentioned earlier. 
Thanks, Vanessa

[VMills]

here's the passenger list for the Robert Small, which left 1859 and arrived in NZ jan 1860. doesn't seem to have a full list of Mills though.
http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Digitised/Emigration/EmbarkationLists/RobertSmall-1859/

[Brentwil]

I'm the great great granddaughter of Charles Mills, who was born in Guernsey in 1857. He married Annie Hall (or Howell as it is listed on one record I have got thus far) and they had a son called Harry Leslie Mills. Harry is my great grandfather, his son Robert my grandfather.
I'm only just starting on the Mills line, and today got records through from NZ about Harry Leslie Mills (birth, death, marriage).

Any info about Charles' parents would be marvellous (have gleaned so much from these posts already). Why did they migrate from Guernsey to NZ - to Christchurch? Where did Alexander & Em live in Guernsey, and what were their occupations?

On Harry's NZ birth certificate, 34 year old Charles was listed as a watchmaker, born in Guernsey and married Sydney born Annie Hall / Howell, on dec 17 1886. Though admittedly the writing is very scribbly on the certificate!
And I'll follow up any info about Harry Leslie Mills born in Christchurch, and the NZ Mills family through posts in another section of this site or if the mills email forum is still going as mentioned earlier. 
Thanks, Vanessa

Harry is my father. I would be keen to know more about what you have found

[leona63]

hi jac....i dont know how to even work this site yet, so hope the reply gets to you.

My grandfather was james edward mills...leonard's son....so franks brother, but they called him eddie...i met frank once or twice when i was little.
Yes. Pa just always told us the great grandmother or father was Maori...he was very adamant and proud of this!!! but, as you say theres nothing in the records to substantiate that...
I dont mind...its just that Pa was sooo proud of it.

I dont know if you know they all hated their father, leonard.
I found records where he was charged by 3 different women for child desertion!!! One of the women was their mum, elsie.....who died when Pa was 13.
I dont know who looked after them when she died? Was frank older or younger then Pa?? Pa was born in 1910.
Ive just started doing this a month ago!
I live in sydney.
all the best
Leona 

[leona63]

hi again jac....and other mills descendants.....re the 'story' that there was Maori heritage somewhere.....
I do have to say that my Pa, eddie (leonard james' son) did LOOK Maori....as did most of his siblings that i ever met....and as does my uncle, his son.
I dont have any photos of leonard...but the Police description of him when he was wanted was...'black hair, brown eyes and dark complexion'.
Pa had jet black hair, very dark skin and a kinda maori nose...i hope that doesnt sound racist!!
anyway, theres nothing in the ancestry lines to support this....but also no explanation for their colouring/complexion etc ?
i dont think we'll ever solve that one.
all the best
leona

[craigt]

Hi to all Mills descendants,
A while back I got the staff from the Priaulx Library in Guernsey to look up some records for me, have been meaning to post the results, will do so over several posts on this thread:

Mills/Eustace records, unless specified all were found in baptism, marriage and burial registers for St Peter Port, Guernsey.


Mary Eustace’s marriage to Alexander Mills

Corporal Alexander Mills 4th G Battalion and Mary Eustace the daughter of John Eustace were married together 17 August 1814

Note:  Mary’s death certificate states her father is named Thomas however the marriage certificate gives the name as John, - it may be that the person who registered the death made an error.  A John Eustace is godparent to John born 1815.
                           
Alexander Mills’ previous marriage

From the Jerripedia website, all records for St Helier, Jersey:

Alexander Mills 4 Garrison Battalion married Grace Coad on 15 November 1810.

Baptism: George John Mills baptised 30 August 1811 Parents Alexander and Grace Mills

Grace Cord Mills buried on 24 November 1811

As you can see a few surprises as is the case with other records posted below.

Regards,
Craigt.

[craigt]

Children of Alexander Mills and Mary Eustace

Jean born 2, baptised 11 June 1815.  Sponsors:  Jean Eustace, Alexandre Mills, Elizabeth Eustace

Sarah     twin} born 8, baptised 10 April 1817.  Sponsors:  Jean Irvine, Sara Irvine, Mary   
                      }   Haskins
Elizabeth       }                   ̎                   ̎         Sponsors:  Alexandre Mills, Marie Mills,
                           Elizabeth Eustace

Mary Ann born 9 November, baptised 9 December 1821.  Sponsors:  Alexandre Mills, Elizabeth Eustace, Mary Mills

Maria born 2, baptised 22 February 1824.  Sponsors:  Alexandre Mills, Elizabeth Eustace, Mary Eustace

William born 28 June, baptised 13 July 1828.  Sponsors:  Alexander Mills, John Mills, Mary Eustace

Joseph born 23 December 1830, baptised 9 January 1831. Sponsors:  Alexander Mills, John Mills, Mary Eustis

Thomas born 28 February, baptised 17 March 1833.  Sponsors:  George Mills, Alexander Mills, Eleanor Eayrs

Note that the baptism registers of all parishes also including Town Church, St. Peter Port were checked however the baptisms for Alexander Mills and Mary Eustace’s sons Alexander and James were not located.

Craigt.

[craigt]

Death record for Alexander Mills

Alexander’s death is not on the civil register however his burial record is as follows:

Mills Alexander died 2 was buried 7 January 1848 aged 63 years

Craigt.

[craigt]

Mary Eustace’s Baptism Record

Children of John Eustace and Marie Eustace

Marie born 2 February, baptised 16 July 1790.  Sponsors:  Jean Sparnen. Robert Erndey, Susanne Sparnen, Marie Eustis

George born 14, baptised 16 April 1792.  Sponsors:  Rodger Hambly, Joseph Trevose, Jeanne Toy

John born 1 December, baptised 25 1794.  Sponsors:  William Hambly, John Eustus, Jenny Hambly

John son of John Eustus was buried 15 February 1798.

Mary Eustace’s parents

There is the following marriage of John Eustace to Elizabeth Hoskings, however the burial register shows this to be a second marriage for Mary’s father John. 

Mary wife of John Eustus was buried 2 March 1802

Sergt John Eustus of the Corps of Royal Military Artificers and Elizabeth Hoskings of this Parish were married together on 14 October 1802

This second marriage may seem like unseemly haste but a serving soldier with a young family really did not have any option open other than a quick marriage

No further children appear in the baptism registers but looking at Elizabeth’s birth date c1810  (census) she must be a child from the second marriage.  (All  parish church records have been searched.) 

John son of John Eustus was buried 31 March 1805

This John is the child of the second marriage.  Elizabeth Eustace appears on the 1871 census London census; - her birth place is as before Guernsey, however there are no baptism records for this family other than the three children of the first marriage who were baptised in the Town Church.  Obviously  John  and his second wife Elizabeth were having children for some time.   The only explanation for this is that we know that John was a military man, - the island was always garrisoned and although many baptisms took place in the parish churches the garrison did have its own chaplain.  The National Army Museum indicates before about 1796 each regiment had its own chaplain; after then chaplains do seem to have been based in particular garrisons.  Services would have been carried out in garrison chapels or in other consecrated areas.  Records of births, marriages and death were kept in both regimental registers and in half yearly returns that were posted back to the war office.           

Craigt.