Who is G H Millman?

[DerekB44]

My village Hennock in Devon has a War Memorial that has 11 names from WWI, I have identified all but 1 - G H Millman. I have identified a possible candidate in the 1911 census as George Henry Millman b 1889 . He was a labourer in the Local Quarry and lived in a nearby town Chudleigh. So may have a village connection or even lived there after 1911and thus have been included on the War Memorial. Problem is I can't find him listed on any Casualty list (Ancestry and FMP) nor a burial on the CWG website. If he is on the War Memorial his relatives must have wanted his name there so he it would seem was killed. Has anyone any ideas of where I should look for casualties not listed on the main sites? Thanks Derek

[Guest]

Maybe just an error in initials?

T G Millman

or

J W Millman Edit-Sorry, it's W J

Mike

Edit Both born Chudleigh

[HarryBrook]

To confuse matters even more - a George H. Millman, born 1889, died 1953, quarter 4, Okehampton, Devon District, registration ref. volume 7A page 515. No probate record to confirm 'H' was Henry.

[Guest]

J S Millman Have seen a newspaper article which was written Gunner Stanley Millman. 50 miles away from Ilfracombe

Mike

[Stephen Nulty]

Don't think this helps, but it may be of interest.

Devon & Exeter Gazette, November 25th, 1924

[DerekB44]

Hi and thanks for the replies.

There are lots of Millmans in the area.

For now I need to either find one with definite village connections or a service record or a casualty report giving abode or at least next of kin.

Thanks

Derek Baker

[Guest]

Western Times - Tuesday 12 November 1918

" Information has been received by Mrs T Millman Old-street, Chudleigh, that her husband, L/Cpl T G Millman, Devon Regiment, was killed in action in France on September 30th. Having been previously reported wounded. He went to India with the Devons in 1914, and later served in Palestine, where he was twice wounded, and France. He was 32 years of age and leaves a widow and two sons. "

Born Chudleigh, enlisted Newton Abbot

Mike

[ddycher]

Derek

I have the following on T.G. Millman :

A/Cpl Thomas George Millman (5th Devons) Regt no. 678 then 240085. Old Exter St. Chudleigh, enlisted in Newton Abbott. Member of the 1909 E Coy Templer Cup team. Went to India with 1/5^th Devons. Witness in the George Cann drowning of 30^th March 1915. Wounded twice in Palestine. Previously wounded in France. Then KIA at Masnieres age 32. Left a widow Edy and two sons Wilfred and Willie. Buried at Masnieres Cemetery, nr Marcoing.

Regards

Dave

[DerekB44]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies but living in Chudleigh does not explain how he ends up on the War Memorial for a tiny village. There are many Millmans in the area but no Millmans in the village in 1911 so any connection to the village must have occurred between 1911 and enlistment. He may well be TG Millman but I need to find proof somehow.

I will try to track down TG and see if there is anything to attach him to the village.

Thanks again for the help.

Regards

Derek

[Guest]

There's a man on my local Memorial, who's only attachment to the village (as far as I know) is that he was a postman there for three months.

Mike

[ralphjd]

Mike. Same tale in my village, "a well respected postman" whose name appears on our memorial. Plus one who didn't die until 1960. Ralph.

[Stephen Nulty]

Derek

I would suggest that something like the Parish Magazine of the times might be a good source of information.

The main civic memorial at prescot, which I have researched, has a list of names which was "managed" by the Vicar throughout the war, with regular update sin the parish magazine.

http://prescot-rollo.../civic_memorial

Here's an example of what was listed.....

[CGM]

Have you looked for relatives living in the village whose surname was not Millman?

For example - did George Henry Millman have any sisters who, when married (so no longer a Millman), lived in the village?

Any married aunts?

Or uncles from his mother's side?

With no hard and fast rules in place it was perfectly acceptable for folk to put forward names of their relatives for inclusion on their own local memorial. Especially if they were particularly close (not just close relatives but close personally....e.g. helped bring him up.....)

CGM

[DerekB44]

I now think that G H Millman is included in error or the initials got mixed up.

There is no G H Millman listed as a War Casualty, I am assuming that the list is definitive.

The memorial was not consecrated until 1924 and the name is the last one on the memorial.

The vicar did chair the war memorial committee but any papers seem to have gone AWOL.

The oldest person in the village (she is 90+ with memory still intact) can't remember a Millman family being in the village.

There are 3 Millmans Killed in Action from nearby Chudleigh on the Casualty list (none are GH or had a brother with those initials) or had any connection to Hennock that I can find.

The minutes of the Memorial committee would no doubt hold the answer but if they still exist they are not catalogued by the Devon Record Office (nor is any mention of a parish magazine), so a long search through the archive seems to be the next step.

Thanks for all the suggestions

Derek

[CGM]

I now think that G H Millman is included in error or the initials got mixed up.

There is no G H Millman listed as a War Casualty, I am assuming that the list is definitive.

The memorial was not consecrated until 1924 and the name is the last one on the memorial.

The vicar did chair the war memorial committee but any papers seem to have gone AWOL.

The oldest person in the village (she is 90+ with memory still intact) can't remember a Millman family being in the village.

There are 3 Millmans Killed in Action from nearby Chudleigh on the Casualty list (none are GH or had a brother with those initials) or had any connection to Hennock that I can find.

The minutes of the Memorial committee would no doubt hold the answer but if they still exist they are not catalogued by the Devon Record Office (nor is any mention of a parish magazine), so a long search through the archive seems to be the next step.

Thanks for all the suggestions

Derek

I don't think this helps but bear in mind that the cut off date for SDGW was 1918 and the cut off date for the CWGC was 31 August 1921 but the cut off date for the memorial could have been any time up to late 1924.

(I don't think it helps because I haven't found a death between 1921 and 1924. Sorry. . )

[CGM]

Just popped back to say that I also checked for women with the initials G H without any luck.

CGM

[Guest]

G H Hillman?

Mike

[DerekB44]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had checked the possibility of a misspelling but could not find anyone like Millman in the 1911 census who could have had a Village connection, so did not pursue it.

However on checking the Casualty list there is a George Henry Hillman of the Devonshire Regiment killed in 1917. But that is all no service record surviving and I can't find a suitable candidate on the 1911, I will look through the 1901.

It may be that the misspelling is on the Military records and he is really a Millman.

Thanks

Derek

[susanhemmings]

Checked out George Millman sisters, Annie and Lily for marriages and any relationship to Hennock.

The nearest I can come at the mo is George Millman mum (Maria) was a Hammacott from Chudleigh. Other surnames associated with family are Wilcocks, Glass, and Cater. Maria's sister, Ellen (Glass), has three sons all born 1880s but I cannot see any deaths for them in SD. Looks like only one may have served with the 9th Devons (Reginald).

Heyho, I do hope you can find a connection. It is so frustrating. From my own experience have found cousins listed who had no connection (born or lived) with the area, but are listed as their uncle / aunt wanted them on the memorial along with their own son(s). Have also found one chap who was a nephew of a resident, with no cousins or other relatives mentioned. Again he lived miles away from the memorial, he was just on there as he had stayed with his uncle years before for one summer (fortunately found on 1911 census).

Susan

[DerekB44]

The more I look into this the more I am convinced that he was included in error.

I have looked through the Births and Deaths records for the surname Millman and initial G registered in Devon and within the results there are only 3 G H Millmans (all George Henry) who could have been of the right age to serve in WWI. There are others born before 1850.

As you will see 2 died before WWI and one lived to 1953.

Looking nationally there is one other possibility George Harold and he died in 1910.

This leaves only one conclusion the G H Millman on the war memorial was the person born in 1889 and who died in 1953.

His family must have thought he was a casualty or why else would his name have been submitted.

The names are:

1. George Henry, Born Mar 1882, Newton A. 5b 131, Died Dec 1897, age 15, Totnes 5b 105, Birth year calculated from age on death record 1882
   
2. George Henry, Born Mar 1893, Totnes 5b 163, Died Jun 1893, age 0, Totnes 5b 128, Birth year calculated from age on death record 1893
   
3. George Henry, Born Sep 1889, Newton A. 5b 114, Died Dec 1953, 64, Okehampton 7a 515, Birth year calculated from age on death record 1889
   
4. George Harold, Jun 1884, Chester 8a 399, Died Jun 1910, 26, Chester 8a 234, Birth year calculated from age on death record 1884
   

[susanhemmings]

Very odd and frustrating. The George born 1889 sister, Lily, married a "Millman" but I cannot find any connection to Hennock. And anyway, that chap lived until 1953. All very strange. I can understand your need for accuracy. I feel the same, but some things are just unanswerable.

Will keep GH Millman in mind.

I do love a mystery.

Regards,

Susan

[Guest]

There could be any amount of reasons why G H Millman is named on the Memorial. Best bet to trawl through the newspapers, and something might turn up. I found four men who had been brought up at a local orphanage. School registers are also a good source of info.

Mike

[CGM]

I think the most difficult part of this problem is that there seems to be no G H Millman who died in the relevant period. At least, in the registers we have, between us, managed to search.

If the G H Millman is the one who died in 1953 a search through the local papers might bring up a later-found-to-be-untrue report of his death or that he was missing, presumed dead.

CGM

[Guest]

The other problem is, the G, the H, or the M could be wrong?

Mike

[DerekB44]

If the name was wrong on the memorial surely someone present would have pointed it out. It was reported that the relatives were seated at the front of those present at the consecration.
Assuming that the spelling is wrong opens it up to hundreds of potential combinations, the most obvious I have checked to the casualty list without success.
Derek