Arthur Frederick Mills (1863 - 1908)

Born 19 Sep 1863 in Colchester, Essex, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Emily (Morris) Mills — married 1 Feb 1886 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Husband of Adelaide Ellen (Starr) Mills — married 4 Nov 1904 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 20 May 1908 at age 44 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Arthur Frederick Mills was born in 1863 in Colchester, Essex, England, the 6th child of William Munson Mills and Mahala Kent.

South Australia

His father was a shipwright who had been a soldier in the Sihk Wars prior to his marriage. When the ship building industry began to change and the services of shipwrights began to decline, Arthur's father decided to emigrate to South Australia with the family, as eldest brother George had done some years earlier. The entire family decided to make the journey, with the exception of brothers Wallace and William, who were employed as sailors at the time (siblings John, Thomas and Marguerita had died in infancy).

The family boarded the ship "Woodlark" in late 1878. As his eldest brother was already in South Australia and his other two elder brothers were staying behind in England, Arthur was the eldest of his siblings on board. He was 14 years old and listed as an agricultural labourer. It is believed the job description may have been a fabrication in order to gain passage, as the Mills family were very centred around city life.

The family arrived in South Australia on 21st February 1879. It is believed that they may have lived with older brother George for sometime on arrival, before finally settling in the Norwood area. It is uncertain at this stage what Arthur did in his early years in the colony.

Marriage

Arthur married a 27-year-old widow by the name of Emily Hawken (nee Morris) in Adelaide in 1886. They married at the Bible Christian House on February 1st, 1886 and the minister and his wife served as witnesses. Although recorded as a widow on the marriage certificate, Emily's previous husband was vey much alive at the time and the marriage to Arthur was bigamous. It is likely that the prohibitive cost of divorce was the reason for this.

Child

Arthur and Emily had a daughter, Cissy Cornelia, who was born in August of that year in Sydney, New South Wales. What the couple were doing in the state of New South Wales is currently unknown, but it appears that some of Arthur's siblings may have moved to the state and they could have been visiting them. Cissy would be their only child.

Port Pirie

It appears that Arthur and Emily settled in the Port Pirie area of South Australia for some time in this period. Arthur was employed in the area as a clerk by B.J Knight. According to a later newspaper article, he was also engaged in other activities at the port at the same time. His wife Emily appeared before the local court of Insolvency on September 22nd, 1892 for a final hearing, as reported in The Advertiser newspaper, 23rd September 1892. Mr J Duncan appeared as her representative, and a first class certificate was awarded.

The South Australian Directory for 1893 lists Arthur as a manager at Gladstone.

Gold extraction

By 1892, Arthur was involving himself in debates in South Australia about gold extraction. Many small gold mines had opened up in the state, but did not last long as the gold they contained was in small amounts and difficult to extract from the rock. Many methods of extracting the gold were proposed, and Arthur appears to have joined the debate, as recorded in the South Australian Register newspaper on 31/3/1892. In the article, he is referred to as 'Professor Mills' and he recommends the use of cyanide to extract the gold from the rock.

Money Owed

On Wednesday 3/4/1895, the South Australian Register newspaper reported that the lawyer who had represented Arthur's wife, Mr J Duncan was now pursuing Arthur for the amount of 19 pounds, 10 shillings and 10 pence. This was the amount owed for his services in representing Emily, and Mr Duncan claimed that Arthur had paid him with a dishonoured cheque. The verdict was in favour of Mr Duncan for the amount owed.

Quackery

When Arthur was examined as to his position to pay, he described himself as a manufacturing chemist. He advertised himself as 'Professor Mills'.

Arthur advertised his services in The Advertiser newspaper, sporadically from 1894, and then almost on a weekly basis between 1901 and 1908. As well as calling himself 'Professor', he included the initials 'S.F.C.' and 'M.H.' after his name. What these initials are meant to represent is yet to be determined. He called his office the Snoyah Medical Institute, and it was located on the corner of Grote Street and Victoria Square. He later moved to 19 Flinders Street, and would consult between the hours of 10am to 9pm.

Adelaide locations

Records from the Adelaide City Archives have traced his premises in the city of Adelaide. They are as follows:- 1894 - 16 Sturt Street 1895 - 21 Carrington Street 1896 - 1 Grote Street 1897 - 1899 - 23 Flinders Street 1900 - 1903 - 1 Grote Street 1904 - 1905 - 19 Flinders Street 1906 - 1908 - 27 Carrington Street

This information is supported by the South Australian Directories, which lists Arthur at the same locations, sometimes with the title 'Professor' and sometimes without. His occupation is initially listed as a chemist, then a herbalist, and then specialist.

Death of Wife

Arthur's wife Emily died on the 24th August 1904 and was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide. By the 4th November, Arthur had married again to Adelaide Ellen Starr, a 23 year old, at Miss Hand's Private Hospital in Adelaide.

Fire

On the 5th May 1906, a fire was reported at Arthur's residence on the corner of Carrington Street and Nelson Place. The fire was reported by Foot Constable O'Donohoe at approximately 8.55pm and it was put out by the fire brigade.

Death

Arthur died on 20th May 1908 in Adelaide. An inquest was held into Arthur's death and a copy of the inquest is located at State Records in South Australia. It was also widely reported in newspapers of the time.

Arthur is buried in the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.

Sources

• "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2611-KKW : 1 October 2014), Arthur Frederic Mills, 1863; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Colchester, Essex, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
• "England, Essex Parish Registers, 1538-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W92J-7RT2 : 12 August 2022), Arthur Frederick Mills, 18 Oct 1863; citing Christening, Essex, England, United Kingdom, Essex Record Office, England; FHL microfilm .
• Passenger list for the Woodlark, 1878; https://archives.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/documentstore/passengerlists/1879/GRG35_48_1_79-4_Woodlark.pdf
• LAW COURTS. (1885, November 21). The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA : 1867 - 1922), p. 2. Retrieved October 25, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208370707
• The South Australian Police Gazette, December 2 1885
• Arthur Fredk Mills; South Australia, Australia, Prison Registers, 1838-1912, Year: 1885
• South Australian Marriage Certificate, 1886, District Adelaide, Book 146, Page 258
• THE COUNTRY. (1892, September 23). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), p. 7. Retrieved October 25, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25337859
• Advertising (1896, August 13). South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), p. 2. Retrieved October 25, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54842000
• South Australian Marriage Certificate, 1904, District Adelaide, Book 221, Page 536
• Family Notices (1905, May 17). The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), p. 4. Retrieved October 25, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56675712
• Advertising (1906, February 21). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), p. 2. Retrieved October 25, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5010181
• The Adelaide City Archives
• The Advertiser newspaper, advertising section 1901-1908
• South Australian Death Certificate, 1908, District Adelaide, Book 333, Page 319
• Coroner's report & reply, 5/5/1906 & 6/5/1906
• “ONE FOR YOU.” (1907, December 16). Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1869 - 1912), p. 2. Retrieved October 25, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200862496
• Arthur Frederick Mills; South Australia, Australia, Police Gazettes, 1862-1947; Civil: 1907 - South Australia, Australia
• Arthur Frederick Mills; South Australia, Australia, Supreme Court Criminal Records, 1837-1918; Reports to the Police Coroner, 1842-1961; Birth: 1864, Death: 20 May 1908 - South Australia, Australia
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161246436/arthur-frederick-mills: accessed 25 October 2023), memorial page for Arthur Frederick Mills (unknown–22 May 1908), Find a Grave Memorial ID 161246436, citing West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, Adelaide City, South Australia, Australia; Maintained by Dwight Baker (contributor 47306645).
• SUICIDE BY POISON, (1908, May 23). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), p. 14. Retrieved October 25, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5142850