James (Tom) Thomas Miller (1876-1960) lived a fascinating life that began in Warrenby Redcar, North Yorkshire on October 30th 1876. His family later returned to Burton Latimer, where a 14-year-old Tom worked as a riveter in the town's shoe trade. Tom was also a keen and talented footballer and was vice-captain of Burton Temperance FC, the town's oldest-known football team.
During World War I, Tom enlisted with the Royal Navy and performed shore-based duties as an Aircraftsman in the Royal Naval Air Service at RNAS Wormwood Scrubs and RNAS Mullion. He was then absorbed into the newly formed Royal Air Force in 1918.
After the war, Tom returned to his wife and family in Burton Latimer and worked as a newsagent before buying the Burton Fish & Chip Shop, which he ran until passing it down to his youngest child. Tom was also known as "Old Tom" in later life, and he died in Kettering in 1960 at the age of 83.
I feel a strong connection to Tom, even though I never had the chance to meet him. Tom was a remarkable man who ran a fish and chip shop in Burton Latimer. It's surreal to think how often frequented the same place without knowing about his connection to it. I was also a football player, just like Tom, and had a successful stint as a professional for Rushden and Diamonds.
In addition to these similarities, I also did my work experience with the Royal Navy as a teenager, which is something that Tom might have found relatable as well. Although I never pursued it as a career, I considered it seriously for a while. Despite the fact that Tom lived in a different time and place, I feel a strong affinity for him because we share so much in common.
However, there is one significant difference between us that I cannot ignore: my skin colour. As a person of colour, I wonder what Tom would have thought about me and whether he would have accepted me as his descendant. While I can't know for sure, I still feel a deep sense of connection to him and the legacy he left behind.
The Life of James (Tom) Thomas Miller (1876-1960)
James (Tom) Thomas Miller (1876-1960) was born in Warrenby Redcar, North Yorkshire on October 30th 1876. Warrenby is a small town in present-day Redcar & Cleveland which was founded in 1873 to house workers at the nearby ironworks Downey & Co and Walker Maynard. It is believed that Tom’s father, Charles, was employed by one of these two companies.
By 1881, Tom, his parents, and his many siblings had returned to Burton Latimer, to Nichol’s Yard on the High Street. They were still at Nichol’s Yard in 1891 when a 14-year-old Tom worked as a riveter in the town’s shoe trade.
As a young man, Tom was a keen and talented footballer. He was vice-captain of Burton’s oldest-known football team - Burton Temperance FC. The picture below was taken at the end of the 1893/94 season. Tom is second left on the back row, and to his right is goalkeeper and captain William (Billy) Henry Perkins (1876-?) who went on to play for Liverpool FC, Luton Town FC and Northampton Town FC amongst other teams.
A quote from Tom was printed alongside the team photo in a newspaper article in c.1934.
“Perhaps there was not the scope to show up in those days as there is today, as there were no League or Cups to play for. The only Cup, as far as I can remember, was one which Mr Bill Cattell gave, and which was played at the Kettering North Park grounds, which he used to own. We reached the semi-final on one occasion, but were beaten by Finedon Excelsiors, who went on to win the cup, beating the then-famous junior team, Kettering Vics. Probably the Finedon Excelsiors were the best junior team of all time. We had many strenuous games, and some exciting times, even in those days; but the Temperance eventually ceased to exist, and it became the Burton Vics., who took its place, and who also did well, winning the North Section of the Kettering United in the final by 1-0; and incidentally that goal came off my legs.”
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Tom married Annie (Fanny) Manning James (1876–1963) at St Peter & Paul's Church in Kettering on April 19th 1897. Fanny was the daughter of Edward James (1852-1881) and Mary Elson (1851-?) of Kettering.
On their marriage documents, Tom & Fanny are both listed as living at 37 Bayes Street in Kettering. This suggests that Tom and Fanny may have lived together as an unmarried couple for a short time, with Fanny’s parents. After their marriage, they moved to Duke Street in Burton Latimer, where they can be found living in 1901 with their first two daughters - Winifred (Winnie) Ellen Miller (1898–1977) and Gladys Ada Miller (1899–1985).
By 1911 the family had moved to Finedon Street in Burton Latimer, Tom still worked in the shoe trade, but now as a ‘shoe-laster’. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Tom enlisted with the Royal Navy. He completed basic training at Crystal Palace Naval Depot in London; performed shore-based duties as an Aircraftsman in the Royal Naval Air Service at RNAS Wormwood Scrubs in London and RNAS Mullion in Cornwall.
Whilst stationed at Mullion, as a Private, he was absorbed into the newly formed Royal Air Force on April 1st 1918. His enlistment record reveals many details about his physical appearance at the time - he was 5 ft 6 inches tall, had brown eyes and grey hair, and his complexion was described as ‘fresh’. Tom’s chest measurement was 39 inches and he had a birthmark on his left shoulder.
The record also shows that Tom was engaged in hostilities on five occasions between 1917 and 1918, three times aboard HMS President II and twice aboard HMS Daedalus. Tom’s younger brother Samuel also served aboard these vessels at the same time. In Burton Latimer’s electoral rolls of 1918 Tom’s home address is listed as Roseberry Street and he is recorded as an ‘absent voter’.
After the war, Tom returned to his wife and family in Burton Latimer, and they continued to live on Roseberry Street until at least 1934. During this time Tom worked as a newsagent at 58 High Street in Burton Latimer.
By 1935 Tom and Fanny had bought 52/54 High Street - Burton Fish & Chip Shop - which they ran until 1940 when ownership of the chip shop was passed down to their youngest child, also called Tom. After leaving the chip shop the couple moved to 41 Queensway in Burton Latimer where they saw out their days. Whilst at this address the couple are known to have had a red setter called Jess, it is also known that Tom liked to smoke a pipe.
In later life Tom became known as Old Tom, partly to avoid confusion with his son who was also called Tom (James Thomas Miller). Old Tom died in Kettering on October 6th 1960, he was 83 years old. Fanny died nearly three years later in Wellingborough, together they had seven children: