Life Lessons From 100 Year Olds

The Stoics

Old Tom 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, 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.”

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:

Some Parents

All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair.

From Kettering to Ypres: The Courageous Tale of Horace Towell

Horace Towell was a brave soldier who served in the Great War. It is a tale of courage and sacrifice, of a man who gave his all for his country.

Horace was living in the town of Kettering when war broke out, with his beloved wife Margaret and their two daughters, Doris and Mabel. But duty called, and in June 1915, he enlisted to fight with the 4th Sussex Regiment.

He served with distinction, but on July 31st, 1917, Horace was badly wounded in the infamous Battle of Ypres. The fighting was fierce, and sadly, Horace lost his arm in the conflict and was sent back home to recover.

Despite his injury, Horace showed remarkable resilience and went on to live a long life, reaching the grand old age of 95. His niece, Marie Turner, who is now 89 years old, remembers him fondly. "He was my favourite," she says, "a lovely man with beautiful blue eyes. When he looked at you, his eyes would sparkle and make you feel all warm inside."

But Horace was one of the fortunate ones. Many of his generation never returned from the war. Among those was Arthur Horsley, the brother-in-law of Horace's sister Letty Horsley (nee Towell), my great, great aunt. Arthur was just 21 when he was killed in action at Flanders in October 1918. Tragically, his elder brother Reuben was also killed there just two weeks earlier. The third image shows their names on the War Memorial in Desborough.

Lest we forget the sacrifices made by so many in the Great War, and the bravery of men like Horace Towell, who risked everything for their country.