| Player: | J Mills |
MILLS, John.
Professional.
Born at Coddington, Nottinghamshire, 28th January 1855.
Died at Ilkeston, Derbyshire, 27th June 1932.
He was a joiner and lived most of his life at Wollaton, playing his club cricket with the Wollaton and Lenton United Clubs. He was first tried by Nottinghamshire in 1875, the first of thirteen first-class matches, eleven of them for Nottinghamshire. His brother Edwin also played for Nottinghamshire and for Surrey 1878-87. An accident caused John’s early retirement from the game and he died in his seat during an interval in the Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire match at Ilkeston.
The 1881 Census finds him living at Wollaton, Nottinghamshire, with his father John, aged 60, a wood salesman at a saw mills, and his mother Annie aged 60. John is present, aged 26 and a joiner, as are his brothers William aged 30, a sawyer, and Edwin aged 24, a lace machine fitter. His four unmarried sisters are Sarah aged 32, a dressmaker, Frances aged 20, a lace sewing machinist, Julia aged 18, a milliner, and Lizzie aged 17, a lace sewing machinist.
(Article: Copyright © 2003 Don Ambrose)