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[[File:Thomas_Miller's_birthplace.jpg|thumb|360px|Plaque marking birthplace of Thomas Miller (1807-1874), Gainsborough, UK. Photo by '''Turboyogi'''. ''Licensed by Creative Commons, courtesy [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Miller%27s_birthplace.jpg Wikimedia Commons]''.]]
 
'''Thomas Miller''' (31 August 1807 - 24 October 1874) was an [[English poetry|English poet]] and [[novelist]], known as "the basket maker."
  
'''Thomas Miller''' (31 August 1807 - 24 October 1874) was an [[English poetry|English poet]] and [[novelist]], known as "the basket maker."
   
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===Youth and education===
  
===Youth and education===
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Miller was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, son of George Miller, a wharfmaster.<ref name=dnb37424/>
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Miller was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, son of George Miller, a wharfmaster.<ref name=dnb37424/>
   
 
During a visit to London the father left his lodgings on the morning of the Burdett riots, 6 April 1810, and was never heard of afterwards. His widow was left in poverty.<ref name=dnb37424/>
 
During a visit to London the father left his lodgings on the morning of the Burdett riots, 6 April 1810, and was never heard of afterwards. His widow was left in poverty.<ref name=dnb37424/>
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In 1846 he edited the ''Poetical Works'' of [[James Beattie (poet)|Beattie]] and [[William Collins (poet)|W. Collins]], with memoirs. He also wrote many books for boys or children.<ref name=dnb37424/>
  
In 1846 he edited the ''Poetical Works'' of [[James Beattie (poet)|Beattie]] and [[William Collins (poet)|W. Collins]], with memoirs. He also wrote many books for boys or children.<ref name=dnb37424/>
   
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Later on he moved to Ludgate Hill, and, although always in business, was friendly with many of the best known literary characters.<ref name=dnb37424/>
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Later on he moved to Ludgate Hill, and, although always in business, was friendly with many of the best known literary characters.<ref name=dnb37424/>
   
 
He died at 23 New Street, Kennington Park Road, London, leaving a son and 2 daughters. The son died in April 1888, when a public appeal was made for funds to bury him, and to aid in supporting his surviving sister, Ellen Miller.<ref name=dnb37424/>
  
He died at 23 New Street, Kennington Park Road, London, leaving a son and 2 daughters. The son died in April 1888, when a public appeal was made for funds to bury him, and to aid in supporting his surviving sister, Ellen Miller.<ref name=dnb37424/>

Revision as of 03:19, 19 September 2020

Thomas Miller's birthplace

Plaque marking birthplace of Thomas Miller (1807-1874), Gainsborough, UK. Photo by Turboyogi. Licensed by Creative Commons, courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Thomas Miller (31 August 1807 - 24 October 1874) was an English poet and novelist, known as "the basket maker."

Life

Overview

Millere, of humble parentage, worked in early life as a basket-maker. He published Songs of the Sea Nymphs (1832). Going to London he was befriended by Lady Blessington and Samuel Rogers, and for a time engaged in business as a bookseller, but was unsuccessful and devoted himself exclusively to literature, producing over 40 volumes, including several novels, e.g., Royston Gower (1838), Gideon Giles the Roper, and Rural Sketches. In his stories he successfully delineated rural characters and scenes.[1]

Youth and education

Miller was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, son of George Miller, a wharfmaster.[2]

During a visit to London the father left his lodgings on the morning of the Burdett riots, 6 April 1810, and was never heard of afterwards. His widow was left in poverty.[2] The son was bound apprentice to a basket-maker, residing in Sailors' Alley, Gainsborough, next door to Thomas Cooper the chartist poet.[2]

Career

In 1832, while working for Mr. Watts, basket-maker, of Bromley House, Nottingham, Miller made the acquaintance of Thomas Bailey, then editing the Good Citizen, who encouraged him to print Songs of the Sea Nymphs, 1832. This work gained him many friends, and enabled him to start a business of his own at Swan's Yard, Long Row.[2]

About 1835 he came to London, and, working at his trade at 33 Elliott's Row, St. George's Road, Southwark, sent some fancy baskets, in which he had placed verses, to the Countess of Blessington. The verses were appreciated, and from that time Miller's success was assured. His next work, A Day in the Woods: A connected series of tales and poems, appeared in 1836, and was followed in 1837 by Beauties of the Country, which was favourably reviewed by the Literary Gazette.[2]

Under the auspices of Samuel Rogers Miller was enabled, about 1841, to commence business as a bookseller at 9 Newgate Street. He was also noticed by W.H. Harrison, then editing Friendship's Offering, who inserted his poem "The Desolate Hall" in the annual for 1838, and gave him 2 guineas for the well-known lines entitled "The Fountain," printed in 1839 and illustrated by an engraving from a painting by Westall. Some of Miller's leisure was employed in writing tales for the London Journal.[2]

In 1846 he edited the Poetical Works of Beattie and W. Collins, with memoirs. He also wrote many books for boys or children.[2]

Later on he moved to Ludgate Hill, and, although always in business, was friendly with many of the best known literary characters.[2]

He died at 23 New Street, Kennington Park Road, London, leaving a son and 2 daughters. The son died in April 1888, when a public appeal was made for funds to bury him, and to aid in supporting his surviving sister, Ellen Miller.[2]

Writing

Miller was the author of more than 45 works; the most important were: ‘Royston Gower, or the Days of John King,’ a novel in two volumes, 1838; ‘Rural Sketches,’ 1839, verses in the style of Bloomfield's poetry, simple, picturesque, and cheerful; ‘Gideon Giles the Roper,’ 1840, second edition, 1841, a tale of humble life rendered interesting by truthful and vigorous delineation; ‘Godfrey Malvern, or the Life of an Author,’ 2 vols. 1842–3, giving the adventures of a country youth who repaired to London in quest of literary fame and fortune; and a ‘History of the Anglo-Saxons from the Earliest Period to the Norman Conquest,’ 1848, which went to five editions, although it was adversely criticised in the ‘Westminster Review’ for July 1856, pp. 253–4. In 1849 he wrote ‘The Mysteries of London, or Lights and Shadows of London Life,’ a work forming vol. v. of G. W. Reynolds' ‘Mysteries of London.’ Other works were: 1. ‘Fair Rosamond,’ 3 vols. 1839. 2. ‘Lady Jane Grey,’ 3 vols. 1840. 3. ‘Poems,’ 1841. 4. ‘Poetical Language of Flowers,’ 1847. 5. ‘Pictures of Country Life and Summer Rambles,’ 1847. 6. ‘Fortune and Fortitude, a Tale,’ 1848. 7. ‘A Tale of Old England,’ 1849. 8. ‘Original Poems for my Children,’ 1852; 2nd series, 1852. 9. ‘The Village Queen, or Summer in the Country,’ 1852. 10. ‘Picturesque Sketches of London Past and Present,’ 1852. 11. ‘Our Old Town,’ 1857. 12. ‘The Poacher and other Pictures of Country Life,’ 1858.[2] 13. ‘Birds, Bees, and Blossoms,’ 1858. 14. ‘English Country Life,’ 1859; new edition, 1864. 15. ‘British Wolf Hunters,’ 1859. 16. ‘Sports and Pastimes of Merry England,’ 1859. 17. ‘Langley on the Lea, or Love and Duty,’ 1860. 18. ‘Songs for British Riflemen,’ 1860. 19. ‘Common Wayside Flowers,’ 1860. 20. ‘Dorothy Dovedale's Trials,’ 2 vols. 1864. 21. ‘Songs of the Seasons,’ 1865. 22. ‘My Father's Garden,’ 1867. 23. ‘Jack of All Trades,’ 1867. 24. ‘The Gaboon,’ 1868. 25. ‘Watch the End,’ 1869; new edition, 1873. 26. ‘The Old Park Road,’ 1871.[3]

Recognition

Early in 1874, Disraeli, then prime minister, whom he had met in early life at Lady Blessington's, granted Miller £100 from the Royal Bounty Fund.[2]

Publications

Poetry

  • Rural Sketches. London: J. Van Voorst, 1839; Philadelphia: Carey & Hart, 1842; London: J. & C. Brown, 1857; London: D. Bryce, 1860.
  • Poems. London: T. Miller, 1841.
  • The Poetical Language of Flowers; or, The pilgrimage of love. London: D. J.C.Bohn, 1847; New York: J.C. Riker, 1848; 15th edition, London: Charles Griffin, 1872.

Novels

  • Royston Gower; or, The days of King John: An historical romance. (2 volumes), London: Henry Colburn, 1838; Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Blanchard, 1838; London: Thomas Miller, 1841.
  • Fair Rosamond; or, The days of King Henry II: An historical romance. (3 volumes), London: Henry Colburn, 1839.
  • Lady Jane Grey: An historical romance. (3 volumes), London: Henry Colburn, 1840.
  • Gideon Giles, the Roper. London: James Hayward, 1840.
  • Godfrey Malvern; or, The life of an author. (2 volumes), London: Thomas Miller, 1843.
  • Fortune and Fortitude. London: Darton, 1848.
  • A Tale of Old England. London & Edinburgh: W. & R. Chambers, 1849.
  • Langley-on-the-Lea; or, Love and duty. London: Parlor Journal, 1860.
  • Dorothy Dovedale's Trials. (2 volumes), London: 1864.
  • The Old Park Road. London: 1871; London: G. Harrison, 1876.

Non-fiction

  • ‘Pictures of Country Life and Summer Rambles. London: D. Bogue, 1847.
  • History of the Anglo-Saxons: From the earliest period to the Norman conquest. London: D. Boque, 1848.
  • The Mysteries of London; or Lights and Shadows of London Life. London: George Vickers, 1849.
  • Picturesque Sketches of London Past and Present. London: National Illustrated Library, 1852.
  • The Poacher and other Pictures of Country Life. London: Ward & Lock, 1858.
  • Sports and Pastimes of Merry England. London: Darton, 1859.
  • ‘English Country Life. London & New York: Routledge, Warne, & Routledge, 1859.
  • Common Wayside Flowers. London & New York: Routledge, Warne, & Routledge, 1860.

Juvenile

  • The Boy's Spring Book. London: Chapman & Hall, 1847; New York: Harper, 1847..
  • The Boy's Winter Book. London: Chapman & Hall, 1847; New York: Harper, 1847..
  • The Village Queen; or, Summer in the country. London: Addey, 1852; New York: Appleton, 1853.
  • Original Poems for My Children. London: D. Bogue, 1852.
  • Original Poems for My Children: Second series. London: Ward, Lock, [1854?]
  • Our Old Town. London: J. & C. Brown, 1857.
  • The British Wolf Hunters: A tale of England in the olden time. London & New York: Routledge, Warne, & Routledge, 1859.
  • The Young Donkey. New York: Sheldon, 1860.
  • Songs for British Riflemen. 1860.[3]
  • Little Blue Hood. London: Sampson Low, 1863; New York: James G. Gregory, 1864.
  • Songs of the Seasons: For my children. London: William Tegg, 1865.
  • My Father's Garden. 1867.[3]
  • ‘Jack of All Trades. London & New York: Routledge, Warne, & Routledge, 1867.
    • The Child's Country Book. London & New York: Routledge, Warne, & Routledge, 1867.
  • The Child's Country Store Book. London & New York: Routledge, Warne, & Routledge, 1868.
  • The Gaboon. 1868.[3]
  • Birds, Bees, and Blossoms: Original poems for children. London & New York: Nelson, 1858; London: J.C. Brown, 1870.
  • Watch the End. London & New York: Routledge, 1870.
  • Fred and the Gorillas. London & New York: Routledge, 1870.


Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.[4]

See also

References

  • PD-icon Boase, George Clement (1894) "Miller, Thomas (1807-1874)" in Lee, Sidney Dictionary of National Biography 37 London: Smith, Elder, pp. 424-425 . Wikisource, Web, Feb. 24, 2017.===Notes===
  1. ↑ John William Cousin, "Miller, Thomas," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: Dent / New York: Dutton, 1910, 271. Wikisource, Web, Feb. 12, 2018.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Boase, 424.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Boase, 425.
  4. ↑ Search results = au:Thomas Miller 1874, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Feb. 24, 2017.
Poems*"The Old Baron" in A Victorian Anthology, 1837-1895*Thomas Miller at Poetry Nook (2 poems);About*PD-icon This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, the Dictionary of National Biography (edited by Leslie Stephen). London
Smith, Elder, 1885-1900. Original article is at: Miller, Thomas (1807-1874)
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