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I am trying to find Bertram Mills Who used to own a travelling circus in the late 1800s and 1900s. My mother used to say that Bertram Mills was her great uncle. My mothers grand mother was Hannah Mills born Marsh St,Longton,Stoke on Trent,Staffs. in 1860. Bertram was Hannahs brother.
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Try googling - sure to be plenty of online info about him
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I can remember the Bertram Mills Travelling Circus coming around these parts when I was a child. Probably run by a descendant.
Julia in Derbyshire
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Bertram Mills
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Bertram Wagstaff Mills (August 1873 – April 16, 1938) was a British circus owner who ran the Bertram Mills Circus. Originally from Paddington, London, his circus became famous in the UK for its Christmas shows at Olympia in West London. His troupe were the last to perform with live animals on the Drury Lane Theatre stage.
Born in August, 1873, Bertram was the son of Halford Mills of Paddington, London, the enterprising owner of the Reformed Funeral Company, a coach building works and the Undertakers Journal. Halford Mills was described as a 'pioneer of embalming'. Bertram was brought up on two small farms at Chalfont St. Giles (which his father owned for the purpose of sending his horses there to rest), where he developed his passion for riding and horses in general.
Halford Mills [1]
He left school aged fifteen and started washing down the coaches for the family business (started by his grandfather who began life as an evangelical preacher). Within a year he was driving a four-in-hand from London to Oxford wearing a cornflower in his morning coat, for which he would later become recognised by. He continued working for the family firm until the outbreak of World War One when he joined and served with the Royal Army Medical Corps, rising to the rank of Captain.
On leaving the army he became interested in the 'Wilkins and Young Circus'. He made a wager with a friend that he could form a circus company and within a year be as good as they were. He did just that and thus the 'Bertram Mills International Circus' was formed.
Bertram W. Mills, in traditional clothes [2]
It very quickly became a household name and the annual Christmas event. He made a point of inviting orphans to see the shows for free. By 1930 (its heyday would last for the next thirty years, when it was without exception the best and most famous live show) he had inaugurated a touring circus which became unique amongst British circuses, always appearing at Olympia for the Christmas season.
The Queen at Bertram Mills Circus in 1952 [[3]]
The guest lists of the time very clearly indicate the renown of his show. The Royal family (who were great supporters) came every year, Winston Churchill and other similar dignitaries from Britain and abroad were also annual guests.
Bertram Mills married his wife, Ethel (d.1960), in 1901. They were parents of a daughter and two sons, Bernard Notley and Cyril Bertram Mills. After their father's death on 16th April, 1938, both Bernard and Cyril took over the running of 'Bertram Mills Circus', continuing and growing on its success until the early 1960's (with the advent of television in homes) when it was finally disbanded. Cyril Mills served with MI5 during the Second World War and was the spymaster who controlled Juan Pujol, known as 'Garbo'.
Bertram Mills was aptly cremated (his father had been one of the first three undertakers to offer this service in London) and is buried with his wife at Golders Green Cemetery, London.
[edit] Circus Performance ( Aldershot - 22/4/1939 )
It was a very good show indeed and included some amazing turns. One, Fredenico, swung across the tent holding onto a rope by his teeth only - they call him the man with the Iron jaws and he certainly lives up to his name. Karniga, the Indian woman fakir, plays about with snakes, walks on swords, hangs by her neck on a sword, rolls on her back on broken glass and finally was buried alive for five minutes - an amazing performance. There were the wild lions, tigers, performing dogs who also played soccer, elephants who again played soccer, clowns including Kelly the American bobo clown who never talks but just walks round the audience in a tattered old tramp's suit with a most awful expression on his face. He is an entirely new sort of clown and really very clever. Edward Bell's 1939 review
[edit]
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1911
HOUSEHOLD MILLS BERTRAM WAGSTAFF M 1875 36 Hendon Middlesex
HOUSEHOLD MILLS BERNARD NOTLEY M 1906 5 Hendon Middlesex
HOUSEHOLD MILLS CYRIL BERTRAM M 1902 9 Hendon Middlesex
HOUSEHOLD MILLS ETHEL KATE F 1875 36 Hendon Middlesex
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Bertram Wagstaff Mills
Year of Registration: 1873
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Holborn
County: London, Middlesex
Volume: 1b
Page: 769
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Name: Bertram W Mills
Age: 17
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1874
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Halford L
Mother's Name: Mary F
Gender: Male
Where born: St Luke, Middlesex, England
Civil parish: Paddington
Ecclesiastical parish: All Saints
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street Address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage
Education:
Employment status: View image
Registration district: Paddington
Sub-registration district: St John Paddington
ED, institution, or vessel: 16
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Halford L Mills 47
Mary F Mills 44
Alice L Mills 20
Helena C Mills 19
Bertram W Mills 17
Ernest H Mills 16
Halford P Mills 13
Harold C Mills 9
Ida C Ware 17
Minnie K Purser 23
Mary J Brown 23
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Found a Hannah Mills born 1860 Longton Staffs,1861 with John Mills 1838 and Sarah Mills 1837.
Can't find a Hannah with parents Halford L Mills born @ 1844 and Mary F Mills nee Wagstaff born @ 1847.
Maryb
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Lewis Halford L Mills married Mary Fenn Wagstaff 1869 in Romford Essex.
So Hannah wasn't theirs, or was she?
Maryb
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Hannah mills daughter of John Mills and Sarah Procter married stoke on Trent. 1859.
1861 census they are with Sarah's mum Hannah Procter born @ 1774.
Maryb
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Husband
Bertrem Magstaff Mills
Pedigree
Birth:
Christening:
Marriage: 23 MAR 1901 , Suffolk, England
Death:
Burial:
Father: Balford Mills Family
Mother:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wife
Ethel Kate Notley
pedigree
Birth:
Christening:
Marriage: 23 MAR 1901 , Suffolk, England
Death:
Burial:
Father: William Notley OR deceased Family
Mother:
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Brian
It is getting to look like you are not related to the circus people.
I do know how sad it is when a likely connection can't be proven. In my case it was with Charles R Darwin, thought I'd got it all sussed, and it now seems wrong.
Margaret
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my uncle that just past away said we where of the same family but cant find ,all i know that when he was little my grt granfather said none of family was to go to circus or work there ,and was told in main paper there was a death calling the family of mills and grt grandad said they can keep they cash ,they never helped us so i dont what it so iam not shore why, but my grt granfather was born bristol his name was james
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