Miller and sons were manufacturers of oil lamp

Oil lamp

An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....

s with offices at 179 Piccadilly

Piccadilly

Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...

, London. They were registered as "Spermaceti

Spermaceti

Spermaceti is a wax present in the head cavities of the sperm whale . Originally mistaken for the whales' sperm , spermaceti is created in the spermaceti organ inside the whale's head and connected to its nasal passage...

-refiners, Wax Chandlers

Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers

The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The organisation was established in 1358 by the granting of by-laws and ordinances by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. New ordinances were issued in 1371...

, Oil-merchants".

History

The company was founded prior to 1835 and it has been suggested that the company was formed in the 1820s and was a successor to F Glossop.

Charles Taverner Miller (1773-1830), a wax chandler from Middlesex, was awarded patent 5896 in February 1830 for certain improves in the making and manufacturing of candles. He has a memorial in St James's Church, Piccadilly

St James's Church, Piccadilly

St James’s Church, Piccadilly is an Anglican church on Piccadilly in the centre of London, UK. It was designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren....

.

George Alexander Miller, son of Charles Taverner, was awarded patent 6551 in 1834 foran improvement in lamp which was a improved arrangement of wicks in an Argand lamp

Argand lamp

The Argand lamp is home lighting oil lamp producing a light output of 6 to 10 candlepower which was invented and patented in 1780 by Aimé Argand...

.

They exhibited at the The Great Exhibition

The Great Exhibition

The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October...

 of 1851 and expanded into the adjoining 178 Piccadilly (in addition to 179 and 180) after George Alexander Miller purchased the property in 1857.

Horatio William Miller, who was associated with the business died in 1900.

The company moved from 179 Piccidilly in 1907–8.

In 2007 a pair of lamps made by Miller and sons in 1835 were sold for $10,000 in New York by Christie's

Christie's

Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...

 and another pair from 1940 fetched $8,800 in 2000.

Messr T J Miller & Son

Taverner John Miller

Taverner John Miller

Taverner John Miller was an English businessman and Conservative Party politician. He was the owner of a whaling business based in Westminster, London and held a seat in the House of Commons from 1852 to 1853, and from 1857 to 1867....

, son of Charles Taverner Miller and brother to George Alexander Miller was a "ship-owner and sperm-oil refiner and merchant" and ran a 'Sperm Oil merchants and Spermaceti

Spermaceti

Spermaceti is a wax present in the head cavities of the sperm whale . Originally mistaken for the whales' sperm , spermaceti is created in the spermaceti organ inside the whale's head and connected to its nasal passage...

 refiners' business called 'Messr T J Miller & Son' from Dorset Wharf on the River Thames

River Thames

The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

 close to the Palace of Westminster

Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...

. The business was continued by George Taverner Miller (1839-1917) until 1906 when the Wharf was compulsorily purchased by London County Council

London County Council

London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...

 to extend Victoria Tower Gardens

Victoria Tower Gardens

Victoria Tower Gardens is a public park along the north bank of the River Thames in London. As its name suggests, it is adjacent to the Victoria Tower, the south-western corner of the Palace of Westminster...

.

External links

• Horse drawn fire engine: 19th century Museum of London