Taverner John Miller
Encyclopedia
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.
and was a "ship-owner and sperm-oil refiner and merchant". He ran a 'Sperm Oil merchants and Spermaceti
refiners' business called 'Messr T J Miller & Son' from Dorset Wharf, on the site of the current Victoria Tower Gardens
by the Houses of Parliament.
Miller was elected as MP for Maldon
in the 1852 general election
. However an election petition
and an investigation into corrupt practices in the borough (in which he was not implicated) led to the election being declared void in 18 Mar 1853; the writ
was suspended and the by-election was not held until August 1854. In February 1857 he stood unsuccessfully at a by-election in Colchester
, but won the seat at the general election in March 1857
and held it until his resignation
on 5 February 1867 by taking the post of Steward of the Manor of Northstead..
He married Marian Cheyne in 1838 and was a Church Warden of St Johns Westminster in 1855.
Miller's father, Charles Taverner Miller (1773-1830) was a wax chandler from Middlesex who has a patent (5896) in his name for an improved method of making candles in 1830 and exhibited at the 1951 Great Exhibition
. His brother, George Alexander Miller, described as an "oilman and wax chandler" founded Miller and sons
which had premises at 179 Piccadilly.
The whaling business was continued by his son, George Taverner Miller (1839-1917) until Dorset Wharf was compulsorily purchased for £68,000 in 1906 by London County Council
to extend Victoria Tower Gardens
.
In 1831 he appeared as primary prosecution witness at the trial of a 19 year old George Fox at the Old Bailey
where Fox was convicted for pickpocketing
Miller's silk handkerchief and was sentenced to be transported
for fourteen years.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
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.
Biography
Miller lived at 1 Millbank, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and was a "ship-owner and sperm-oil refiner and merchant". He 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 site of the current 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...
by the Houses of Parliament.
Miller was elected as MP for Maldon
Maldon (UK Parliament constituency)
Maldon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
in the 1852 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1852
The July 1852 United Kingdom general election was a watershed election in the formation of the modern political parties of Britain. Following 1852, the Tory/Conservative party became, more completely, the party of the rural aristocracy, while the Whig/Liberal party became the party of the rising...
. However an election petition
Election petition
An election petition refers to the procedure for challenging the result of a Parliamentary election or local government election in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong.- Outcomes :...
and an investigation into corrupt practices in the borough (in which he was not implicated) led to the election being declared void in 18 Mar 1853; the writ
Writ of election
A writ of election is a writ issued by the government ordering the holding of a special election for a political office.In the United Kingdom and in Canada, this is the only way of holding an election for the House of Commons...
was suspended and the by-election was not held until August 1854. In February 1857 he stood unsuccessfully at a by-election in Colchester
Colchester (UK Parliament constituency)
Colchester is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
, but won the seat at the general election in March 1857
United Kingdom general election, 1857
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
and held it until his resignation
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
on 5 February 1867 by taking the post of Steward of the Manor of Northstead..
He married Marian Cheyne in 1838 and was a Church Warden of St Johns Westminster in 1855.
Miller's father, Charles Taverner Miller (1773-1830) was a wax chandler from Middlesex who has a patent (5896) in his name for an improved method of making candles in 1830 and exhibited at the 1951 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...
. His brother, George Alexander Miller, described as an "oilman and wax chandler" founded Miller and sons
Miller and Sons (London, Piccadilly)
Miller and sons were manufacturers of oil lamps with offices at 179 Piccadilly, London. They were registered as "Spermaceti-refiners, Wax Chandlers, Oil-merchants".-History:...
which had premises at 179 Piccadilly.
The whaling business was continued by his son, George Taverner Miller (1839-1917) until Dorset Wharf was compulsorily purchased for £68,000 in 1906 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...
.
In 1831 he appeared as primary prosecution witness at the trial of a 19 year old George Fox at the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
where Fox was convicted for pickpocketing
Pickpocketing
Pickpocketing is a form of larceny that involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person of a victim without their noticing the theft at the time. It requires considerable dexterity and a knack for misdirection...
Miller's silk handkerchief and was sentenced to be transported
Transported
Transported is a 1913 Australian silent movie directed by W. J. Lincoln. It stars George Bryant, Godfrey Cass and Roy Redgrave. The movie was 28 minutes long....
for fourteen years.