In Newcastle (Old Jesmond) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave with a private headstone of Paymaster Lieutenant Herbert Miller serving on H.M.S. Halcyon with the Royal Naval Reserve who died 06/12/1918.
He was the son of James and Mary Hannah Miller.
The headstone reads:
In Memory of
Paymaster Lieutenant
Herbert Miller, R.N.R.
the eldest son of
James and Mary Hannah Miller
who died at Lowestoft
on December 6th 1918, aged 33 years.
Also Mary Rosanna Miller (Minnie)
eldest daughter of the above
who died July 18th 1928, aged 59 years.
Also James Miller
who died April 15th 1934
aged 30 years.
Also Mary Hannah,
The wife of James Miller
who died November 9th 1935
aged 89 years.
Also Joseph Miller
Son of the above
James and Mary Hannah Miller
born May 7th 1871, died March 15th 1938.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Herbert Miller was one of 6 children and the youngest of his surviving 4 siblings, offspring of James Miller and Mary Hannah Easton. James and Mary Hannah, who was the daughter of tailor Mark Easton and Mary Anderson, were both natives of Newcastle upon Tyne, born March 3rd 1844 and October 3rd 1846, respectively.
They were married in the district of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1867, their daughter Mary Rosanne was born April 18th 1869, Joseph, May 7th 1871, Nellie, July 6th 1873, Mark Easton, May 22nd 1875 and Colville Miller was born and died January 6th 1878-May 8th 1878. His demise was followed by that of Nellie, November 11th 1879. They and their surviving children were living at 230, Westgate Road, Newcastle in 1881 where James was a provisions dealer.
Herbert was born, July 27th 1885 and although the family remained in Newcastle they had transferred to 14, West Parade, Elswick. Herbert’s elder siblings, Mary (21), Joseph (19) and Mark (15) were all employed as clerks. Over the next ten years they moved to a 9 roomed property at 81, Brighton Grove, Fenham, and by the age of 25 Herbert was also employed as a clerk
When war was declared, August 4th 1914, he became part of the Royal Naval Reserve and due to his experience in accounting was assigned as Paymaster-Lieutenant aboard HMS Halcyon, a torpedo gun-boat of the Royal Navy. Prior to WW1 it had been sold but recommissioned upon the declaration of was as a minesweeper, under the command of the North Sea Fisheries, patrolling the coastline. The Halcyon was involved in the raid on Yarmouth, November 3rd 1914 and attributed in July 1917, the sinking of a German U-boat off Smiths Knoll.
Paymaster-Lieutenant Herbert Miller died of pneumonia at the Isolation Hospital, Lowestoft, December 6th 1918, at the height of the Spanish flue pandemic (H1N1), he was 33 years of age and single.
At the request of his family and paid for by them, his body was returned to Newcastle-upon Tyne where he was laid to rest within Old Jesmond Cemetery, grave X. 2L. 4.
The effects of Herbert Miller resident at 3, Linden Road, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, in the sum of £1160 9 shillings 10 pence were assigned to his brother, chartered accountant, Joseph Miller.
Herbert’s elder brother Mark Easton Miller served during WW1 with the Canadian Forces and survived the conflict. He died in Ontario, Canada in 1942.
Mary Rosannah Miller never married, she died July 18th 1928, her death preceded that of both her parents. James Miller died, April 15th 1934 whilst living at Grove Lodge, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. Administration as per his Will to chartered accountant Joseph Miller, August 3rd 1934 in the sum of £171 8 shillings 5 pence. His widow Mary Hannah Miller nee Easton died, November 9th 1935, her assets in the sum of £1173 9 shillings 4 pence also passed to her son Joseph Miller, December 10th 1935.
Joseph Miller, chartered accountant at 18, Market Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, died March 15th 1938 at his home 20, The Grove , Gosforth. Effects in the sum of £25600 15 shillings 8 pence to his widow Gertrude Miller, William Holland company director and Jeffrey Tailor, chartered accountant.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Herbert Miller is remembered at Gosforth on G9.21, G9.27 and G9.37, at Jesmond on J1.04 and J1.19 page 41 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
