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ERNEST CYRIL MILLER and DULCIE KATHERINE MILLER (nee BERNARD)

1881

1900     Tennis tournament at Grange. The annual tournament of the North Lonsdale Tennis Club was held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday … Participants: E.C.Miller and J.H.Miller. Playing together they lost in the finals of the men's doubles. [1]

1908     Captain E.C.Miller appointed to the committee of the newly-formed Grange Rifle Club. [9]

1910     Mr E.C.Miller was elected captain of Grange Golf Club. [10]

The local Rifle Club is making a name, having had a successful season, … The Deakin cup was won by Capt Miller. [11]

1913     MILLER - BERNARD AT COPDOCK The marriage took place at St Peter's Church, Copdock, near Ipswich, on Wednesday last week [5 November 1913] of Miss Dulcie Katherine Bernard, youngest daughter of Mr & Mrs A M Bernard, to Mr Ernest Cyril Miller, third son of the late Mr W Pitt Miller, of Merlewood and Thistleton, and Mrs Miller, of Merlewood, Grange. The church was filled with a fashionable congregation, which included representatives of many well-known county families. The bridegroom is a captain in the 3^rd Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. The bride, who was given away by her father, was attired in a dress of soft white brocaded crepe de chine, with diamante bretelles, and trails of orange blossom on the trains, draped with very beautiful Devonshire lace (the gift of her mother), veil of tulle, with wreath of orange blossom. She carried a bouquet of white carnations, white heather and orange blossom, and wore a star-sapphire and diamond pendant (the gift of the bridegroom) and a diamond brooch (lent by her aunt, Mrs A Capel Cure). The bridesmaids were Miss Avril Bernard (sister of the bride), Miss Rhona Miller (sister of the bridegroom), Miss Ruby Miller (niece of the bridegroom) and Miss Sybil Beauchamp. The three older bridesmaids wore dresses of pale blue crepe ninon, trimmed with dark brown marabout, and small velvet hats to match with pale blue ostrich feather mounts. Miss Ruby Miller was dressed in a more simple manner in the same materials, and wore bronze shoes and stockings and a mushroomed-shape velvet hat to match. They carried bouquets of pale pink carnations, tied with blue ribbons, and wore blue butterflies' wings set under crystal as pendants, both being gifts of the bridegroom. Mrs Bernard carried a bouquet of pink carnations, with pink ribbon. The best man was Mr Thos Pitt Miller, brother of the bridegroom. The service was read by the Ven Archdeacon of Suffolk, uncle of the bride, assisted by the Rev Canon Beauchamp, rector of Copdock. An address was given by the Rev Chancellor Bernard, Chaplain-in-Ordinary to the King, uncle of the bride… The honeymoon will be spent in the New Forest, at a residence lent by Mr and Mrs Heygate.. The bride's travelling dress was of mole-coloured chiffon velvet, with hat of cherry-coloured velvet and skunk furs. [2]

1914     On [8 August 1914] the 3^rd Battalion [LNLR (Special Reserve)] was mobilized and dispatched at once to its war station, Felixstowe, where it arrived early on the morning of the 9^th … the following officers accompanied …Captains … E.C.Miller … Lieutenants …J.H.Miller. [3]

1914     At 9.30pm [23 October 1914] the Battalion was relieved by a French Territorial Regiment - the 80^th - and withdrew by Pilckem to Ypres, where it arrived in the early morning of the 25^th. In this action … two officers were killed - Captain Miller. [4]

1914     Captain Miller killed. The news which was received in Lindale on Tuesday that Captain Ernest Cyril Miller, second surviving son of Mrs Miller of Merlewood and the late Mr W.P.Miller, had been killed in action, threw a gloom over the village. The tolling of the church bell for the fifth time in a fortnight announcing an almost unprecedented sequence of deaths, all of which occurred outside the parish, seemed to come as a climax. When Lieut. J.H.Miller arrived home wounded a fortnight ago, it was announced that his brother, Captain Miller, had then joined the fighting line. Captain Miller, when his military duty permitted, took an active interest in the work of the parish. He was a vice-president of the Institute and C.E.M.S., and when the late Mr Robert Casson in 1907 retired from the position of vicar's warden, Canon Irving, of Hawkshead, then vicar of Lindale, nominated him as his warden, a position which he ably filled for the ensuing three years. He was president of the Lindale Football Club from its commencement, and an enthusiastic supporter of the unionist cause. Some years ago, whilst in camp at Fleetwood, Captain Miller with his eldest brother and other officers, were attacked with ptomaine poisoning. His brother died. The captain recovered after a very severe illness. He was only married at the end of last year to Miss Bernard, of Cop Dock, Suffolk, and went to reside at Haverbrack, near Milnthorpe. [5]

1914          By the death of Capt E.C.Miller (third son of Mrs W.Pitt Miller, of Merlewood) Lindale has lost a warm friend and supporter, as he always identified himself with every object having for its aim the welfare of the village. He was for some years a churchwarden, vice-president of both the Institute and C.E.M.S., District Scout-master, and one of the founders of the Grange Rifle Club. Capt Miller has left behind him a honoured name, and his ready help, cheery smile, and pleasant word will be sadly missed, and the district generally will be the poorer for his absence. [12]

1914     At the close of the sermon on Sunday morning the vicar of Beetham, Rev A.J.Balleine, made touching reference to the death of the late Captain Miller, of Haverbrack. [6]

1914     Capt E.C.Miller. On Saturday afternoon a service in memory of the late Capt E.C.Miller, of Merlewood, who, it is now understood, fell whilst leading an attack on a German position near Ypres, was held in Lindale Church, where the deceased officer was one of the churchwardens from 1907-10. There was a large congregation. The Clergy … were the vicar (Rev F.C.Dewick), Canon Irving (Hawkshead), Canon Fowler (Flookburgh), Rev G.Vickars-Gaskell (Grange) and Rev A.L.Gedge, chaplain to His Majesty's Forces, Fulwood, Preston. The members of the family and relatives present were Mrs E.C.Miller (widow), Mrs W.P.Miller (mother), Mr T.P.Miller and Capt J.H.Miller (brothers), Mrs H.B.Dykes (Dovenby Hall, Cockermouth) and Miss Miller (sisters), Mr and Mrs T.H.Miller, of Singleton Park, Lytham, and Mr and Mrs Gardner. The late captain was the District Commissioner for the Boy Scout movement, and the Lindale, Grange and Cartmel contingents were present. The service throughout was most impressive. [7]

1917     Beetham - A special service was held at the Parish Church on Sunday afternoon, when the Bishop of Barrow-in-Furness dedicated a War Memorial Cross … the Bishop mentioned the names inscribed on the cross as follows: Capt Ernest Miller … [8]  

[1] Westmorland Gazette, 11 August 1900, p.5; 18 August 1900, p.6

[2] Westmorland Gazette, 15 November 1913, p.5

[3] Wylly, H.C. 1933. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Vol.II 1914-1919, p.155

[4] Wylly, H.C. 1933. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Vol.II 1914-1919, p.12

[5] Westmorland Gazette, 31 October 1914, p. 8.

[6] Westmorland Gazette, 7 November 1914,  p.9 (photo on p. 8).

[7] Westmorland Gazette, 14 November 1914, p.5.

[8] Westmorland Gazette, 1 September 1917

[9] Grange Red Book, 1909, p.110

[10] Grange Red Book, 1911, p.91

[11] Grange Red Book, 1910, p.107

[12] Grange Red Book, 1916, p.99

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