John Mills (Hampshire cricketer)
Encyclopedia
John Mills was a British soldier, politician and amateur cricket
er who played first-class cricket
from 1816 to 1820.
He was the eldest son of William Mills, a director of the Honourable East India Company, and the elder brother of Sir Charles Mills, 1st Baronet
.
Mills was educated at Harrow
and Christ Church, Oxford
, matriculating on 22 October 1807. He was commissioned an ensign
in the Coldstream Guards
on 27 December 1809. Mainly associated with Hampshire
, he made 9 known appearances in first-class matches. He played for the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players
series. Mills served with the regiment during the Peninsular War
and in Holland. He was promoted Lieutenant and Captain on 10 January 1814.
Mills was later appointed a verderer
of the New Forest
. He was elected as a Tory (and later Conservative
) Member of Parliament
(MP) for Rochester
at the 1831 general election
having contested the seat unsuccessfully in 1830
. He was re-elected in in 1832
, and held the sat until he stood down at the 1835 general election
. He was High Sheriff of Hampshire
in 1839, and was appointed a deputy lieutenant
in 1846. He died in 1871 at his estate of Bisterne.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
from 1816 to 1820.
He was the eldest son of William Mills, a director of the Honourable East India Company, and the elder brother of Sir Charles Mills, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Mills, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Mills, 1st Baronet was a British banker and member of the Council of India.Born at Popes, Hatfield, he was the third son of William Mills, a director of the Honourable East India Company, and the younger brother of John Mills.Like his father, he was connected with the banking firm of...
.
Mills was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, matriculating on 22 October 1807. He was commissioned an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
on 27 December 1809. Mainly associated with Hampshire
Hampshire county cricket teams
Hampshire county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that...
, he made 9 known appearances in first-class matches. He played for the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
series. Mills served with the regiment during the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
and in Holland. He was promoted Lieutenant and Captain on 10 January 1814.
Mills was later appointed a verderer
Verderer
Verderers are officials in Britain who deal with Common land in certain former royal hunting areas which are the property of The Crown.-Origins:...
of the New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
. He was elected as a Tory (and later Conservative
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...
) Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Rochester
Rochester (UK Parliament constituency)
Rochester was a parliamentary constituency in Kent. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England from 1295 to 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
at the 1831 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1831
The 1831 general election in the United Kingdom saw a landslide win by supporters of electoral reform, which was the major election issue. As a result it was the last unreformed election, as the Parliament which resulted ensured the passage of the Reform Act 1832. Polling was held from 28 April to...
having contested the seat unsuccessfully in 1830
United Kingdom general election, 1830
The 1830 United Kingdom general election, was triggered by the death of King George IV and produced the first parliament of the reign of his successor, William IV. Fought in the aftermath of the Swing Riots, it saw electoral reform become a major election issue...
. He was re-elected in in 1832
United Kingdom general election, 1832
-Seats summary:-Parties and leaders at the general election:The Earl Grey had been Prime Minister since 22 November 1830. His was the first predominantly Whig administration since the Ministry of all the Talents in 1806-1807....
, and held the sat until he stood down at the 1835 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1831
The 1831 general election in the United Kingdom saw a landslide win by supporters of electoral reform, which was the major election issue. As a result it was the last unreformed election, as the Parliament which resulted ensured the passage of the Reform Act 1832. Polling was held from 28 April to...
. He was High Sheriff of Hampshire
High Sheriff of Hampshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Hampshire, the title was often given as High Sheriff of the County of Southampton until 1959.-List of High Sheriffs:*1070–1096: Hugh de Port *1105: Henry de Port *1129: William de Pont de l'Arche...
in 1839, and was appointed a deputy lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
in 1846. He died in 1871 at his estate of Bisterne.
Further reading
- Arthur HaygarthArthur HaygarthArthur Haygarth was a noted amateur cricketer who became one of cricket's most significant historians....
, Scores & Biographies, Volumes 1-11 (1744–1870), Lillywhite, 1862–72