Ralph Franklin Mills

Ralph Franklin was the the son of Tom Gunton Mills and his first wife Harriet (née Franklin). His father Tom Gunton was born on 6 July 1863 (J/A/S Cambridge), the son of James Mills, a bricklayer, and his wife Emma Elizabeth. He was baptised at Cambridge St Andrew the Less on 18 October 1863. His mother Harriet was born in Old Chesterton, Cambridge, in about 1864, the daughter of William and Annie Franklin. She was baptised at Chesterton parish church on 2 October 1864. Tom and Harriet were married in 1887 (J/A/S Chesterton Cambs.) and had two sons, Tom Gunton b. Cambridge on 22 April 1889 and Ralph Franklin b. Ely 1895 (J/A/S Ely). In 1901 Tom, a stonemason, and Harriet were living in Euclid Place, Exning, Suffolk, with their sons Tom (12) and Ralph (5). By 1911 the family was living at 97 Forest Street, Sutton in Ashfield. Harriet was listed on the census along with her sons Tom, a cotton patent frame hand, and Ralph who was a theatre property maker. However, her husband's name and details were included but then crossed out on the census return. Also in the household on the night of the census were Bessie Curtis (22 b. Chesterton) a hosiery machinist, described as a niece, and two visitors, Frederic Adderley (50 b. Wolverhampton) a theatre manager, and Eva Rosslyn (25 b. London) a theatrical musical artist. Tom and Harriet were still living on Forest Street when Ralph was killed in 1915. Harriet died in 1918 J/A/S Mansfield and Tom married Eliza A Hurt in 1932. In 1939 he and Eliza (b. 17 August 1887) were living on Penn Street, Sutton in Ashfield; Tom was a retired roads foreman. He died in 1944 (J/F/M Mansfield). Ralph's brother Tom married Harriet Brown (b. 17 August 1887) in 1917 (J/F/M Mansfield. In 1939 they were living in Sutton in Ashfield; he was a hosiery knitter. Tom died on 5 April 1964; he and and his wife were still living in Sutton in Ashfield. The probate record gave his alternative first names: 'Thomas Gunton otherwise Tom Gunton otherwise Tom Gunton'.