Two David Milsoms at Box Hill Alan Payne January 2023
David Milsom (1856-1927) standing centre of his gang (courtesy Bob Hancock)
This is the story of two people called David Milsom, both residents of Box Hill whose lives roughly overlapped but who were very different people by career and character. David Milsom (1856-1927) was a notable quarryman who became legendary for his knowledge and skills. The other David Milsom (1861-1925) was a publican who developed a business of extracting and selling mineral water.
David Milsom (1856-1927) at The Rocks
One branch of Milsoms had connections with Box for most of the nineteenth century. Jacob Milsom (1813-) and his wife
Elizabeth (1806-) lived at Box Mill in 1841 where Jacob worked as a labourer. A decade later Jacob appears to have married again to a woman called Charlotte. He also changed his employment to become a shopkeeper grocer in the centre of Box village, possibly at a site near the Queen’s Head. By 1861 there were more changes and Jacob identified himself as haulier stone quarries. Thereafter Jacob and Charlotte left Box and moved to Corsham where Jacob called himself quarryman or stone merchant. Their oldest son, John Milsom (1833-), stayed in Box working as a quarryman and in 1855 married Eliza Stennard (1833-) from Atworth. In 1861 John and Eliza were living at Washwells and by 1871 had moved to Box Quarries. Their eldest son David (1856-1927) is one of the subjects of this article.
David Milsom (1856-1927) appears to have led a wanton childhood on Box Hill, symptomatic of young men before education became readily available. In 1872 he was summonsed for stealing apples along with his mates William Phelps and John Jenkins from the orchard of William Hayward, farmer.[1] In 1876 he married Jane Wootten (1861-) and shortly after he built 1 The Rocks in 1909 he moved the family there. David was a leading quarryman who rose through the ranks of trusted Bath & Portland Stone Firms, where he was described as a foreman. David employed other men (his gang) and operated a crane to lift huge stone blocks to the surface. David was an early advocate in 1896 of starting a Rifle Club in Box to train young men to shoot to improve the ability of many Boer War servicemen. He was a staunch royalist, conservative in his views, and a devoted family man.
David Milsom (1856-1927) at The Rocks
One branch of Milsoms had connections with Box for most of the nineteenth century. Jacob Milsom (1813-) and his wife
Elizabeth (1806-) lived at Box Mill in 1841 where Jacob worked as a labourer. A decade later Jacob appears to have married again to a woman called Charlotte. He also changed his employment to become a shopkeeper grocer in the centre of Box village, possibly at a site near the Queen’s Head. By 1861 there were more changes and Jacob identified himself as haulier stone quarries. Thereafter Jacob and Charlotte left Box and moved to Corsham where Jacob called himself quarryman or stone merchant. Their oldest son, John Milsom (1833-), stayed in Box working as a quarryman and in 1855 married Eliza Stennard (1833-) from Atworth. In 1861 John and Eliza were living at Washwells and by 1871 had moved to Box Quarries. Their eldest son David (1856-1927) is one of the subjects of this article.
David Milsom (1856-1927) appears to have led a wanton childhood on Box Hill, symptomatic of young men before education became readily available. In 1872 he was summonsed for stealing apples along with his mates William Phelps and John Jenkins from the orchard of William Hayward, farmer.[1] In 1876 he married Jane Wootten (1861-) and shortly after he built 1 The Rocks in 1909 he moved the family there. David was a leading quarryman who rose through the ranks of trusted Bath & Portland Stone Firms, where he was described as a foreman. David employed other men (his gang) and operated a crane to lift huge stone blocks to the surface. David was an early advocate in 1896 of starting a Rifle Club in Box to train young men to shoot to improve the ability of many Boer War servicemen. He was a staunch royalist, conservative in his views, and a devoted family man.
Left to Right: 1 and 2 The Rocks built by David Milsom (courtesy Varian Tye)
David and Jane had a son James Edmund (1879-1948) described in 1901 as invalid soldier, aged only 22. He had joined as a private in the Dragoon Guards aged 18 in 1897, having already served in the Somerset Light Infantry as a volunteer. It didn’t work out and, after 22 days in hospital, he requested to be discharged in 1898 on payment of £18 (today worth £3,000). Socially, James Edmund Milsom was a very different person to his father, with a good education and a very fine signature. James Edmund did, however, share the same interest in rifle shooting as his father, and he captained the Box club and represented Wiltshire in national competitions in 1907. James Edmund married Charlotte Gregory (usually called Elsie) in 1908 and they and their son Alec (1909-) lived next door at number 2 The Rocks and later at Evercreech.
The wedding of David Milsom and Georgina Griffin at Malmesbury in 1903 (courtesy Linda Finch)
David Milsom (1861-1925) at the Rising Sun
This branch of the Milsom family moved to Box Hill when Joseph Milsom (1795-), a baker and grocer born at Holt, married Mary (1793-). In the 1851 census records they lived at Box Quarries where their son David senior (1834-99) was employed in the business and in 1856 married Amelia L Razey (1833-1890) at Pewsey. By 1861 the family had made a little money and David senior was farming 24 acres. By 1871 their actual place of residence was identified as The Rising Sun pub and David senior was described as widower living at the Rising Sun as brewer and farmer. Several members of the family lived in the pub including Eliza Milsom (-16 January 1899) and David Milsom (1834-2 March 1899). Both left their effects to John Milsom, described as clerk and refreshment contractor, and Robert Frederick Lee, fur and skin-merchant, but it was David junior (1861-1925) – the second subject of this article – who took over the licence of the pub on his father’s death in 1899.
This branch of the Milsom family moved to Box Hill when Joseph Milsom (1795-), a baker and grocer born at Holt, married Mary (1793-). In the 1851 census records they lived at Box Quarries where their son David senior (1834-99) was employed in the business and in 1856 married Amelia L Razey (1833-1890) at Pewsey. By 1861 the family had made a little money and David senior was farming 24 acres. By 1871 their actual place of residence was identified as The Rising Sun pub and David senior was described as widower living at the Rising Sun as brewer and farmer. Several members of the family lived in the pub including Eliza Milsom (-16 January 1899) and David Milsom (1834-2 March 1899). Both left their effects to John Milsom, described as clerk and refreshment contractor, and Robert Frederick Lee, fur and skin-merchant, but it was David junior (1861-1925) – the second subject of this article – who took over the licence of the pub on his father’s death in 1899.
Male dominated social life at the Rising Sun (courtesy Anne and Dave Butts)
At first, David worked with his sisters, Harriet housekeeper and Ann cook until he married Georgie Alberta Elizabeth Griffin (born 1870 in Corsham-1942). These were the years when the inn provided recreation and a social base for men wanting pub sports of darts, cribbage and shove ha’penny and time away from their overcrowded family settings. But in the years before and after the Great War, the quarry industry had declined and the number of employees reduced by poverty and wartime casualties. Society too had altered with the role of women taking greater leadership in family matters.
In 1909, David started a second business venture in the field adjacent to the pub to capture and bottle aerated mineral water under the name Milsom’s Aerated Products (MAPS) which offered a red and natural range. The bottles were then sold from a horse and cart around local houses. The company continued for several years beyond David’s death in 1925 until it came to an end in the mid-1930s. Their son, David George (1906-), was a British merchant seaman from about 1921 until 1941, serving on the HMS Glenbank in 1924-26 as 2nd wireless operator.
In 1909, David started a second business venture in the field adjacent to the pub to capture and bottle aerated mineral water under the name Milsom’s Aerated Products (MAPS) which offered a red and natural range. The bottles were then sold from a horse and cart around local houses. The company continued for several years beyond David’s death in 1925 until it came to an end in the mid-1930s. Their son, David George (1906-), was a British merchant seaman from about 1921 until 1941, serving on the HMS Glenbank in 1924-26 as 2nd wireless operator.
Milsom MAPS bottles (courtesy Eric Callaway)
The two David Milsoms were very different people in character but, like most residents of Box Hill, they depended on the quarrying trade for their living. Their success and downturns varied with the economic cycles of the trade. Now that the industry has totally ended, we will never see their likes on Box Hill again.
Family Trees
Milsoms at The Rocks
Jacob Milsom (1813-) married Elizabeth (1806-). Children:
John Milsom (1833-), quarryman, married Eliza Stennard (1833-) in 1855. Children include: David (1856-5 October 1927).
David (1856-5 October 1927) married Jane Wootten (1861-). Children include: James Edmund Milsom (1878-1944).
James Edmund Milsom (24 July 1878-1948) married Elsie (1888-). Children include Alec (1909-) and Mary,
Milsoms at Rising Sun
Joseph Milsom (1795-) born at Holt was a baker and grocer, who married Mary (1793-). Children included: David (1834-99)
David (1834-99) married Amelia L Razey (1834-16 June 1890) from Holt. Children:
David Milsom (baptised 14 July 1861-1925) married Georgie Alberta Elizabeth Griffin (born 1870 in Corsham-1942). Children:
Milsoms at The Rocks
Jacob Milsom (1813-) married Elizabeth (1806-). Children:
- John Milsom (1833-);
- Sarah (1837-);
- William (1840-);
- Eliza H (1843-)
John Milsom (1833-), quarryman, married Eliza Stennard (1833-) in 1855. Children include: David (1856-5 October 1927).
David (1856-5 October 1927) married Jane Wootten (1861-). Children include: James Edmund Milsom (1878-1944).
James Edmund Milsom (24 July 1878-1948) married Elsie (1888-). Children include Alec (1909-) and Mary,
Milsoms at Rising Sun
Joseph Milsom (1795-) born at Holt was a baker and grocer, who married Mary (1793-). Children included: David (1834-99)
David (1834-99) married Amelia L Razey (1834-16 June 1890) from Holt. Children:
- Eliza (1857-1899), unmarried;
- John (1858-) married Harriett Powell from Bath in 1883. By 1901 John called himself clerk stone merchant the stone industry was in depression and John worked for his father as a Mineral water salesman. They lived at Mead House in 1891 and 1901 and at Lyndale, Devizes Road in 1911. Children include John Henry (1885-), William Albert Victor (1886-), wheelwright and carpenter, Horace ()1889-, banker mason and Reginald (1892-);
- Harriet Mary (1859-), dressmaker;
- David (baptised 14 July 1861-1925);
- Ann Amelia (1864-), barmaid;
- Emma Jane (1866-);
- George Arthur (1867-);
- Ellen (1869-);
- Florence (1873-);
- Agnes (1877-).
David Milsom (baptised 14 July 1861-1925) married Georgie Alberta Elizabeth Griffin (born 1870 in Corsham-1942). Children:
- David George (1906-);
- Una Mary (1910-).
Reference
[1] Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette, 22 August 1872
[1] Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette, 22 August 1872