John Jarvis Millson

• Born        1850-1851 at Donington Lincolnshire
• Died        3 January 1919, Prestwich
• Burial      Congleton?

John Jarvis Millson was born at Donington, Lincolnshire, the son of Enoch Millson (c.1812-1865), a carpenter and builder employing 3-4 men in 1851-61 and whose whose effects were valued at under £800. J J Millson had moved to Manchester by the mid-1860s and went into partnership with Evan Williams as Williams and Millson. They continued trading together until around 1883 after which Millson worked under his own name. By 1900 he had earned the reputation for being one of Manchester's most 'versatile and talented' architectural sculptors and his carving for All Saints, Stockport and Lichfield Cathedrals was considered 'marked by great beauty of form, delicacy of expression, and perfection of finish.' ('Bury Times', 12 October 1901 quoted in Wyke, 2004, p. 454). John Jarvis was employing his son Leonard Belton Millson (born 1884) in the family business by this date.

Numerous buildings in Manchester, ranging from commercial and civic buildings to churches and private dwellings, are ornamented by Jarvis's carvings and sculpture in wood and stone. Millson's work was also exported abroad. Wyke (2004) provides detailed descriptions of Millson's Manchester commissions for: the Blundell Memorial; Bury Art Gallery; Bury Arts and Crafts Centre; the Fire and Police Stations, London Road; Mynshull's House; Oldham Public Library; Touchstones, the Esplanade, Rochdale; and a statue of Edward VII for Bolton Royal Infirmary, (1914).

Address
1876    Evan Williams & Millson architectural and monumental sculptors; general carvers in marble, stone and wood; modellers, etc., tombs, monuments, fonts, altar pieces screens, pulpits etc.24, City Road Hulme
1877-8    E Williams & Millson, sculptors and carvers in marble stone etc. 24,* City Road, Hulme (Slater) [*Listed as 18 City Road in the street directory]
1883    J J Millson 24 City Road Hulme (Slater alphabetical) [26 City Road in street directory] J J Millson, sculptor and modeller, 24 City Road, Manchester. B.A Directory 12 Oct 1883)
1911    John J Millson wood and stone carver, sculptor, modeller stone and marble mason etc. *24, City Road, Hulme.  [*26 City Road in street directory] (Slater alphabetical and trades)
1917    John J Millson, sculptor.  26, City Road, Hulme (Slater Trades)
1919    John J Millson, sculptor.  26, City Road, Hulme (Slater Trades)
1920    No entry

Residence
1871    11 Warde Street Hulme Manchester
1876    John Millson, sculptor (E Williams & Millson) 28 Upper Tamworth Street Hulme (Slater)
1877-8    John Jarvis Millson, sculptor (E Williams & Millson) 28 Upper Tamworth Street Brook's Bar (Slater)
1881    7 Plymouth Street Lower Broughton (Census)
1883    7 Plymouth Street Lower Broughton (Slater)
1895    Earle Terrace 113, Brighton Lane, (sic) Lower Broughton (Slater)
1903    113, Broughton Lane, Lower Broughton (Slater)
1911    113, Broughton Lane, Lower Broughton (Slater)
1914    6, Portugal Road, Hilton Park, Prestwich (Slater)
1917    6, Portugal Road, Hilton Park, Prestwich (Slater)
1919    6, Portugal Road, Hilton Park, Prestwich (Slater Suburban)

*The address varies in the various sections of Slater’s directory