yeovil people
Amelia 'Millie' Hutchings
A domestic servant and dressmaker, typical of many young Yeovilian ladies
Amelia
Hutchings, known
as Millie, was
born in Yeovil
in the spring of
1862. She was
the middle child
of the seven
children of
tailor John
Hutchings
(1834-1896) and
Sarah nee
Minchington
(1829-1908).
John and Sarah's
children - all
born in Yeovil -
were Elizabeth
(b1856), Ellen
(b1861), Millie,
James (b1864),
William (b1866),
Mary Jane
(b1870), and
Henry J (b1873).
In the 1871 census the family were living in Back Kingston (today's Higher Kingston). John gave his occupation as a tailor, Sarah gave hers as a dressmaker while Ellen, Millie, James and William were scholars. Mary Jane was only one year old.
By the time of the 1881 census, 18-year old Millie was living at 12 Peter Street and working as a general domestic servant to Harriett Morrish, the mistress of a preparatory school. The 1891 census recorded that Millie had moved back in with her parents, who were now living in Sparrow Lane (today's Sparrow Road). 28-year old Millie gave her occupation as a dressmaker, like her mother.
In the autumn of 1896, 34-year old Millie married railway porter William James Grant (b1869) at Yeovil. They were to have seven children; Elsie May (b1893), Arthur (b1895), Willie (b1899), Lillian (b1900), Dorothy Ellen (1902-1961), Thomas Henry F, known as Tommy, (b1904) and Edith Amelia (1905-1973). Although Elsie and Arthur are listed in the 1901 census as the daughter and son of William and Millie, their birth dates indicate they were born before their parents' marriage. However, in the 1911 census William and Millie stated that they had been married for fourteen years and had only ever had five children! A mystery.
In the 1901 census William and Millie, together with their four eldest children and Millie's widowed mother Sarah, were listed at 15 Mudford Road. William and Mille were at the same address in 1911, together with their children Willie, Lillian, Dorothy, Tommy and Edith.
Millie died in Yeovil in the late spring of 1921. She was 59 years old.
gallery
From my
collection
Amelia 'Millie' Hutchings, photographed by John Chaffin & Sons circa 1880.
