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Thomas Weston Miln Esquire

Thomas Weston Miln was a flax merchant in Dundee. Having retired from business in the 1840s, he devoted his time to being active in good works for the community. He was the first to employ Bible women in Dundee.

Subscription value in 1863:

£50

Relative to inflation up to 2024:

£5000

Relative to income compared to 2024:

£40000

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Personal details and history

Full name

Thomas Weston Miln

Date of birth

circa 1787[1][2]

Place of birth

Riga, Russia[1]

Gender

Male

Marital status

Married[3]

Name of spouse

Sophia Suttoff[3] - died in Narva 03-07-1859[4]

Children

Thomas Theodore, only son born in Russia - died 31-01-1837 in Arbroath, Forfarshire(Angus)[5][6]

Home address

6 Greenfield Place[7][8][9][10]
Dundee 

Age at death:

87 years[3]

Place of death:

Greenfield Place, Dundee[3]

Date of death:

02-06-1874[3]

Buried:

Western Cemetry, Tablet Stone West Wall.

Affiliations, clubs, offices and related subscribers

Religious affiliation

Established Church - member of St Mary's East Church - Rev Charles Adie, DD[11]

Political affiliation

Unknown

Clubs / societies

The Working Mens Coffee and Reading Rooms[9][10] 'Honorary Agent' for the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society

Public offices

Dundee Royal Infirmary - Committee Member and House Visitor: Royal Lunatic Asylum - Director for Life: Royal Orphan Institution - An Ordinary Director: Model Lodging House Association - Committee Member: Dundee Industrial Schools Society - A Director: Baldovan Asylum - A Director: Indigent Sick Society - A Director: Seaman's Friend Society - Chairman: Dundee Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind - Trustee and Governor: Society for the Relief and Encouragement of the Fishermen in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland - Dundee Board Member: Public Baths - A Director: all those listed as at 1861-1870:[8][9][10]

Related subscribers

Career and worklife

Occupation

Retired Flax Merchant[8][10]

Employment

Retired

Place of work

N/A

Work address

Cowgate[12]
Dundee

later

Panmure Street[7]
Dundee

Career to date:

As a young man, Thomas Weston Miln was, for many years, a flax merchant in Russia.[11] Links with the trade were perhaps already established as his father, Robert Miln, had also been employed as a flax merchant. Thomas came to Scotland and settled in Dundee where he carried on a business as a merchant, firstly in the Cowgate.[11] He retired from the business in 1848.[11] George Armitstead was said to have succeeded to his business. From 1848, Thomas Weston Miln's life was dedicated to practical philanthropy, having been involved with a great many causes and institutions in Dundee.

More information

Thomas Weston Miln, a son of Robert Miln (flax merchant) and Gretchen Klatzo, was born in Riga. Another son, Robert, also became a flax merchant, living eventually at Viewfield in Arbroath.

From 1848 when Thomas retired from business, he devoted his life to doing good. There was scarcely an institution in Dundee in which he did not take an active part. In some of them, it was said, he took on the work of the whole committee.[11] At the Parochial Board he was also, at one period, of great service and gave much time and attention to having the Poorhouse opened and its management placed on a satisfactory footing.[11] Some years ago, hearing of the good that Bible Women were doing in some of the cities in England, he succeeded in getting his minister, the late Dr. Adie, together with some of the leading members of the East Church, to take up the cause as a congregation – the first Congregation to employ Bible women in Dundee.[11] The Model Lodging House Association  in Dundee (being safe residence to those in need) shared largely in his attention. He was deeply interested also in the general lodging houses of the town and was in communication with the Sanitary Inspector whose duty it was to visit these houses.[11] Mr. Miln took a great interest in the moral and spiritual welfare of the sailors belonging to the port and was, for many years, Chairman of the Committee of the Seamen’s Friendly Society. Mr Miln was instrumental in getting up a Sailor’s home, on which he spent a good deal of time. Its success was hindered through a lack of sailors requiring to make use of it as most had homes or relatives in the town.[11]

Described as having been of a quiet and unostentatious character, Thomas Weston Miln’s true hearted and earnest approach to charitable ventures was to the benefit of many.

Sources

  1. Original data: Scotland. 1851 Scotland Census. Reels 1-217. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Ancestry website
  2. Gravestone Inscription. Western Cemetery
  3. Statutory Registers. Dundee. Deaths. 1874. 282/ 1 309. ScotlandsPeople website
  4. Dundee People's Journal. 03 July 1859. p.4. Findmypast website
  5. London Courier and Evening Gazette. 06 February 1837. p.3. Findmypast website
  6. London Courier and Evening Gazette. 06 February 1837. Findmypast website
  7. Dundee Postal Directory, 1842-43. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies
  8. Dundee Postal Directory, 1861-62. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies
  9. Dundee Postal directory, 1864-65. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies
  10. Dundee Postal Directory, 1867-68. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies
  11. Dundee Courier. 03 June 1874. p,3. Findmypast website
  12. Dundee Postal Directory, 1837-38. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies

The information above about Thomas Weston Miln has been collated from a range of digital and hard copy sources. To the best of our knowledge it is correct but if you are relying on any information from our website for the purpose of your own research we would advise you to follow up the sources to your own satisfaction. If you are aware of an inaccuracy in our text please do not hesitate to notify us through our Contact page.