John Alfred Miller was born at Hill Cottage, Worbarrow on 29 March 1866 to Thomas Henry Miller (1835-1926) and his wife Louisa Jane Miller nee Langrish (1832-1912) and baptised at Tyneham Church on 20 May 1866.
He was known mostly as ‘Jack’ but sometimes as ‘Jam’ because of his initials.
Jack married Alice Mary White Rose (1865-1959), known as Miggie, on 8 November 1897 at Swanage. She was the daughter of Edward Austin Rose (1843-1901) and his wife Martha Ann Pink (1847-1940).
The witnesses were Edward Rose (Miggie’s father), Emily Florence Pink Rose (Miggie’s sister), Edward Percy Rose (Miggie’s brother) and Martha Elizabeth Miller (Jack’s sister).
Jack met Miggie when she was the cook at the Victoria Hotel in Swanage and he drove the Station Omnibus.
Jack Miller had driven the station omnibus for the Victoria Hotel at Swanage and married the Victoria’s competent cook, a London maiden with the – to children – fascinating name of Alice White Rose. They named their home at Worbarrow “White Rose Cottage” and lived in it until, after Joseph [Miller]’s death, they moved into his house, Sea Cottage, on the edge of the shore.
Lilian Bond
Jack and Miggie lived at Rose Cottage, Worbarrow. They did not have any children.
Jack and Miggie moved to Sea Cottage, Worbarrow in 1913 following Joseph Henry Miller’s death.
On 26 August 1937, Miggie’s mother Martha Ann Rose nee Pink (1847-1940), known as Granny Rose, celebrated her 90th Birthday.
On 29 September 1939, the occupants of Sea Cottage were:
| MILLER | John A | M | 73 | 1866 | Married | Fisherman |
| MILLER | Alice M | F | 73 | 1865 | Married | Unpaid Domestic Duties |
| ROSE | Martha Ann | F | 92 | 1847 | Widow | Retired O A Pensioner |
Granny Rose died in October 1940 aged 93 years. She was buried in Tyneham Churchyard on 18 October 1943.
Jack and Miggie were evacuated from Worbarrow in December 1943. They were found a cottage at the edge of Langton Matravers on the road heading towards Kingston.
Jack and his wife moved, at the evacuation, to a house at Langton, condemned some time before and therefore conveniently unoccupied. There they endured extremes of damp and cold in great discomfort and without complaint. Jack fell victim to bronchitis, soon after the war, but “Miggie”, crippled with arthritis, lived until 1951 [1959], her gallant spirit undefeated and her Londoner’s quick tongue uncurbed. She was a generous and warm-hearted neighbour and a faithful friend, whose memory is treasured by a host of summer visitors to Worbarrow as well as by old inhabitants of Tyneham
Lilian Bond
Jack died at Jasper Cottage on 1 December 1947 aged 81.
His widow Miggie continued living at Langton and died on 23 February 1959 aged 92.
Jasper Cottage, at 120 High Street, Langton Matravers, is a Grade II listed building:
Detached cottage. Probably C17 origin, extended to right in C18. Rubblestone walls, stone slate roof, brick stack near centre. One storey and attic. Gabled porch with cambered stone lintel to doorway. Part-glazed door. At left end, a second part-glazed door into an integral outbuilding. Ground floor has one casement window with horizontal glazing bars, and one top-hung window. No dormers on front. Main ground floor room has large fireplace -built up, with evidence of bread oven. Deep chamfered ceiling beam. Stonefront boundary wall. Reputedly of long-house origin. A National Trust property. RCHM Monument 32 (Dorset Vol. II).
Page last updated: 1 October 2022