Taverner John Miller (1804 – 27 March 1867)[1][2] was an English businessman and Conservative Party politician. He was the owner of a whaling business based in Westminster, London and held a seat in the House of Commons from 1852 to 1853, and from 1857 to 1867.
Miller lived at 1 Millbank, London and was a "ship-owner and sperm-oil refiner and merchant"[3]. He ran a 'Sperm Oil merchants and Spermaceti refiners' business called 'Messr T J Miller & Son' from Dorset Wharf, on the site of the current Victoria Tower Gardens by the Houses of Parliament[4].
Miller was elected as MP for Maldon in the 1852 general election.[5] However an election petition and an investigation into corrupt practices in the borough (in which he was not implicated) led to the election being declared void in 18 Mar 1853;[1][6] the writ was suspended[1] and the by-election was not held until August 1854.[7] In February 1857 he stood unsuccessfully at a by-election in Colchester, but won the seat at the general election in March 1857[8] and held it until his resignation on 5 February 1867 by taking the post of Steward of the Manor of Northstead.[9][3]. He married Marian Cheyne in 1838 and was a Church Warden of St Johns Westminster in 1855[4].
Miller's father, Charles Taverner Miller (1773-1830) was a wax chandler from Middlesex who has a patent (5896) in his name for an improved method of making candles in 1830[10] and exhibited at the 1951 Great Exhibition[11]. His brother, George Alexander Miller, described as an "oilman and wax chandler" founded Miller and sons which had premises at 179 Piccadilly[12].
The whaling business was continued by his son, George Taverner Miller (1839-1917) until Dorset Wharf was compulsorily purchased for £68,000 in 1906 by London County Council to extend Victoria Tower Gardens[13][14].
In 1831 he appeared as primary prosecution witness at the trial of a 19 year old George Fox at the Old Bailey where Fox was convicted for pickpocketing Miller's silk handkerchief and was sentenced to be transported for fourteen years[15].
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by David Waddington Thomas Barrett Lennard |
Member of Parliament for Maldon 1852 – 1853 With: Charles du Cane |
Succeeded by George Peacocke John Bramley-Moore |
| Preceded by William Warwick Hawkins John Gurdon Rebow |
Member of Parliament for Colchester 1857 – 1867 With: John Gurdon Rebow to 1859 Philip Papillon 1859–65 John Gurdon Rebow from 1865 |
Succeeded by Edward Karslake John Gurdon Rebow |