William Alexander Millar (1884 - 1949)

Born 6 Nov 1884 in Bedford, Cape Colony, South Africa

Husband of Melina Kate (Johns) Millar — married 7 Mar 1914 in Stellenbosch, Cape Province, South Africa

Descendants

Died 18 Mar 1949 at age 64 in Paarl, Cape Province, South Africa

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Susanna Hendrina Elisa de Bruyn [send private message]

Biography

William Alexander Millar is genealogies verbind aan Suid Afrika /is genealogically connected to South Africa

"Ever heard of Billy Millar? Today we look back the captain of the Second Springboks as we continue our countdown to 125 years of Test rugby in South Africa.

This framed Scroll of Fame (pictured) is dedicated to the First (1906/07) and Second Springboks (1912/13) who toured the British Isles and France.

The First Springboks under the Captaincy of Paul Johannes Roos played 28 games, won 25, lost two and drew one. It also won the Test series with two wins (15-12 against Ireland and 11-0 against Wales), one loss (Scotland, 6-0) and one draw (England 3-3).

The Second Springboks under the captaincy of Billy Millar played 27 matches, won 24 and lost three matches. It recorded the first Grand Slam in Springbok rugby history by defeating England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France. This tour also saw the introduction of the Springbok head mascot which was awarded to the first provincial / club team who registered a victory over the touring team.

Millar, at the age of 18 years joined the British forces in the South African War in 1901 as a member of the Cape Colony Cycle Corps who carried dispatches, assist in caring for the wounded and transporting stores and protecting the railway lines in North West Cape, amongst others.

For his efforts, Millar sustained a serious wound in his left shoulder in 1901. This injury threatened to terminate his active sporting career. Motivated by sympathetic medical personnel, Millar upon his discharge took up walking and boxing and succeeded in becoming the Western Province walking champion for distances up to 50 miles and the Cape Colony amateur heavyweight champion respectively.

Having sufficiently recovered, he joined Western Province in the Currie Cup tournament in Johannesburg In 1906. The tournament doubled as trials for the team to be chosen for the tour to the UK, Ireland and France later in 1906. But Millar, a loose forward, did not make it into the team.

When Bertie Mosenthal of Transvaal withdrew for "business reasons", Millar took his place, playing in 16 of the 19 matches, including the Test against England in which he scored the Springboks' only try in the 3-all match.

Two years later, in 1908, Millar captained Western Province at the Currie Cup tournament.

Then in 1912, the Springboks went to the UK, Ireland and France. To the selectors Millar had no right to be on the tour at all. In the Currie Cup tournament at Newlands in 1911 he was sent off for punching in the final between Eastern Province and Western Province.

In 1912 he was also sent from the field in a club match. Even though an after match discussion with the referee had no further repercussions, the selectors did not want Millar because of his temper and he was chosen as the last player on their list. Upon submission of the list to SA Rugby Football Board, Billy Simpkins and his executive vetoed the selectors' decision and made Millar the captain.

In 1914 World War I broke out and Millar joined the Cape Town regiment, the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles and was sent to German South West Africa. When he returned from South West late in 1915 he joined the Coldstream Guards with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and was dispatched to the Western Front.

Millar was shot seven times in World War I, most seriously the last time during the German Spring Offensive March 1918, just eight months before the war ended. In that offensive 75 000 British troops were taken captive, Millar one of them. His right elbow was shattered in a near fatal shooting and he was confined as a prisoner-of-war in a camp in Stendal in Prussia.

Thanks to a chance visit by a Dutch diplomat who happened to visit the POW camp, the Germans on his intercession then put Millar on a train down to the coast and England for medical treatment. He returned to Cape Town in 1919 before returning to England to be demobilized and for further treatment to his arm since he refused to have his arm amputated.

In 1924, when the British & Ireland Lions toured South Africa, the man with the “gammy” arm refereed the last two Tests of the series - a 3-all draw in Port Elizabeth and a 16-9 victory for the Springboks at Newlands."^[1]

• Birth: 6 Nov 1884; Bedford, Cape Colony, South Africa ^[2]
• Spouse: Melina Kate (Johns) Millar
• Death: 18 Mar 1949; Paarl, Cape Province, South Africa ^[1]

School: SACS ^[2]

Sports career

Springbok no: 109^[2]

Debut test province: Western Province ^[2]

Test summary: Tests: 6 Tries: 2 ^[2]

First Test: 8 Dec 1906 Age:23 Forward against England at Crystal Palace, London ^[2]

Last Test: 11 Jan 1913 Age:29 Forward against France at Le Bouscat, Bordeaux ^[2]

Test history:

Date Age Position Opponent Result Score Venue Prov

08 Dec 1906 23 Forward England Draw: 3-3 1 try Crystal Palace, London WP ^[2]

27 Aug 1910 26 Forward (C) Britain Lose: 3-8 Crusaders (St George's Park), Port Elizabeth WP ^[2]

03 Sep 1910 26 Forward (C) Britain Win: 21-5 Newlands, Cape Town WP ^[2]

30 Nov 1912 29 Forward (C) Ireland Win: 38-0 1 try Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin WP ^[2]

14 Dec 1912 29 Forward (C) Wales Win: 3-0 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff WP ^[2]

11 Jan 1913 29 Forward (C) France Win: 38-5 Le Bouscat, Bordeaux WP ^[2]

Marriage

William Alexander Millar married Melina Kate Johns on 7 March 1914 in Stellenbosch, Cape Province, South Africa ^[3]

Immigration

Name: William A Millar^[4]

Event Date: 1930^[4]

Event Place: New York, New York, United States^[4]

Gender: Male^[4]

Age: 47^[4]

Birth Year (Estimated): 1883^[4]

Birthplace: South Africa ^[4]

Ship Name: "Majestic" ^[4]

Death

Date: 18 March 1949^{[5] [2]}

Grave

Burial Date: 19 March 1949 ^[5]

Place: Parys main cemetery. Paarl, Cape Western^[6]

Places of interest

Millar street, Danville, Pretoria ^[7]

Sources

• Billy Millar (rugby union) Rugby player / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Billy Millar Research and entered Oct 20, 2023 by Susanna Hendrina Elisa de Bruyn

• Suid-Afrikaanse Geslagsregisters; Raad vir Geesteswetenskaplike Navorsing; opgestel deur J.A. Heese & R.T.J. Lombard [Deel 3; H - I; bl. 533-4]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} The Springbok Experience Rugby Museum Added here by Christine (Wolhuter) Schwarz on 21-06-2019
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13} Springbok Rugby Hall of Fame Billy Millar Seen and entered Oct 20, 2023, by Susanna Hendrina Elisa de Bruyn
3. ↑ South Africa, Civil Marriage Records, 1840-1973, database, FamilySearch Marriage of William Alexander Millar and Melina Kate Johns: 20 September 2022), > image 1 of 1; Pietermaritzburg Archives (Formerly Natal State Archives), South Africa. Research and entered Oct 20, 2023, by Susanna Hendrina Elisa de Bruyn
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7} "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch "Majestic" passenger list : 2 October 2015), 4871 - vol 10548-10549, Nov 17, 1930 > image 543 of 981; citing NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).Added here by Christine (Wolhuter) Schwarz on 21-06-2019
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers, 1801-2004," database with images, FamilySearch Paarl, Holy Trinity Burials 1850-2004 image 128: 5 August 2022, South Africa > Cape of Good Hope > Cape Town, Paarl, Holy Trinity > Burials 1850-2004 > image 128 of 142; William Cullen Library, Wits University, Johannesburg.: 5 August 2022), South Africa > Cape of Good Hope > Cape Town, Paarl, Holy Trinity > Burials 1850-2004 > image 128 of 142; William Cullen Library, Wits University, Johannesburg.Research and entered Oct 20, 2023 by Susanna Hendrina Elisa de Bruyn
6. ↑ eGGSA library Gravestones in South Africa Weskaap : Western Cape Western Cape, PAARL, Urban area Western Cape, PAARL, Parys main cemetery M - Surnames :: Vanne - M Mi - Surnames starting with the letters Mi MILLAR Grave of William Alexander Millar 1884 -1949 & Melina Kate -1948 Added here by Christine (Wolhuter) Schwarz on 21-06-2019
7. ↑ Google maps Millar street Research and entered Oct 20, 2023 by Susanna Hendrina Elisa de Bruyn