Miller & Sons

Miller & Sons of Piccadilly have a family company history that covers most of the 19th Century. They are known for their lamps but started off as manufacturing the products needed to fuel the lighting. They are known to have made Argand lamps, Doctor's or Carriage Lamps, Railway, Police, and Students Lamps and had contracts with the Admiralty. They also exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The 1828 Trade Directory notes Charles Miller & Sons as Spermaceti Refiners at 180 Piccadilly, adjacent to Fortnum and Masons who are on the corner of Duke Street. The use of whale oil was of course linked with wax and tallow Chandlers and the address was next door to that most commonly associated to Millers. Before this date, the business of George Miller was listed as Wax and Tallow Chandlers of 41 Watling Street in 1815. Charles Taverner Miller had two sons: Taverner John Miller and George Alexander Miller. The exact relationship of George from Watling Street to Taverner is not known but it is appears to be a family name and he is the only London Wax and Tallow Chandlers called Miller listed at this date. Added to this, a George Miller took out patents for lamps in 1834 and 1847. It appears that the two sons, Taverner and George ran different parts of the business. Taverner was a ship-owner and sperm-oil refiner/merchant and George manufactured the lamps.

By 1839, Miller & Sons, Wax Chandlers and Oil Merchants, are listed in Pigot's Directory at ... show more

Miller & Sons of Piccadilly have a family company history that covers most of the 19th Century. They are known for their lamps but started off as manufacturing the products needed to fuel the lighting. They are known to have made Argand lamps, Doctor's or Carriage Lamps, Railway, Police, and Students Lamps and had contracts with the Admiralty. They also exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The 1828 Trade Directory notes Charles Miller & Sons as Spermaceti Refiners at 180 Piccadilly, adjacent to Fortnum and Masons who are on the corner of Duke Street. The use of whale oil was of course linked with wax and tallow Chandlers and the address was next door to that most commonly associated to Millers. Before this date, the business of George Miller was listed as Wax and Tallow Chandlers of 41 Watling Street in 1815. Charles Taverner Miller had two sons: Taverner John Miller and George Alexander Miller. The exact relationship of George from Watling Street to Taverner is not known but it is appears to be a family name and he is the only London Wax and Tallow Chandlers called Miller listed at this date. Added to this, a George Miller took out patents for lamps in 1834 and 1847. It appears that the two sons, Taverner and George ran different parts of the business. Taverner was a ship-owner and sperm-oil refiner/merchant and George manufactured the lamps.

By 1839, Miller & Sons, Wax Chandlers and Oil Merchants, are listed in Pigot's Directory at

179 Piccadilly and Dorset Wharf. The Post Office Directory of 1846 gives the same address details but lists the company name as Chas. Taverner Miller & Sons. By 1852, the name has reverted to the shortened version and they note that they are lamp makers to the Admiralty. Around this time, the company also purchased the adjoining house on Duke Street and rebuilt all 3 properties as one. In 1857, 178 Piccadilly was added suggesting that they were a successful business. By 1880, a manufactory at Boyle Street, Saville Row was also on their books. The business ended around 1912 and the Paris, Lyon & Mediterranean Railway Co. are listed at 179 Piccadilly.