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Name: MILLAR, Ernest MA (Rev.)

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Birth Date: 2 May 1868 Hampstead

Death Date: 31 Jan 1917 Mengo

Nationality: British

First Date: 1892

Profession: CMS Missionary - set off for Uganda with Bishop Tucker in Sept. 1892. At Mengo in Aut. 1895. Arrived back from England in Mar 1898, 1900 - dealt with land claims on behalf of the Church with the Government

Area: Mengo

Married: unmarried

Book Reference: Tucker, EAHB 1905, North, Drumkey, BEA, EAHB 1906, CMS, EAHB 1904, EAHB 1907, Barnes, Leader14

School: Clifton, UCL

General Information:

Tucker - 1902 - accompanied the Katikiro to England for the coronation - he was attached to the party as interpreter.
North - CMS Uganda - Accepted as hon. missionary; aged 24, dep. Freretown for Uganda 26/9/1892, arr. Mengo 25/12/1892; ordained Priest Sept 1893; arr. Uganda Sept. 1893; Kampala 6/9/1895; home leave 1897/8; arr. Mengo 18/5/1898; home leave 1902; dep. Uganda for England 12/9/1903
Drumkey 1909 - CMS Uganda - Mengo
BEA 1 p.11 - The Reverend E. Millar, MA, BSc, FRZS, FRGS - The Man and His Stamps - by Roy Dunstan - Ernest Millar, born in Hampstead on May 2nd 1868, came of well-to-do-stock, his father being a successful timber merchant in the City. He was educated at Clifton College and University College, London where he obtained a 'double first' BSc. Going up to Ridley College, Cambridge, he gained an honours degree in Mathematics in 1891. Later that year he was accepted by the CMS as an Honorary Missionary. In June 1892 he left for the Equatorial East African Mission in Uganda. Reaching Zanzibar at the end of the month and Frere Town, a Mission station near Mombasa in July. On September 20th together with Bishop Alfred Tucker and 6 fellow missionaries, he set off for Uganda …….. Mengo, the capital of Uganda, was reached on December 23rd 1892, and it was around here that Millar, save for 6 periods of furlough, was to spend the remainder of his life.
Millar never married although oddly enough one of his first actions on joining the CMS was to apply for a copy of their 'Marriage Regulations for Missionaries". He was especially fond of boys and young men and was a kindly man with a good sense of humour. An artist as a secretary and controller of ceremonial functions. In fact he sounds the perfect ADC or Bishop's secretary; a post in fact which he filled for many years. It is said that a man's character is often epitomised by his nickname: what can we gather from Millar's soubriquet of 'Soapy'.
He was a bibliophile and ardent letter writer. Although as an honorary missionary he did not draw a stipend, nevertheless he afforded himself of the priviledge annually offered the Uganda missionaries of the porterage of ten 'loads' from the Coast. His loads were for the most part made up by books. He was also a Railway Time Table and Bradshaw guide fanatic. With the aid of copies sent out by friends he, and a fellow missionary, G.L. Pilkington, planned exotic journeys around the UK.
Millar's death can in some way be attributed to his love for the young since it was his established custom over many years to visit the CMS Boys' School at Buddo each weekend. It was one of the bicycle rides up the long and steep hills to the school that precipitated the heart attack from which he died on January 21st 1917 [sic] at the early age of 48. In his will he left the not inconsiderable sum of £2,000 to the School. [follows a detailed description of Millar's stamp production on his typewriter - the first stamps in use in Uganda]
Ordained by Bishop Tucker in 1893
CMS 1892 - Age 24. Of Hampstead. Clifton Coll.; Univ. Coll. Lond. (1st cl. 1st BSc) 1887; Trin. Coll. and Ridley Hall, Camb. BA (Math. Honours) 1891; MA 1895. 1891, Dec 15, accepted by CMS as Hon. Missionary. 1892, June 12, to E. Eq. Africa - Uganda - Mission, and June 12 left Marseilles for Zanzibar. 1893, Jan 15 at Mengo Deacon and May 28 Priest by Bishop Tucker.
Barnes - St Paul's Namirembe Cemetery - Revd Ernest Millar MA, 2 May 1868 - 31 Jan 1917 Mengo
Leader14 - Secretary of the CMS Uganda Mission

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