Millington

Henry Martin Millington’s parents Robert and Marian (nee Martin) came from Nottinghamshire.  After starting out as a coal merchant Robert became a farmer.  They moved to Dry Dodington around 1886 and in 1900 he took over the Wheatsheaf Inn.  

In 1901 Henry (known as Harry) was 18 and working with an elder brother (Robert) on a farm at Staveley, Derbyshire.  In 1905 his sister Florence Marian and Thomas Collin of Gelston Manor married at Dry Doddington.  In 1911 Harry was working on a farm at Corringham, nr Gainsborough.  The same year his father died in Dry Doddington, aged 78. Robert was 16 years older than Marian who remained in Dry Doddington until her death in 1934.

Harry joined 16th (Chatsworth Rifles) Battalion, Sherwood Foresters .  They moved to France at the end of February 1916.  The battalion doesn’t seem to have been involved in the opening stages of the 1916 Somme campaign but Harry disappeared on 15th July 1916 during the Battle of Bazentin whilst attached to 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment.

Two months later his family were appealing for information about him, but he was later assumed to have died on 15th July.  His name is on the Thiepval Memorial.