Mark Anthony Mills, c.1772-?1823

 Of Irish origin, father was a High Sheriff of Roscommon (d 1792); 7th of 12 children. Became lawyer at Irish bar but career interrupted by rebellion of 1798. In 1805 appointed solicitor in a Engineer detachment negotiating for land on the Shannon. Two children born to him and Catherine Gore were baptised at St Georges - Olivia Octavia 26 July 1811 and Mark Anthony 3 Aug 1814. There is also a Mark Anthony Mills buried Braddan 9 March 1814 who may have been a son born prior to his coming to Douglas.

Mark Anthony Mills was a rather colourful character who was a solicitor from Ireland arriving in the Island in 1807 and persisting against strong, and ultimately successful, opposition of the Manx Bar to secure a licence to practise in the Island. He served a term in Castle Rushen for afronting the court in 1812 and was supposedly whipped by Deemster Heywood. He was proprietor of ‘The Isle of Man Gazette’ from 1815 to May 1821 when his printing press was seized for debt and sold at public aution. In 1821 he had published the very fine ‘Lex Scripta’ according to Cubbon possibly the noblest piece of topographical work done by a Manx Press.

In an article probably c. 1823 refered to as 'the late' but no burial record found.

Publications

Isle of Man Weekly Gazette (1816-21)

Ancient Ordinances of the Isle of Man 1821

References

W. Cubbon Bibliography of works relating to the Isle of Man Vol II section L4 Douglas:1939

D Craine Mark Anthony Mills : A Tragedy Journal Manx Museum iv #54 pp 7/10 1938

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor © F.Coakley, 2006