Sir William Mills (24 April 1856 – 7 January 1932) was an English engineer. He invented the

Mills bomb "Mills bomb" is the popular name for a series of British hand grenades which were designed by William Mills. They were the first modern fragmentation grenades used by the British Army and saw widespread use in the First and Second World Wa ...

, which was developed and manufactured at his factory in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...

, England. The Mills bomb was the hand grenade most widely used by

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and Imperial forces during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He was knighted in 1922. A blue heritage plaque and Mills Bomb artwork commemorating Sir William Mills' achievements are placed on The Times Inn public house in Wear Street, Low Southwick, Sunderland, SR5 2BH. He was born here in 1856. During and after the First World War, he resided in East Boldon on Front Street. Notable places near this area include: East Boldon Cenotaph, East Boldon Methodist Church, The Black Bull Public House and Brewery

Early life

William Mills was born on 26 April 1856 in Wear Street, Southwick, Sunderland. He was the son of David Mills, a

shipbuilder Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...

, and his wife Sarah Ann Kirkaldy. The Sunderland

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...

James Watson Corder recorded that David Mills had an interest in the Sunderland-based Mills shipbuilding firm, however it was run by his brothers George and John. By 1871, William Mills and his family had moved to 22 Camden Street, Sunderland. David Mills was recorded as a joiner in the Census taken that year. William was a butcher, however he soon switched careers and began a seven-year apprenticeship with George Clarke, the famous Marine Engineers of Sunderland. After completing his apprenticeship, Mills spent seven years at sea, obtaining a first class Certificate as a Marine Engineer in 1884. During his time at sea Mills witnessed great loss of life caused by the unsafe engaging and disengaging methods used on ship lifeboats. The experience prompted him to invent a simple, safe and efficient method, which was first exhibited at the

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Shipowners' Exhibition in 1886. Mills was awarded a Gold Medal by the Mercantile Marine Service's Association for his efforts, as well as an Exhibition Gold Medal. The Board of Trade quickly approved his design and it came into worldwide use in both naval and merchant vessels.

Down to business

After leaving the sea, Mills went into business as a General Engineer in Sunderland in 1885, when he established the first Aluminium foundry in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

at The Atlas Works, Bonnersfield.

Monkwearmouth Monkwearmouth is an area of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear in North East England. Monkwearmouth is located at the north side of the mouth of the River Wear. It was one of the three original settlements on the banks of the River Wear along with Bish ...

. Whilst here he produced some of Britain's earliest aluminium golf clubs: Patent, No 13545. known as Metallic Golfing Instrument Heads. He was a keen golfer and had joined the Wearside Golf Club in around 1892. Apart from his company in Sunderland, Mills also set up a company in

of the same name, which produced castings for the motor car and aircraft industries.

His bombs

Early in 1915, Mills opened the Mills Munitions Factory in

, making the

Mills Bomb "Mills bomb" is the popular name for a series of British hand grenades which were designed by William Mills. They were the first modern fragmentation grenades used by the British Army and saw widespread use in the First and Second World Wa ...

Hand Grenade. Until then, grenades had often proved as deadly to the thrower as to the intended target. The first grenade used when war broke out in 1914 was a cast-iron canister on an 18-inch stick, which was dangerous to use because it often caught on the trench front when lobbed. Mills carried out extensive research into common design faults and came up with his own grenade, which had a central spring-loaded firing-pin and spring-loaded lever locked by a pin. A four-second time fuse allowed the thrower to take cover before it exploded. His bombs were used exclusively and successfully by the British and other Allies throughout the war and 75,000,000 were supplied. His services were rewarded by a

Knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the ...

in 1922.

Other inventions

Besides the hand grenade and

golf clubs A golf club is a club used to hit a golf ball in a game of golf. Each club is composed of a shaft with a grip and a club head. Woods are mainly used for long-distance fairway or tee shots; irons, the most versatile class, are used for a variety ...

, Mills was also the inventor of the Patent Instantaneous Engaging and Disengaging Gear for Ships and

Boats A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on inl ...

. It was used worldwide and had a great reputation for efficiency and for life saving. Another of his inventions was a telescopic

walking stick A walking stick or walking cane is a device used primarily to aid walking, provide postural stability or support, or assist in maintaining a good posture. Some designs also serve as a fashion accessory, or are used for self-defense. Walking st ...

seat. Mills was an active member of the Executive of the

Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the James Watt Centenary Committee and, in his spare time, a collector of pictures, china and

antiques An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...

Arms

References

External links

* A short biog of Mills: http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/mills.htm * More details about Mills from the Sunderland Echo: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Mills39-medals-to-make-a.592901.jp
Sir William Mills 1865–1932 Engineer and Inventor
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, William 1856 births 1932 deaths English engineers English inventors Knights Bachelor People from Sunderland Engineers from Tyne and Wear