Birthplaces, records, and the stories behind them
JA and AE had nine children, born between 1894 and 1913, across several inner-Sydney addresses. While tracing their lives, I encountered numerous anomalies in the birth records, particularly relating to the identity of the mother, dates of marriage, and JA’s stated birthplace and occupation.
Over the years, I have been able to obtain original birth certificates for Josephine, Charles, Margaret, Patrick, and Albert. For the remaining four children, I only hold typed extracts, which unfortunately lack much of the critical information found on the originals.
These inconsistencies became one of the most intriguing aspects of my research and led me to dig deeper. The explanations for many of these anomalies are explored in more detail on the page devoted to JA’s first wife Mary Ann Rayner.
What follows is the story of each child — where they were born, what the records tell us, and what became of them.
Josephine Miller (1894–1970)
Josephine was born on 8 July 1894 at 19 Gordon Lane, Paddington. The house where she was born still stands today.
This address appears only once in the records — on Josephine’s birth certificate. The certificate records her mother as Mary Ann Lake, aged 30, from London, England. The marriage date is given as 29 February 1890, which is notable because 1890 was not a leap year.
JA listed his occupation as a cook and his birthplace as Canada.
Josephine married Walter Joseph Naughton in 1959 in Victoria. The couple had no children. She passed away in 1970, aged 73.
Charles Hampden Miller (1896–1918)
Charles was born on 26 February 1896 at 17 Little Palmer Street, Woolloomooloo — a terrace that also still exists today.
This address is particularly significant. According to the Sands Directory, AE’s aunt Elizabeth Kelly (also known as Hilton) had been living at this property since 1894. Rate assessment notices show that JA was renting the property from 1896 to 1901.
When Elizabeth Kelly married James Rush on 9 January 1895, she recorded this address and signed her name as Lizzie Hilton. One of the witnesses was Lizzie Miller.
Charles’s birth certificate lists his mother as Elizabeth Chalker, aged 26, from Mittagong, with a marriage date of 21 January 1891. JA again recorded his occupation as a cook, this time stating his birthplace as Halifax, Canada.
Charles enlisted in the army on 30 May 1916, falsely stating his age as 20 when he was in fact 25. He sailed with the 27th Battalion to England.
On 8 January 1917, he went AWOL for three weeks. Shortly afterwards, on 10 February 1917, he married Harriet Daisy Bryant in Surrey, England. They had no children.
Charles later transferred to the 28th Battalion and sailed to Etaples, France. On 1 June 1918, while returning from the front for five days’ rest, his battalion was bombed by an aircraft. Charles died from wounds received.
(Link to Australian War Memorial record)
Margaret Miller (1898–1978)
Margaret was born on 18 November 1898 at 143 Crown Street, Darlinghurst, this is the terrace with the picket fence.
The Sands Directory shows that JA was living at this address from 1898 to 1901, before the terraces were demolished in 1902. There is no evidence that he operated a restaurant or boarding house from this location.
Margaret’s birth certificate records her mother as Mary Ann Blake/Lake, aged 35, from Hertfordshire, England, with a marriage date of 16 January 1891. JA described himself as a hotel cook and gave his birthplace as Falmouth, Jamaica.
Margaret married James Gough on 30 June 1917 in Newtown, at the age of 19. They had ten children.
She passed away in 1978, aged 80.
Patrick Lindsay Miller (1903–1974)
Patrick, my grandfather, was born on 4 November 1903 at 601 George Street, Sydney which also still stands today operating as an adult book shop.
This address appears to have been JA and AE’s first major venture into the restaurant and boarding house business. Prior to this, following his discharge as a seaman in 1888, JA worked as a cook at various establishments throughout Sydney.
JA lived and worked at 601 George Street from 1901 to 1905.
Patrick’s birth certificate lists his mother as Ann Elizabeth Chalker, aged 38, from Mittagong, with a marriage date of 24 January 1890. JA described himself as a ship’s cook, born in Jamaica.
Patrick married Frances Dunning in 1923. They had four children which are now all sadly deceased: Joan, Josephine, Charles, and Phillip (my father). Patrick passed away in 1974, aged 70.
Joseph Miller (1905–1971)
Joseph was born on 10 May 1905, also at 601 George Street, Sydney.
His birth certificate survives only as an extract, which records his mother as Ann Elizabeth Chalker, aged 36, from Mittagong. JA is described as a restaurant keeper from Halifax, Canada. The marriage date is not recorded.
Joseph married Eileen Cooper in 1926 in Glebe.
He passed away in 1971, aged 66.
Harry Miller (1907–1983)
Harry was born on 25 March 1907 at 32 Regent Street, Chippendale.
At the time, JA was renting the property from the NSW Government, according to rate notices. His birth certificate extract lists Ann Elizabeth Chalker as the mother and describes JA as a restaurant keeper from Halifax, Canada, North America.
In 1908, the house was demolished and rebuilt. During construction, JA moved the family into his business premises at 374 Pitt Street, where he ran a restaurant and boarding house from 1905 to 1910. The family returned to 32 Regent Street in 1909, before Doris was born.
Harry married Eva Isabel Waterton on 1 July 1933 at Kensington. He passed away on 30 August 1983, aged 76.
Doris Violet Miller (1909–1989)
Doris was born on 1 June 1909 at 32 Regent Street, Chippendale in the newly constructed building. The photo below is from the archives it was built in 1908 and was knocked down to build apartments in approx 1979.
While the house was being rebuilt, the family lived at 374 Pitt Street, where JA advertised Meals for 4d and Weekly Residence from 10/6. Doris’s birth certificate extract lists Ann Elizabeth Chalker, aged 39, as her mother.
Doris married Francis Dominic Turner on 21 October 1931 in Newtown. They had two sons, Francis Alexander and Bruce Victor. Doris passed away in 1989, aged 79.
Alma May Miller (1911–1988)
Alma was born on 22 April 1911 at 32 Regent Street, Chippendale.
Her birth certificate records Ann Elizabeth Chalker, aged 42, as her mother. JA again gives his birthplace as Halifax, Canada, with no occupation listed.
Alma married Herbert James Dargin in 1941 at Newtown.
She passed away in 1988, aged 77.
Albert Frederick Miller (1913–1982)
Albert, the youngest of JA and AE’s children, was born on 10 May 1913, also at 32 Regent Street.
His original birth certificate records Elizabeth Ann Chalker, aged 42, from Mittagong, as his mother, with a marriage date of 16 January 1891 — the same date used on Margaret’s certificate fifteen years earlier. JA described himself as a restaurant keeper, born in Jamaica, West Indies.
Albert married Freda Bertha Emma Reynolds in 1934 at Newtown. They had one daughter before Freda passed away in 1974. Albert died on 9 December 1982, aged 69.
JA occupied 32 Regent Street from 1907 to 1914, first renting from the NSW Government and later from Samuel Cornwall, before the family moved to 46 Watkin Street, Newtown, in 1916. This link will give more information The Family Home
Joseph Alexander Miller 1854-1939 