Millard ‘Monkey’ – Vicar kept a zoo in Grantham

Edwin ‘Monkey’ Millard (1874-1951)

THE Rev Edwin “Monkey” Millard was Vicar of St Anne’s Church, Harrowby Road, for nearly 40 years.

Born in Costock, Nottinghamshire, one of a family of nine, he came to Grantham as curate at St John’s Church. He was appointed Vicar of St Anne’s the following year. He was its first vicar, the church having previously had a curate-in-charge for an incumbent.

Much-travelled, he was a keen photographer and had fine photographs taken across the world.

While visiting Africa, he was the first white man to enter Figig, 300 miles into the Sahara Desert, having been warned it would be certain death.

For many years he had a zoo at his home, Highfield, Cold Harbour Lane. It included kangaroos, lemurs, cranes, deer and monkeys – which led to his nickname.

Even the road to his house became known as Monkey Millard’s Lane.

But it got him into trouble In 1918 when he was fined £10 for breaching the Food Restriction Order by using rice, oatmeal and bread other than for human consumption.

He admitted he had been using the food to feed his collection of rare animals.

Florence Welbourne, a domestic in the vicar’s service, said that it was not unusual. She had to go without rice pudding so the animals could have the rice.

Mr Millard said he usually only fed them with scraps from his table.

He added he was not aware of a law preventing scraps from being used up and he had heard of people burning scraps instead of putting them in the ashbin, but agreed that the bag of rice was not considered to be scraps.

The same year he was fined 50p for riding his bicycle without lights.

He told the arresting constable: “I didn’t know it was so late.”

But in 1938, the 64-year-old’s bravery was recognised by the Carnegie Hero Trust which gave him£15 reward.

The Rev Millard was in Scotland with his wife, three children and 70-year-old neighbour Mrs Wood.

Mrs Wood went to the edge of the cliff at the Falls of Falooch, Crianlarich, Perthshire, and tripped, falling into the deep swirling pool surrounded by deep precipitous rock. Without a thought for his own safety, Mr Millard jumped in and rescued her.

Rev Millard had more than 60 brass rubbings he had taken.

A vegetarian, he edited an anti-blood sports magazine for children for eight years.