Cissy Cornelia Mills (1886-1961)

Cissy Cornelia Mills was born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1886, the daughter of Arthur Frederick and Emily Mills (formerly Hawken, nee Morris). Cissy, who became known as Connie, was their only child. The name Cissy was inherited from one of her aunts on her father’s side of the family (Cicey Mary Ansel Mills).

Early Years
It appears that Cissy spent the early years of her life in the town of Port Pirie, where her father was employed as a clerk. On 22nd September 1892, when Cissy was six years of age, her mother appeared before the court of insolvency in the town. Her mother was an alcoholic for most of her life, and this may have impacted on her spending habits.

Adelaide
Her father had also been in trouble with the law in years previous, and became a well known ‘quack’ in the city of Adelaide, where the family went to live in 1894. Her father moved to many different residences with his quackery profession, including the following:-

1894 – 16 Sturt Street

1895 – 21 Carrington Street

1896 – 1 Grote Street

1897 – 1899 – 23 Flinders Street

1900 – 1903 – 1 Grote Street

1904 – 1905 – 19 Flinders Street

1906 – 1908 – 27 Carrington Street

As a result of the home environment, it is said that Cissy spent a large amount of time in her childhood with her grandmother on her mother’s side of the family, Mary Ann Wishart (formerly Morris, nee Rundle). Mrs Wishart lived in the Southwark / Thebarton area on the western suburbs of Adelaide.

Out of Wedlock
In 1903, at aged 17, Cissy had a daughter out-of-wedlock with a man called Frank Roland Mills (no relation to her Mills family). Frank was a grocer’s assistant in Norwood. The daughter was named Mahala after a great-grandmother on Cissy’s side of the family (Mahala Mills (nee Kent)) or Cissy’s aunt (Mahala Annie Mills). Her middle name of Mary Ann is likely to be named after Mrs Wishart.

The birth of the child out of wedlock appears to have caused some scandal at the time and Frank’s name was not recorded on the birth certificate. A “Thomas” Mills was instead, but Frank’s name would appear on every other official record pertaining to Mahala’s life after that.

Death of Mother
Cissy’s mother Emily died on 24th August 1904, as a result of the effects of alcoholism. Cissy was aged 18 at the time. Her father placed the article about her death in the newspaper. The headstone for Emily was erected by her mother (Mrs Wishart), a sister and a brother.

Cissy’s father married for a second time approximately two months after Emily’s death, on 4th November 1904. Cissy may have lived permanently with Mrs Wishart after this time.

Marriage
Cissy and Frank eventually married on September 20th 1906. The marriage occured at Frank's father's house at Clark Street in Norwood, and Frank gave his residence as Clark Street, Norwood. Witnesses to the marriage were A.H. Stone, a labourer from Hindmarsh, and Frank's brother Milton, a civil servant of Norwood. Cissy was four months pregnant with their second child at the time of the marriage.

Frank and Cissy would go on to have 10 children altogether, all born in the Norwood or Adelaide area. Interestingly, they would give all but one of their children two middle names, many of them reflecting family names. Family surnames used as middle names include Munson, DeLaine, and Morris. Names obtained from other relatives include Mahala, Roland, Howard, Herbert, Charles, Frank and Caroline.

Two sons died under the age of two - Hedley of Tubercular Meningitis and Charles of acute gastoenteritis. On the death certificate for Hedley in 1917, Frank's residence is recorded as Sydenham Road, Norwood. On the death certificate for Charles in 1919, Frank's residence is recorded as Margaret Street, Norwood. Frank's occupation is also recorded as a purser. The deaths were also recorded in The Advertiser and The Chronicle newspapers. Both boys were buried in the West Terrace Cemetery.

Frank’s grocer’s store was on the Parade at Norwood. In 1923, he was working at Cairns St, Norwood, while his residence was at 19 Clark St Norwood (his mother lived at number 35 according to Hedley's funeral notice).

Later Years
Frank died on 20th October 1940 of cerebral softening and arterio-sclerosis. His residence at the time was 28 Kitchener Avenue, Dulwich. His death certificate incorrectly states that he had 4 male and 3 female children alive, when it was the opposite way around. He is buried in the West Terrace Cemetery.

Children

 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Frank and Cissy Mills
 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Frank and Cissy Mills