Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Edwin Miller, Queen Victoria’s State Coachman

Royal Household Faithful Service Medal, V.R. (To Mr Edwin Miller, State Coachman, for Faithful Services to The Queen during 36 Years. 1895); Jubilee 1887, clasp, 1897, silver; Prussia, Medal of the Order of the Crown, gilt; Siam, Rajaruchi Medal, 5th Reign, King Chulalongkorn, silver, mounted court style, contact marks, otherwise very fine (4) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Edwin Miller was born in 1836 at Ringmer, Sussex, and entered the service of Sir Henry Ashley as a young lad. Following Ashley’s death in 1858, he entered the service of Queen Victoria on 8 February 1859, and was sent to the Royal Mews. He was appointed State Coachman in 1891 and retired in 1898. Shortly afterwards he was interviewed by the Daily Mail and an interesting arcticle was published on 15 September 1898, in which he speaks highly of his own career.

‘I suppose no other Royal coachman will ever drive so many distinguished sovereigns as I have had the honour of so doing, and I’m certain none will ever have the care of such a Queen and lady as Her Gracious Majesty.’

After his retirement, Miller owned and ran a public house called the ‘Crooked Billet’ in Portugal Street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Some years later when the area was being redeveloped to create Kingsway and Aldwych, there was a case in the London Sheriff’s Court when Miller claimed compensation for the loss of his property and his business, as a result of which he was awarded the sum of £6,140 by the jury. Sold with research including copies of articles published in The Sketch and the Daily Mail.