FRANCIS DAVIS MILLET
1846-1912
Francis Millet was the host of a small group of artists, including Americans,
who congregated in Broadway at the end of the 19th Century. Francis Davis Millet lived
at both Farnham House and Russell House. The group included John Singer Sargent whose painting
'Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose' was painted in Broadway.
Millet was born in Massachusetts, USA in 1846. He was a drummer Boy with
the Union forces in the Civil War and graduated from Harvard with a degree in Literature in
1869. He became a correspondent on the Russin-Turkish War (1877 - 1878) for several newspapers
and married Elizabeth or 'Lily' in 1879.
Between Two Fires - Painted by Francis Davis Millet
Millet's most famous painting is perhaps 'Between Two Fires', which like
many other of the period, was painted in the 14th Century Abbot's Grange mansion (near
the village green), which Millet salvaged from disrepair with the help of William Morris.
It subsequently became his studio for many years during his stay in Broadway.
In 1912 Millet booked first class passage on the maiden voyage of the Royal
Mail Ship Titanic en route home to the United States. The ship sank on April 15th having
struck an iceberg.
Millet was seen helping women and children into lifeboats. His body was recovered
and he is buried in East BridgewaterCentral Cementary, Plymouth County, Massachusettes.
In Broadway, his friends, in tribute to Francis Millet, paid for a Lychgate
building at the entance to the upper graveyard at St. Eadburgha's
Church on Snowshill Road ( 1 mile outside of the village).
The inscription above the gate is in latin and reads:
Francisco Davis Millet Viro in Artibvs Litterisqve Praestanti Qvi Navi
Titanica Fracta Dvm Spem Timidis Affert Mortem Laetvs Oppetivit Hoc
Monvmentvm Svavis
Amicitiae Memores Sodales Ponendvm Cvravervnt
Translated this reads:
In tribute to Francis Millet a man of excellence in the Arts and Literature.
He met his death with fortitude as the ship Titanic sank whilst still giving
hope to those
who feared for their lives. His dear friends sought the
dedication
of this memorial in
fond memory of his treasured fellowship.
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