Thomas Mills 1623-1703
In the mid 17th century, Framlingham in Suffolk was the home of a young man leading a double life. Thomas Mills was apprenticed to a wheelwright in the town, but his faith meant that he spent almost as much time fleeing the authorities as he did mending carts and balancing wheels.
 Thee reason for this was that Mills was a member of the Gospellers sect. Fiercely opposed to State interference in their worship, they believed they should be free from civil and ecclesiastical authority. Oliver Cromwell had supported them, but on the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, they were seen as rebels against the established Church. By 1662, the Act of Uniformity required all preachers to be Joined into the Anglican Church.
Mills would have none of this. He risked imprisonment by preaching in secret. His employer disagreed with his religious principles and once made his way to the meeting house ending to interrupt his sermon. Upon hearing he declared that he could not oppose a single word spoken by his employee and such fervent man of God. The impact must have been transformational as he subsequently left Mills all his money and his business when he died. This wealth further increased upon Mills' marriage to a rich widow.
When he died, Thomas Mills left every penny his fortune to endow almshouses and pay for education for the people of Framlingham. His associate, William Mayhew, did the same. An extract from his will reads: "And my will is that the surpluses (of the income from my estate) should be for the relieving of poor distressed people for education, as my executors shall think meet." He also specified that there were to be no religious tests for applicants for the almshouses.
In 1703, the Mills Charity built eight almshouses. Today, they are still used for the purpose for which they were originally built, providing accommodation for local elderly people. The charity made gifts totalling £273,000 in the last two years, benefiting local people just as Thomas Mills intended.
The Mills Educational Foundation built the co-educational Mills Charity School in 1751 . The first girls' grammar school in East Suffolk was built by the trustees in 1902, merging with Framlingham Modern School to become the present Thomas Mills High School.
Today, the Mills Educational Foundation and Mills Charity make gifts regularly to the school, most recently donating £30,000 to fund an extension.
A passionate man of God, Thomas Mills knew the truth of “freely you have received, freely give”. For over 300 years, the generosity of Thomas Mills and William Mayhew has transformed countless lives, and continues to do so today.
Published by Stewardship and reproduced with permission. Stewardship Giving Services can be contacted at www.stewardship.org.uk
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