One of the most important industries to be developed in Bourne during the 19th century that became known throughout the world was the extraction and distribution of pure water from its underground springs and the man responsible for this endeavour was R M Mills.

Robert Mason Mills was born at Hackney in Middlesex on 2nd April 1819, the son of a solicitor, but decided on a career in pharmacy rather than law, and when his father died while he was still in his teens, he became apprenticed to an apothecary at Shoreham in Sussex. Anxious to improve his prospects, he moved to Bourne in 1842 to take over the management of a chemist's shop at No 1 West Street that was owned by Mr Frank Daniel who had founded the business in 1815, the year of the Battle of Waterloo. Mr Daniel had been in failing health and when he died three years later, his widow sold out to the new manager. In the same year, Robert married Miss Fanny Hodgkin, aged 22, daughter of Mr Henry Hodgkin, a prominent agriculturalist from Edenham, and they moved in to live in the rooms above the shop. 

The business prospered under his ownership and soon he combined it with that of seed merchant but the real success began in 1864 when he began to manufacture aerated water under the name of Mills and Co., the Original Bourne Waters, a project that was to bring a new prosperity to himself and to the town. By 1878, the water had achieved a nationwide reputation and in that year, he brought in Thomas Moore Baxter, a young chemist from Wisbech but who had been working in Brighton and had struck up a romantic attachment with his 22-year-old daughter Emily. Mr Mills decided to concentrate on the water side of the business while Baxter ran the shop and subsequently married Emily.

The manufacture and supply of aerated water was the first venture of its kind in this part of South Lincolnshire and his products were soon acclaimed world wide. During the Egyptian campaign of 1882 for instance, a large quantity of his mineral waters was sent out for British soldiers and the firm was later awarded a Royal Warrant for supplying Queen Victoria's son, the Duke of Connaught. Supplies of soda water and ginger beer were sent in wooden cases by rail to hotels and country houses where the drinking water from wells was not always of a good quality. There was also a brisk trade in the hunting shires of Lincolnshire, Rutland and Leicestershire, where wealthy members of the Belvoir, Quorn and Cottesmore Hunts had their hunting boxes during the winter months. Soft drinks also became popular during the summer with passengers taking train trips to the seaside and supplies were sent to various railway station waiting rooms around the country. The business grew so rapidly that it was soon employing 24 men and for almost half a century, the company had a distribution area extending from Doncaster in the north to Hatfield in the south as well as many intermediate stations. 

Robert Mason Mills had many interests apart from his business. He was a prominent member of several archaeological societies and was an authority on local architecture. He was also a man of great artistic talent and collector of antiques and when he died, left a large collection of paintings and prints together with furniture, china and books.

In 1860, he presided at a public meeting held for the purpose of considering the erection of a public hall for the town and the result was the building of the Corn Exchange in 1870 at a cost of £2,000. He was also chairman of the town's water and gas companies, both undertakings that were subsequently purchased by Bourne Urban District Council. He was also the first of three generations who acted as local agents to the successive Marquesses of Exeter who were Lords of the Manor of Bourne.

He also became a firm friend of Charles Worth, son of a Bourne solicitor who went to Paris in 1845 and established his internationally famous fashion house where he founded haute couture. He frequently visited him and his family at their palatial villa at Suresnes and both Worth and his two sons visited Bourne for a glimpse of their father's home town.

A dedicated churchman, he was also a benefactor of the Abbey Church at Bourne and in 1883, the west end was restored practically at his expense, in memory of his wife Fanny who had died two years earlier on 10th September 1881 at the age of 58, and his generosity is marked by a plaque saying: "To record the restoration of the west end of this church by Robert Mason Mills of Bourne, this brass plate is placed by the congregation: 1883." Then four years later, he paid for three new stained glass windows to be installed in the south wall to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. The centre window bears in each corner the inscription Victoria Jubilee with the date 1887 in the middle. He also completed the restoration of the nave in 1893, the chancel in 1903 together with the porch and south roof.

He was, in fact, an ardent royalist, and was particularly proud at having been born in 1819, the same year as Queen Victoria and whom he had seen in London when he was a child. He wrote personally to the Queen on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee saying:

The letter prompted a response from the Privy Purse Office six days later saying: "The Private Secretary is commanded by The Queen to thank Robert Mason Mills for his letter of good wishes. - 18th June 1897, Buckingham Palace."

Mr Mills died on 17th March 1904, aged 85, and the funeral was held at the Abbey Church when the vicar, the Rev H M Mansfield, officiated assisted by the curate, the Rev R B Payne. One of the local newspapers reported: "It was held amidst many expressions of sorrow and tokens of sincere regret. The funeral was, in accordance with the wishes of the family, of a quiet character but it was nonetheless impressive. Parishioners attended in large numbers and the church was filled to overflowing. The cortege went from the deceased's late residence to the fine old church in which he had taken such a deep and practical interest. There, the first part of the services was performed with a full surpliced choir. The first portion of the service was impressively read in the church and the hymn Now the labourer's task is o'er was effectively rendered by the choir. En route from the church to the cemetery, the mourning party were preceded in procession by the vicar and curate and the choir. Upon arrival at the cemetery, the choir sang the Nunc Dimittis. The service concluded with the singing of the hymn On the resurrection morn. The coffin was of polished oak with a brass cross and fittings and bore the simple inscription recording the date of birth and death. Although there was a request that there be no flowers, several beautiful floral tributes were sent and at night, a half-muffled peal was rung on the church bells."

The other lots included various antiques, silver and Sheffield plate, porcelain such as Wedgwood, Worcester, Crown Derby and other wares, clocks and bronzes, and 60 dozen bottles of vintage port wines. The sale fetched a total of almost £900 that would be worth over £56,000 today. 

His will, also published that month, showed that he had left estate valued at £15,080 gross (equivalent to £933,000 today), and that probate was granted to his daughter Mrs Emily Baxter and her husband Thomas. He left Emily his household effects and an immediate legacy of £100. There were other various bequests including a legacy of £50 to Lizzie Sprigden, the servant who cared for him during his final years, together with an annuity of £30 and the use of a house for life. He also left £20 to a clerk in his employ and one week's wages each to farm labourers and others in his employ while the residue of the estate was left in trust to his daughter for life.

On the death of R M Mills, the aerated water business was taken over by his son in law Thomas and continued to flourish.

See also

The sale of the century     A case of contaminated water

The aerated water industry     Church restoration in the 19th century   

Thomas Moore Baxter     Mrs Pat Edmunds     Bourne in 1871     A C Glendening