Miller, Edmund King (Rev.)

**Fast Facts**
Type of person	Individual
Date of birth	1820
Place of birth	Surrey UK
Date of arrival	1848
Principal occupation	Anglican Minister
Date of death	1911
Place of decease	Rose Park, South Australia

Reverend E.K. Miller was the incumbent of the Anglican parish of Willunga from 1863 to 1891. Reverend Miller was born in Surrey, UK, and, sometime after ordination, decided to come out to Australia. Before leaving England, he married Mary Kirtland, and together they set sail for Adelaide in 1848 on Hindoo.

The following is taken from The Service of Thanksgiving at St Stephen, Willunga on Sunday July 6th 1997.

'E.K. Miller was ordained by Bishop Short in 1848, and was the first Headmaster of Pulteney Street School, Adelaide. He was incumbent of St Georges Magill from 1851-1863, and of Willunga, Noarlunga and Aldinga, 1863-1892.

He must have been a man of iron! After 18 years riding 23 miles a Sunday on horseback for Services at Noarlunga, Aldinga and Willunga, when injuries rendered riding impossible, Noarlunga friends presented him with a buggy, which allowed him to continue duty 11 years longer. "During my 29 years as Willunga Rector, I missed Sunday duty on about a dozen occasions- When my wrists were broken, my wife drove the buggy so I could still continue taking Services."

Their life was not without sorrow either. They had 6 children - 3 boys and 3 girls. Three daughters and one son died before their first birthday, (teething and influenza).

E.K. Miller was Community minded - He was concerned about the youth of the time needing 'space', somewhere away from Public Houses and gaming rooms, and he proposed that 8 acres of land be purchased for a recreation ground for the township of Willunga. This was unheard of, to 'buy' land for recreation! However, it was passed and land purchased for £240. He is remembered with a plaque on one of the gate posts to the entrance to the Recreation Grounds. At another time he thought something should be done to assist safer and reliable transport of slate. He took steps to bring the matter before Parliament to obtain railway facilities; no doubt this set the ball rolling to bring the railway down, which reduced the cost of moving the slate, allowed more quarries to be opened and created more jobs".

Reverend King eventually left Willunga and later retired. He died on 17 May 1911 at Rose Park.