William Millton
{{short description|New Zealand sportsman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = William Millton
| image = William Millton(All Black).jpg
| nickname =
| birth_name = William Varnham Millton
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1858|06|10}}
| birth_place = Christchurch, New Zealand
| death_place = Christchurch, New Zealand
| death_date = {{dda|df=y|1887|06|22|1858|02|10}}
| ru_position = Forward
| repteam1 = {{nrut|New Zealand}}
| repcaps1 = 0
| reppoints1 = 0
| repyears1 = 1884
| ru_province1 = {{Rut|Canterbury}}
| ru_provinceyears1 = 1876–86
| ru_provinceapps1 =
| ru_provincepoints1 =
| occupation = Barrister
| family =
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives = Edward Millton (brother)
John Anderson (brother-in-law)
John Anderson (father-in-law)
| school = Christ's College
| university =
| module = {{Infobox cricketer|embed=yes
| role = Batsman
| batting =
| bowling =
| club1 = Canterbury
| year1 = 1877/78–1886/87
| type1 = First-class
| onetype1 =
| debutdate1 = 28 December
| debutyear1 = 1877
| debutfor1 =
| debutagainst1 = Auckland
| lastdate1 = 24 February
| lastyear1 = 1887
| lastfor1 =
| lastagainst1 = Otago
| columns = 1
| column1 = First-class
| matches1 = 12
| runs1 = 298
| bat avg1 = 14.19
| 100s/50s1 = 0/1
| top score1 = 57
| hidedeliveries = true
| deliveries1 = -
| wickets1 = -
| bowl avg1 = -
| fivefor1 = -
| tenfor1 = -
| best bowling1 = -
| catches/stumpings1= 6/0
| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/22/22495/22495.html Cricket Archive
}}
}}
William Varnham Millton (10 February 1858 – 22 June 1887) was a New Zealand rugby union player and cricketer. He was the first captain of the New Zealand national rugby union team, leading them on their 1884 tour of New South Wales, and represented Canterbury in both rugby union and cricket.
Early life and family
Born in Christchurch on 10 February 1858,{{cite web| url = http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=618 |title = William Millton | last = Luxford | first = Bob | publisher = New Zealand Rugby | access-date = 11 February 2016}} Millton was the eldest son of William Newton Millton, a sea captain and runholder, and his wife Caroline Millton (née Stockman).{{cite news | url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18850429.2.6 | title=Marriage | date=29 April 1885 | work=The Star | access-date=11 February 2016 | page=2}}{{cite web |url=http://www.nzmr.org/glentui/Heritage%20New%20Zealand%20Report%209251%20Birch%20Hill%20Cemetery%202014_11_24%20NOTIFICATION.pdf |title=Birch Hill Station Cemetery, Glentui (List No. 9251, Category 2) |date=24 November 2014 |first=Robyn | last=Burgess |publisher=Heritage New Zealand |access-date=11 February 2016}} He was educated at Christ's College from 1869 to 1876,{{cite web |url=http://www.ccoba.com/membership/search/recordview.php?id=2-4856 |title=CCOBA membership: William Millton |publisher=Christ's College Old Boys' Association |access-date=11 February 2016}} and went on to become a barrister and solicitor.{{cite news | url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18870623.2.27 | title=Obituary | date=23 June 1887 | work=The Star | access-date=11 February 2016 | page=3}} On 23 April 1885, Millton married Elizabeth Anderson at St Paul's Church in Christchurch. She was the youngest daughter of John Anderson, who served as the second mayor of Christchurch,{{DNZB | title=Anderson, John | first= Peter | last= Lowe | id=1a6 | accessdate=11 February 2016}} and her brother, also called John Anderson, played rugby for Scotland against England in 1872, and was the first New Zealander to appear in a rugby international.{{cite book |last=Palenski |first=Ron |title=Rugby: a New Zealand history |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mmFGCgAAQBAJ |access-date=11 February 2016 |year=2015 |publisher=Auckland University Press |isbn=9781869408367 }}
One of Millton's brothers, Edward, also represented New Zealand in rugby union.{{cite web| url = http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=617 |title = Edward Millton | last = Knight | first = Lindsay | publisher = New Zealand Rugby | access-date = 11 February 2016}}
Cricket
A batsman,{{CricketArchive | id=22495 | name=William Millton}} Millton was captain of both the United Cricket Club in Christchurch and the Canterbury provincial side. Between the 1877–78 and 1886–87 seasons, he played 12 first-class matches for Canterbury, scoring a total of 298 runs, at an average of 14.19 and a high score of 57. He made one 50, and took six catches. He captained Canterbury and hit the equal-highest score of the match, 35, when Canterbury had the better of a draw against the touring Australians in November 1886.{{cite web |title=Canterbury v Australians 1886-87 |url=http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/131/131979.html |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=13 March 2019}}
Rugby union
Millton was a {{Rut|Canterbury}} rugby representative from 1876 and captain of the side from 1878. In September 1882, he captained {{Rut|Canterbury}} against the touring New South Wales team in the first major rugby union match at Lancaster Park.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18820922.2.27 |title=Intercolonial Football Match|newspaper=Lyttelton Times |location=Lyttelton |date=22 Sep 1882 |volume=LVIII |issue=6730 |accessdate=28 Aug 2024 |page=5|publisher=National Library of New Zealand}} {{cite book |last=Slatter |first=Gordon |year=1974 |title= Great Days at Lancaster Park |location=Christchurch |publisher=Whitcombe and Tombs, a division of Whitcoulls Limited |chapter= 4 - New South Wales Rugby Team |page=32 |isbn=0723303894}} While visiting Auckland and Wellington with the Canterbury cricket team, he met with rugby officials and suggested a tour to Australia. Subsequently, in 1884, the first New Zealand national rugby union team was selected to tour New South Wales, with Millton as its captain. He led the side in their first-ever match, a pre-tour fixture against a Wellington XV at Newtown Park in Wellington, in eight of the nine tour matches in Australia, including the three encounters with New South Wales, and was unbeaten as captain. In all he scored 35 points, including four tries. Three of his tries came in the 23–10 win against Wallaroo and University, and he scored another try in the final match against New South Wales. Millton did not appear in any Test matches because New Zealand did not play its first full international until 1903.
Millton also served as secretary of the Canterbury Rugby Football Union.
Death
Millton died of typhoid at his home in Christchurch on 22 June 1887, and was buried in St Peter's churchyard, Upper Riccarton.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP18870624.2.10 |title=News of the day |date=24 June 1887 |work=The Press |volume=44 |issue=6786 |page=2 |access-date=26 February 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Milton, William}}
Category:Cricketers from Christchurch
Category:People educated at Christ's College, Christchurch
Category:New Zealand international rugby union players
Category:New Zealand rugby union players
Category:Canterbury rugby union players
Category:New Zealand cricketers
Category:Canterbury cricketers
Category:New Zealand sports executives and administrators
Category:Burials at St Peter's Church Cemetery, Upper Riccarton