Alexander Miller (tailor) facts for kids
Alexander Miller (1559-1616) was a skilled tailor from Edinburgh, Scotland. He was famous for making clothes for James VI and I, who was the King of Scotland and later also the King of England.
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Alexander Miller's Life and Work
Miller was an important citizen, known as a 'burgess', of Edinburgh. He was also a leader, called a 'Deacon', for the tailors' group. This group met in their hall on the Cowgate, which is now a public house. Miller also bought land in places like Long Herdmanston and Currie.
A Royal Tailor
When King James VI returned from Denmark in May 1590, Miller quickly got to work. His first big job was making a cloak for the King. This cloak was for the coronation of Anne of Denmark, who was the King's wife. The cloak was made of red velvet with gold and silver embroidery.
Other tailors also worked for the Scottish court, like Peter Sanderson. Miller made clothes for the King's and Queen's pages (young servants). He even made a special costume for an African servant at court in October 1590. This outfit included an orange velvet jacket and breeches. It also had a doublet (a type of close-fitting jacket) made of shiny silk with white satin decorations.
In June 1591, King James ordered costumes for a special performance called a 'masque'. King James and his valet (personal servant) performed this masque at Tullibardine Castle. It was for the wedding of Lilias Murray and John Grant. The costumes were made of red and pink silk. They had gold fabric, stiff buckram head-pieces, and Venetian masks.
Miller also made costumes for the masque at the baptism of Prince Henry in 1594. These included a suit of purple satin and gold cloth. He also made a purple velvet cloak. In November 1601, Miller made clothes for Prince Charles, who would later become King. These clothes were sent to Dunfermline Palace.
Moving to England with the King
In April 1603, King James became King of England as well. This event is known as the Union of the Crowns. Miller made clothes for the King to wear on his journey to London. This included a green hunting outfit.
Miller went with the King to England and continued to make clothes for him. He made doublets and pairs of satin and velvet hose (tights or stockings). He lived for some time in London. Miller also made special robes for King James and Prince Henry for the Order of the Garter. This was a very important knightly order.
In August 1604, King James said that Alexander Miller was owed money. This was an old debt from the 1580s. The money was owed by the Master of Gray, who used to manage the Scottish royal wardrobe.
In 1610, Edinburgh council gave Miller permission to build a house. He also took legal action against James, Lord Torthorwald, in 1611 for money he was owed.
His Later Life and Family
Alexander Miller passed away on May 2, 1616. He was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh. His original monument was later moved or changed. Some people think a monument in the churchyard, now used for someone else, might have been Miller's.
His wife, Jonet Huntar, died earlier in 1592. Miller had two daughters, Barbara and Sara. Sara Miller was married to Thomas Fleming. Alexander Miller left £1000 Scots to the town of Edinburgh. This money helped rebuild Greyfriar's Kirk. In 1637, a royal order was given to pay Sara Miller £900 Sterling. This was for work her father had done but had not been paid for.
In 1626, the Heriot's Hospital foundation bought land from Miller's family. In 1642, Sara Miller agreed to give money to William Purves, who was marrying her daughter Marjory Fleming. This included another debt of 5000 merks that was owed to her father from a loan he made in 1610.
