William Mills was born in Sunderland in 1856. His father owned a shipbuilding company, in partnership with his two brothers. After serving an apprenticeship in shipbuilding with a different company, he spent seven years at sea. During this time he invented a simple, safe and efficient method of loading and unloading ships' lifeboats, which came into worldwide use in both naval and merchant vessels.
In 1885 William went into business, setting up the UK's first aluminium foundry at Monkwearmouth. Among its products were the first aluminium golf clubs to be made in the UK.
He later established a second factory in Birmingham, making castings for the motor car and aircraft industries. In 1915 he opened a third factory, also in Birmingham, to make the hand grenades that came to be named after him in popular parlance.
He was knighted in 1922.
© Haydn Thompson 2021