Time on your hands!

[chempat]

James Henry Miles living in Shirley (Southampton) in 1911, ladder maker.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01q5z/

His second marriage, I think, was in 1888 when he claimed to be 44, but his bride was 25 (and had been married before), so lies could have been told.
Henry James Haylor (head of house in 1911) was a step-son.

Does not match with all the children claimed in the article.

[Girl Guide]

So in theory this death?

MILES, JAMES       106 
GRO Reference: 1938  M Quarter in SOUTHAMPTON  Volume 02C  Page 115

[Nanna52]

My grandparents were born in 1877, 1892 and 1893.  My fathers stepfather in 1895.  Still working on his biological father, but I believe between 1859 and 1884.  Depends on whom it was.  My parents were 31 and 35 when I was born.

[Girl Guide]

Well there is a baptism for a James Henry Miles on 3 January 1836 at St Mary's, Chatham, Kent.  Parents are William and Ann.  This is from a transcript.

The 1911 gave a birth place of Kent.  Is this James or a different one??

[chempat]

His birth was claimed as March 17th, and he died just before his birthday yes, that death in 1938
.

This was from a New Zealand paper in 1936:

[chempat]

Sorry, I did not keep my notes from looking him up, as the discussion went in a different direction and I did not think that others were that interested once it was realised that he was not local.
e.g. comments on which steps he fell down - there are some notorious ones involving footprints painted from a statue to the steps at top of public lavatories one New Year Eve

I have put 'James Miles might also have been called Harry Miles and was a publican at the 6 Bells in West Drayton, still trying to check that out.'  so I think he used either and both names at different times, and was not a ladder maker until later in his career.

Cannot now remember if he always claimed Kent

I had been trying to find 17 children, and lots of deaths together, but that did not happen, and I got interested in other things.

[Girl Guide]

Yes, newspaper stories can be somewhat exaggerated at times  I did find the one in the Hampshire Advertiser 19 March 1938 Page 7.  I assume that is the one that you found.

Presumably you have now put it to one side to possibly follow up again at some point in the future.

[chempat]

Yes, to 1938, and need to revisit, this is a good one clipping also:

[Treetotal]

I wonder just how many people knew their real age, given that on some census returns, some of my relies ages vary as much as eight years in some cases.
Carol