In 1851, or thereabouts, the Addisons left 7 Winckley Street to live on the western side of the Square at number 23, which is now “Paul Heathcote's Brasserie”. The house in Winckley Street was then taken over by Mr. Thomas Miller, of the cotton firm, Horrockses Miller, the most powerful cotton manufacturer in the town. Whilst resident there he built his own splendid house on the garden of number 7 - a house that was later to become the Junior Park School.

Mr. and Mrs. Miller had two sons and three daughters, and their house was well staffed with servants. In the census for 1861, there were seven members of the family and nine servants. In 1871 there were six members of the family and eleven servants! These were Kitchen Maid, House Maid, Under-House Maid, a German Governess, Butler, Groom, two Ladies’ Maids, one Under-Ladies Maid and one Cook!

It was Alderman Thomas Miller who gave to Preston the land for Miller Park. That was in 1864, and in 1865 he died, aged 54 years. His funeral was a tremendous affair. "The members of the Corporation assembled at the Corn Exchange and walked to the deceased's residence in Winckley Square. Before nine o'clock a vast concourse of people had already gone there. The bells of the Parish Church rang a muffled peal, flags were at half-mast, shops were closed and blinds drawn. Three thousand of Mr. Miller's workmen lined the funeral route, and as the cortege passed, fell in step behind it.” Mr. Miller also owned a house at West Beach, Lytham, and he was interred in the graveyard of St. John's Church there. Some of the work people caught trains to Lytham, and so followed their master to his last resting place.