Philip Napier Miles (21 January 1865 – 19 July 1935) was a philanthropist and musician in Bristol, and a descendant of the Napier family. He was High Sheriff of Gloucestershire for 1916–17.
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Life and family
He was the only son of Philip William Skynner Miles (1816–1881) and Pamela Adelaide Napier. His father was a promoter and developer of the docks at Avonmouth and the eldest son of Philip John Miles and Clarissa Peach, and his mother was the daughter of General Sir William Francis Patrick Napier. He was educated at Harrow School and Oriel College, Oxford. Like his family, he was a social and political conservative. Miles married Sybil Marguerite Gonne, OBE, daughter of Arthur de Hochepied Larpent, 8th Baron de Hochepied, in 1899, but died childless. His ashes were buried at Henbury parish church, and his grave is marked by the family motto, "Labora siccut bonus miles" ("Work like a good soldier"), a pun on their surname. He is commemorated in the name of Napier Miles Road, leading to the gate of Kingsweston.
Upon his death, his Kingsweston estate, more than 9,000 acres (36 km2), was sold off. His will's Grant of Probate showed that, even after his philanthropic gifts, his personal estate was worth £286,422 11s 4d (equivalent to £16,855,302 in 2023). His cousin William StJohn Fenton Miles, Director of the National Provincial Bank, was among the executors of his will.