PART ELEVEN

 

The Welford-on-Avon Line

1700 to 2000

 

Updated August 2009

 

 

Whilst primarily set up as the Welford-on-Avon Line, this line now

contains many references to the Collett families of the hamlet of Admington

 

The original details in this family line were supplied by Bob Collett (Ref. 11R1)

of Cheshire via Stephen Collett of Solihull and are marked #1

This has now been developed further by Brian Collett and marked #2

 

Further contributions had been received from Desmond Hancox (Ref. 11R5) of Australia are marked #3, with the associated photographs having been kindly supplied by his cousin Anita Jeffrey (Ref. 11R12).  Additional information marked #4 has been provide by Desmond’s sister Dawn Wood (Ref. 11R7)

 

Other contributors have been:

Yvonne the wife of John Collett (Ref. 11R2) the additional details being marked #5; and Les Bradshaw (see Ref. 11P33) whose contributions are denoted by #6

 

To date no connection has been made to any other of the Collett family lines.

However, it has should be noted that Mary Collett (Ref. 4G2),

who was born in 1616, married John Holtham at Welford-on-Avon.

This is detailed in Part Four – The Great Western Line

 

 

Today Welford-on-Avon lies just a few miles west of Stratford-on-Avon in Warwickshire.  In the very early records the village was listed as being in the County of Gloucestershire.  The aforementioned Admington completes a triangle, being equal distant from Stratford and Welford.

 

 

11J1

This family line starts with THOMAS COLLETT who is believed to have been born around 1686 at Welford-on-Avon, often spelt as Whelford-on-Avon.

#1

 

 

 

He married Mary Holtham (or Holtam or Holtom) on 15.07.1711 at Welford-on-Avon.  Mary is believed to have been born there in 1690.

#2

#1

 

 

 

A couple of years later Thomas and Mary produced a son who was born in 1714 who was given the name Thomas Collett and he, like his father, also married a girl by the name of Mary Holtham. 

#1

 

 

 

His place of birth, like that of the first four children of the family was Weston-on-Avon which is the village closest to Welford-on-Avon.  Thomas’ and Mary’s fifth and sixth children were both baptised after the family had moved to Welford-on-Avon.

#1

 

 

 

It seems rather curious that the baptism record for the couple’s last children listed the child’s name as Elizabeth Holtam or Collett, even though the parents were confirmed as Thomas Collett and Mary Holtam.

#2

 

 

 

Thomas Collett (senior) died on 24.01.1739 at Welford-on-Avon but, to date, no record has been found of the death of his wife Mary.

#1

 

 

 

11K1

Susannah Collett

Baptised on 07.12.1711

#1

 

11K2

Thomas Collett

Born in 1714

#1

 

11K3

Ann Collett

Baptised on 26.05.1717

#1

 

11K4

Anthony Collett

Baptised on 12.12.1720

#1

 

11K5

Mary Collett

Baptised on 30.12.1730

#1

 

11K6

Elizabeth Collett

Baptised on 13.09.1733

#2

 

 

 

 

11K1

Susannah Collett was baptised at Weston-on-Avon on 07.12.1711.  She later married Edwards Wells on 26.12.1732 at Welford-on-Avon.

#1

#2

 

 

 

 

11K2

What happened next is very interesting in that THOMAS COLLETT who was born at Weston-on-Avon in 1714 married Mary Holtham (or Holtam or Holtom) of Welford-on-Avon who was presumably his cousin by marriage, she being the niece of his mother Mary Collett nee Holtham (above).

#1

 

 

 

Thomas and Mary were married on 28.10.1735 at Welford-on-Avon, having already produced their first children some seven months before they were married.

#2

#1

 

 

 

Mary is understood to have died in August 1772 at Welford-on-Avon but, to date, no record has been found of Thomas’ death.

#1

 

 

 

There is yet a further reference to the Holtom name later in this family line.

#2

 

 

 

11L1

Ann Collett

Baptised on 21.03.1735 at Welford

#1

 

11L2

Richard Collett

Baptised on 30.04 1738

#1

 

11L3

Thomas Collett

Baptised on 22.02.1739 at Welford

#2

 

11L4

Mary Collett

Baptised on 23.05.1742

#1

 

11L5

John Collett

Baptised on 13.02.1745

#2

 

 

 

 

11K3

Ann Collett was baptised at Weston-on-Avon on 26.05.1717 and it was there that she married Richard Pacey on 01.01.1744.

#2

 

 

 

 

11K4

Anthony Collett was baptised at Weston-on-Avon on 12.12.1720 and he married Anne Brain of Quinton at the parish church in Quinton on 16.02.1747.  Their children were baptised at Quinton, the eldest son being named after his grandfather.

#1

#2

 

 

 

It may be of interest to note that, over many years, there had been previous occasions when the Collett name had been linked with that of the Brain family, although all of them in Gloucestershire. 

#2

 

 

 

The earliest recorded event took place at Little Rissington in 1717 when Mary Collett married Thomas Brain, followed in 1828 when Henry Collett (Ref.33L2) married Margaret Brain at Upper Slaughter, again in 1881 when Hannah Reeson Collett (Ref. 37O4) was in service with retired farmer William Brain of Oxford.

#2

 

 

 

11L6

Mary Collett

Baptised on 02.04 1749 at Quinton

#1

 

11L7

Anne Collett

Baptised on 28.06.1752 at Quinton

#2

 

11L8

Thomas Collett

Baptised on 18.05.1755

#1

 

 

 

 

11K5

Mary Collett was baptised on 30.12.1730 at Welford-on-Avon where she died just over a year later on 13.02.1732.

#1

 

 

 

 

11L2

Richard Collett was born in 1738 at Quinton south of Stratford-on-Avon but was baptised on 30.04.1738 at Welford-on-Avon. 

#1

 

 

 

Richard married Mary Freeman on 03.08.1773 at Willersey some miles south of Welford-on-Avon near Broadway, Willersey being the place where Mary was born in 1752.

#2

#1

 

 

 

Shortly after the wedding the couple produced what would have been a honeymoon baby in the form of son Robert Collett who was also born at Willersey, as was their second son.

#2

 

 

 

11M1

Robert Collett

Baptised on 27.05.1774

#2

 

11M2

Edward Collett

Baptised on 30.11.1776 at Willersey

#1

 

 

 

 

11L4

Mary Collett was baptised on 23.05.1742 at Welford-on-Avon where she died a few months later on 13.08.1742.

#1

 

 

 

 

11L5

John Collett was baptised on 13.02.1745 at Welford-on-Avon.  This is the family line of John Collett of Australia who, in 2004, was living at Mount Albert in Victoria and with whom contact has been made in an attempt to extend this line into the 21st Century.

#2

 

 

 

 

11L8

Thomas Collett was baptised at Quinton on 18.05.1755 and he later married Anna.  It seems very likely that they lived at Welford-on-Avon where their son John was baptised and where son Richard was married in 1819 and raised his own family, as did son Thomas.

#2

 

 

 

11M3

Thomas Collett

Date of birth unknown

#1

 

11M4

William Collett

Date of birth unknown

#2

 

11M5

John Collett

Baptised on 14.01.1793 at Welford

#2

 

 

 

 

11M1

Robert Collett was baptised on 27.05.1774 at Willersey.  He married Ann Hughes at Quinton on 31.10.1797 where Ann had been born on 01.09.1776.  The couple settled in the hamlet of Admington close by Quinton where all of their children were born.  However, as there was no church there, all of the children were baptised at the parish church in Quinton.

#2

#1

 

 

 

Robert, who was a blacksmith in 1841, died in 1848 followed by Ann on 23.02.1851, both being buried at the parish church in nearby Quinton.

#1

#3

 

 

 

The inclusion of Robert’s son Thomas, who was born in 1812, is the result of an entry on the website www.familysearch.org.  However, already included under the family of William and Ann Collett is their son Thomas who, according to the IGI, was also baptised at Quinton on the same day.  The ‘familysearch’ website also acknowledges the IGI record so it is possible both are correct.

#1

 

#2

 

 

 

11N1

Richard Collett

Baptised on 18.03.1798

#2

 

11N2

Mary Collett

Baptised on 13.10.1799 at Quinton

#2

 

11N3

Nancy Collett

Baptised on 13.10.1800 at Quinton

#2

 

11N4

Robert Collett

Baptised on 05.04.1801

#2

 

11N5

Ann Collett

Baptised on 25.12.1802 at Quinton

#2

 

11N6

John Collett

Baptised on 14.10.1804

#1

 

11N7

Peggy Collett

Baptised on 03.08.1806 at Quinton

#2

 

11N8

Rachel Collett

Baptised on 19.09.1808 at Quinton

#2

 

11N9

Elizabeth Collett

Baptised on 11.09.1810

#2

 

11N10

Thomas Collett

Baptised on 25.10.1812

#1

 

11N11

GEORGE COLLETT

Baptised on 09.04.1817

#2

 

11N12

William Joshua Collett

Baptised on 28.11.1819

#2

 

11N13

Maria Collett

Baptised on 30.12.1821 at Quinton

#2

 

11N14

Sarah Collett                 (twin)

Baptised on 12.10.1823 at Quinton

#2

 

11N15

Elizabeth Collett            (twin)

Baptised on 12.10.1823 at Quinton

#2

 

 

 

 

11M3

Thomas Collett, whose date of birth is not known, married Elizabeth just before the turn of the century and the two children listed below were born and baptised at Welford-on-Avon.

#2

 

 

 

11N16

Thomas Collett

Baptised on 29.09.1800 at Welford

#2

 

11N17

Mary Collett

Born circa 1803

#2

 

 

 

 

11M4

William Collett, whose date of birth is not known, married Ann and their son was born at Admington and baptised at Quinton.

#2

 

 

 

Although the birth of their son has been included here since the initial compilation of this family line and was obtained from the IGI, more recent information suggests that the Thomas baptised at Quinton on twenty-fifth of October 1812 was the son of Robert and Ann.

#2

 

 

 

However, the same source for the new information, the website www.familysearch.org, also confirms the IGI entry which states that Thomas’ parents were William and Ann Collett.

#2

 

 

 

11N18

Thomas Collett

Baptised on 25.10.1812 at Quinton

#1

 

 

 

 

11M5

John Collett was baptised at Welford on 14.01.1793.  With other members of the Collett family moving towards the town of Evesham it is possible that John settled at nearby Badsey where, on 25.12.1817 he married Mary Hitch.

#2

 

 

 

 

11N1

Richard Collett was born at Admington and baptised at the parish church in Quinton on 18.03.1798 where he later married Hannah Fletcher on 07.06.1819.  Their marriage produced ten children who were all baptised at Quinton. 

#2

 

 

 

By the time of the first national census in June 1841 Richard’s rounded aged was 40, while his wife’s was 45.  The family was living at Quinton but two of their ten children were missing and it must be assumed that these had suffered infant deaths prior to this time.

#2

 

 

 

The children still living with their parents were Robert and Martha both given as aged 20, Richard 15, George 11, Ann 9, Elizabeth 7, William 5, and Jane aged 2.  The two missing children were John and Eliza, so the later sibling Elizabeth may have been named in her honour.

#2

 

 

 

Over the next ten years it would appear that Hannah may have died since she was not living with 51 years old Richard in 1851.  On that occasion the children still living with their father were Richard aged 28, George 22, Ann 19, Elizabeth 17 and William 14.

#2

 

 

 

All of his children had left the family home by the time of the 1871 Census leaving just Richard at the age of 73.  Living close by though was youngest son William with his wife Ann and Richard’s first grandchild.  No record of him has been found thereafter.

#2

 

 

 

11O1

Robert Collett

Baptised on 02.11.1819

#2

 

11O2

Martha Collett

Baptised on 29.10.1820

#2

 

11O3

Richard Collett

Baptised on 20.01.1821

#2

 

11O4

John Collett

Baptised on 25.04.1824

#2

 

11O5

Eliza Collett

Baptised on 19.11.1826

#2

 

11O6

George Collett

Baptised on 19.04.1829

#2

 

11O7

Ann Collett

Baptised on 02.10.1831

#2

 

11O8

Elizabeth Collett

Baptised on 15.09.1833

#2

 

11O9

William Collett

Baptised on 07.02.1836

#2

 

11O10

Jane Collett

Baptised on 30.12.1838

#2

 

 

 

 

11N4

Robert Collett was born at Admington in 1800 and was baptised at Quinton on 05.04.1801.  There is a mystery surrounding Robert’s early adult years but it seems very likely that he married (1) Mary when aged 21 years.  This marriage produced two children who were both born at Welford-on-Avon, the first in late 1821 or very early in 1822 and the second in 1823.

#2

 

 

 

It is possible that Mary died during the birth of the second of the two children or sometime thereafter.  What is known is that almost ten years later, on 26.10.1832 Robert then aged 32 married (2) Mary Hughes at Quinton parish church.  This Mary was born at Ilmington in 1812, so could not have been the Mary that presented Robert with his first two children.

#2

 

 

 

This second marriage produced a further seven children for Robert and all of them being born at Admington but baptised at Quinton.  It should be noted that Robert’s father Robert Collett senior (Ref. 11M1) married Ann Hughes at Quinton parish church in 1797.  So it seems very likely that Mary Hughes will have been her niece.

#2

 

 

 

By the time of the 1841 Census Robert’s rounded age was 35 and Mary’s was 30.  The only children listed were them at that time were Daniel aged 8, Rachel aged 6, Dinah aged 4 and Sierra (Selena) aged 2, the whole family living within the parish of Quinton.

#2

 

 

 

Twenty years later the family was living in the Shipston-on-Stour & Campden registration district where Robert was 61 and his wife Mary was 49.  The children living with them on that occasion were Daniel 28, Rachel 25, Leanah (Selena) 21, Joseph 12, and George aged 8.

#2

 

 

 

By 1871 the family was living in the Campden & Shipston-on-Stour where Robert aged 70 and Mary aged 61.  Still listed with them were daughter Susannah aged 31 and sons Mark 26, Joseph 22 (with his wife Anne 24), and George aged 17.  Also living with them was the couple’s grandchild Mary F Collett who was under one year old and the first child of Joseph and Anne.

#3

 

 

 

Robert died aged 73 and was buried in the graveyard of Quinton parish church on 05.02.1873.

#3

 

 

 

So by the time of the 1881 Census Mary was a widow aged 71 living at Lower Admington with her two unmarried children Selena and George.  In addition, Mary had taken a lodger, 23 years old Walter Hughes an agricultural labourer of Admington who was very likely her nephew or the son of her nephew.

#2

 

 

 

On the day of the national census on 3rd April 1881 there were twenty-four people with the surname of Hughes living in the village of Admington, of which twenty-one had been born there.

#2

 

 

 

Widow Mary Collett was still living at Admington in 1891 at the age of 82 and living with her was seventeen years old Mary A Collett who may have been her granddaughter Mary F Collett referred to above.

#2

 

 

 

11O11

Ann Collett

Baptised on 15.01.1822

#2

 

11O12

George Collett

Born in 1823

#2

 

11O13

Daniel Collett

Baptised on 10.05.1833

#2

 

11O14

Rachel Collett

Baptised on 22.03.1835

#2

 

11O15

Dinah Collett

Baptised on 22.01.1837

#2

 

11O16

Sarah Collett

Baptised on 10.02.1839

#2

 

11O17

Selena Collett

Born in 1840

#3

 

11O18

Mark Collett

Born in 1844

#2

 

11O19

Joseph Collett

Born in 1849

#2

 

11O20

George Collett

Born in 1853

#3

 

 

 

 

11N6

John Collett was born at Admington and was baptised at Quinton on 14.10.1804. 

#1

 

 

 

 

11N9

Elizabeth Collett was born at Admington in 1806 according to later census records.  However, within the Gloucestershire IGI there are two entries for the baptism of Elizabeth the daughter of Robert and Ann at Quinton parish church.  The first took place on 11.09.1810 and the second a year later on 11.10.1811.

#2

 

 

 

It seems very unlikely that Robert and Ann would have had two consecutive daughters named Elizabeth particularly since a further Elizabeth was born into the family in 1823.  From the similarity in the dates it has therefore been assumed that the two IGI entries relate to the same child, the actual date not clearly written in the original parish register.

#2

 

 

 

On 09.11.1829 Elizabeth married John Gilkes by banns, John having been born at Great Rollright in Oxfordshire in 1803.  Their wedding certificate carried the mark of her father Robert Collett.  The marriage produced ten children for Elizabeth and John, all of whom were born at Great Rollright between 1831 and 1852.

#5

 

 

 

These were Thomas (1831-before 1844), John (1833-1919), Henry (1835-1917), George (1837-1910), Mary (1840-1900), Catherine (1842-1932) who may also have been known as Teresa, Thomas (1844-1895), Joseph (1847-1869), Ann (see below), and Martin (1852-1932).

#5

 

 

 

Elizabeth and John spent the whole of their married life together at Rollright where John died between January and March in 1881.  By the time of that year’s census Elizabeth was a widow aged 75 and born at Admington.  The only member of her family still living with her at Great Rollright was her daughter Teresa (Catherine) who was a spinster aged 38.

#2

 

 

 

Curiously there was a visitor staying with Elizabeth and Teresa, and this was spinster Eliza Ann Holtom aged 33 of Long Compton in Warwickshire.  See earlier references to the Holtom name and its connection to the Collett family.

#2

 

 

 

There was no reference to Elizabeth in the 1891 Census so it must be assumed that she died sometime after the census of 1881.

#2

 

 

 

11O21

Ann Winifred Gilkes

Born in 1849

#2

 

 

 

 

11N10

Thomas Collett was born at Admington in 1812 and was baptised at the parish church in Quinton on 25.10.1812.  He later married Elizabeth who was born at Great Wolford near Moreton-in-Marsh in 1808.

#2

 

 

 

By the time of the 1861 Census their oldest son had left home so the family just comprised Thomas aged 47, his wife Elizabeth also 47, and their 14 years old son Josiah.  The couple’s older son John had by this time left Admington to find work in Staffordshire.

#2

 

 

 

Ten years later it was the same situation except that William and Elizabeth were then both 57 and Josiah was 24.

#2

 

 

 

Thomas died during the 1870s so by the time of the 1881 Census Elizabeth of Great Wolford was described as a widow and a grazier aged 57.  Living with her at Upper Admington was her unmarried son Josiah whose occupation was that of a blacksmith.  He was aged 34 and his place of birth was confirmed as having been Admington.

#2

 

 

 

It is more than likely that there were other children born to Thomas and Elizabeth but none have been identified at this stage.

#2

 

 

 

11O22

John Collett

Born in 1841

#2

 

11O23

Josiah Collett

Born in 1846

#2

 

 

 

 

11N11

GEORGE COLLETT was born at Admington and baptised on 09.04.1817 at nearby Quinton.  He later married Maria Jennings of Snowshill near Broadway at Quinton on 20.11.1843.  Maria was the daughter of Thomas Jennings an agricultural labourer who was born at Snowshill in 1798.

#2

 

 

 

George’s and Maria’s first four children were born at Admington and baptised at Quinton, following which the family appear to have moved the five miles south to Chipping Campden where their next four children were born.

#2

 

 

 

The move took place around 1850, since by March 1851 the family was living at Back Ends in Chipping Campden.  Back End still exists as a road today, although the area and the old property has since been the subject of redevelopment.

#1

 

 

 

Ten years later in 1861 the family was still living in Chipping Campden, but had moved from Back Ends to Cow Fair.  Cow Fair is now known as Upper High Street and the terrace cottage ‘The Old Bakehouse’ is reputed to be the former home of the Collett family. 

#1

 

 

 

At that time in April 1861, George gave his aged as 40 rather than 43, Maria was 38 and their children still living with them were Louisa 14, Robert 12, Walter 9, Mark 6, George 3 and Charles aged one year.

#2

 

 

 

It would appear that sometime after 1861 another family move took place, this time only two miles north to Mickleton where the couple’s last two children were baptised.  It may be of interest that these two children gave their place of birth as Admington within later census records. 

#2

 

 

 

Also within the next ten years some of the older children had left the family home, so by 1871 the family living at The Butts in Mickleton was reduced to just George aged 53, Maria who was 47, Walter 19, George 13, Charles 11, and the couple’s two youngest children Sarah aged 7 and Thomas who was under one year old.

#2

 

 

 

Sometime during the next ten years George and Maria moved even further north, this time to Staffordshire, to where their sons Walter and Mark had also moved sometime earlier.

#2

 

 

 

According to the Census of 1881 George now aged 64 was an inn keeper and blacksmith from Admington in Gloucestershire.  He was ‘head of the house’ at the Swan Inn on Small Lane in Eccleshall which lies eight miles north-west of Stafford.  Living with him was his wife Lydia aged 60, daughter Sarah 17 and son Thomas 11, all three stating they had also been born at Admington. 

#2

 

 

 

Was the reference to George’s wife as Lydia just a transcribing error?  A thorough search of the 1881 Census has revealed no Maria of the right age born in Gloucestershire.  Furthermore there is no appropriate Lydia Collett in any of the other census records, so this points towards an error in translation.

#2

 

 

 

George died at Stoke-on-Trent in 1896 while Maria passed away five years earlier in 1891 at Wolstanton near Newcastle-under-Lyme.

#1

 

 

 

11O24

John Collett

Baptised on 05.05.1844

#2

 

11O25

Jane Collett

Baptised on 05.11.1845

#1

 

11O26

Louisa Collett

Baptised on 11.07.1847

#2

 

11O27

Robert Collett

Baptised on 03.06.1849

#1

 

11O28

Walter Collett

Born on 21.10.1851

#2

 

11O29

Mark Collett

Born in 1854

#2

 

11O30

HENRY GEORGE COLLETT

Born in 1857

#2

 

11O31

Charles Collett

Born in 1859

#2

 

11O32

Sarah A Collett

Baptised on 03.07.1863

#2

 

11O33

Thomas Collett

Baptised on 05.09.1869

#2

 

 

 

 

11N12

William Joshua Collett was born at Admington in 1819 and baptised at the parish church in Quinton on 28.11.1819.  By 1851 William had married Caroline Downes who was born in 1827 at Pebworth less than five miles from Admington.

#2

#3

 

 

 

The 1851 Census confirmed that William aged 29 and Caroline aged 25 were living in the Evesham, Broadway and Weston Subedge registration district.  Shortly after the census day they settled in Admington where their ten children were born, although they were all baptised at the parish church in nearby Quinton.

#2

 

 

 

So ten years later the family at Admington comprised William 41, Caroline of Pebworth 35, and their first five children Alfred 8, Louisa 7, James (referred to as Jabeth) 5, Hannah 3, and Zillah aged 2 years.

#2

 

 

 

A further five children were born into the family over the following decade, although by 1871 the two oldest children had left the family home.  The 1871 Census recorded the family as labourer William 50 and Caroline 44 with James (Jabez) aged 15, Hannah 13, Zillah 12, Selina 9, Richard 8, John 5 and Josiah aged 3.  No trace has so far been found of daughter Edwina who may have died while still a child.

#2

 

 

 

Just over seven years late William died at Admington on 18.12.1878.  By the time of the 1881 Census, Caroline aged 55 was listed as a widow and was head of the household.

#2

#3

 

 

 

Living with her at Lower Admington were her three youngest sons Richard aged 18 and an apprentice blacksmith following in the family tradition, and farm labourers John 15 and Josiah 13, all three boys having been born at Admington.

#2

 

 

 

Also living with the family at that time was Caroline’s five years old granddaughter Lucy Hannah Collett (Ref. 11P48) who was also born at Admington and was the base born daughter of Caroline’s eldest daughter Louisa Jane.

#2

 

 

 

By 1891 Caroline was living at Blockley aged 64 and still living with her was her granddaughter Lucy aged 15.  Blockley is a Gloucestershire village just south of Chipping Campden and until 1931 was part of the county of Worcestershire.

#2

 

 

 

Ten years later in 1901 Caroline 74 and of Pebworth still had her granddaughter Lucy living with her.  On this occasion they were no longer living at Admington but had moved to nearby Ilmington.  Lucy H Collett was listed as 25 who was working as a charwoman, having been born at Admington.

#2

 

 

 

Also living with them were two children, Mabel Collett aged 5 of Admington and William Collett aged 2 of Ilmington who were the base born offspring of unmarried Lucy H Collett.

#2

 

 

 

A few years later in 1904 Lucy was married and left her grandmother’s home.  Sadly within a year Caroline died aged 78 and was buried in the churchyard at Ilmington on 11.02.1905.

#3

 

 

 

11O34

Alfred Collett

Baptised on  20.06.1852

#2

 

11O35

Louisa Jane Collett

Baptised on 19.03.1854

#2

 

11O36

James Collett

Baptised on 23.12.1855

#2

 

11O37

Hannah Collett

Baptised on 30.08.1857

#2

 

11O38

Zillah Collett

Baptised on 19.06.1859

#2

 

11O39

Selena Collett

Born in 1861

#2

 

11O40

Richard Collett

Born in 1863

#2

 

11O41

Edwina Collett

Born in 1864

#2

 

11O42

John Collett

Born in 1865

#2

 

11O43

Josiah Collett

Born in 1867

#1

 

 

 

 

11N17

Mary Collett was born at Welford-on-Avon around 1803 and it was there that she married William Gibbs on 24.01.1825.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O1

Robert Collett was born at Admington in 1819 and was baptised at Quinton on 02.11.1819.  As an adult, his rounded age in the 1841 Census was stated as being 20, rather than 21, in which he was recorded as living with his family within the parish of Quinton.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O2

Martha Collett was born at Admington in 1820 and was baptised at Quinton on 29.10.1820.  Like her brother Robert (above), her rounded age in the census of 1841 was recorded as 20 at a time when she was still living at the family home in the parish of Quinton.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O3

Richard Collett was born at Admington in 1821 and was baptised at Quinton a few days later on 20.01.1822.  His rounded age in 1841 was stated as being 15 rather than 19 while still living with his family in the parish of Quinton which included the hamlet of Admington.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O4

John Collett was baptised at Quinton on 25.04.1824 but was not listed as living with his family in June 1841.  He would have been 16 years of age and since his three older siblings were still within the family home it may be assumed that John had died prior to 1841.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O5

Eliza Collett was baptised at Quinton on 19.11.1826 and just like her brother John (above) she was the only other member of the family missing from the family in the 1841 Census.  It is perhaps therefore safe to assume that she too had also died before that date.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O6

George Collett was born at Admington in 1829 and was baptised at Quinton on 19.04.1829.  His age was recorded as 11 years at the time of the 1841 Census when he was living within the parish of Quinton with his family.

#2

 

 

 

Although not yet found in any of the following census records, George reappeared in the 1891 Census for Blockley & Shipston-on-Stour at the age of 62 wife his wife Emma aged 66.  It has not been determined when or where they were married or whether they had any children.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O7

Ann Collett was born at Admington in 1831 and was baptised at Quinton on 02.10.1831.  She was aged 9 in June 1841 and was living with her family in the parish of Quinton.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O8

Elizabeth Collett was born at Admington in 1833 and baptised at Quinton on 15.09.1833 and by June 1841 she was 7 years of age.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O9

William Collett, who was born at Admington in late 1835 or early 1836 and was baptised at Quinton on 07.02.1836, was aged 5 in the 1841 Census for the parish of Quinton where he was living with his family.  Sometime around 1858 it would appear that William married Rose Ann Hall who was born at Ilmington in 1837.

#2

 

 

 

So by the time of the Shipston-on-Stour & Campden census of 1861 the marriage had produced a son for the couple who was baptised at Quinton.  William was aged 25, his wife Ann was 24 and their son was just one year old.  Over the next ten years a further five children were born into the family and all born at Mickleton.

#2

 

 

 

William’s occupation in the earlier part of his life was that of a carrier and in 1871 he and his family were still living in Mickleton.  Strangely though he gave his aged as 31 and his wife Rose A Collett of Ilmington as 30.  Living with them was their four sons, Francis aged 11, James 7, Josiah 3 and baby Albert who was not yet one year old.

#2

 

 

 

Ten years later according to the census of 1881 William was a publican in the village of Mickleton where he was living with his wife Ann and two of their six children.  The census confirmed William of Admington aged 42, Ann of Ilmington aged 41, and their children Albert 10 and Florence aged 7, both having been born while they were living at Mickleton.

#2

 

 

 

The couple’s eldest son Francis had left home by 1881 and was working as a footman in Devon.  No trace of their daughter Mary Jane has been found at all so it might be assumed that she had died before 1881.

#2

 

 

 

By 1891 William was 54 years of age and was living at Blockley near Moreton-in-Marsh with his daughter Florence who was aged 17.  It would seem likely that his wife Ann had already passed away by then.  Ten years later William had returned to the village of his birth.  He was confirmed as being aged 64 and born at Admington where he was working as a farmer.

#2

 

 

 

11P1

Francis Richard Edward Hall Collett

Baptised on 05.03.1860

#2

 

11P2

James Collett

Born in 1863

 

 

11P3

Josiah Collett

Born in 1867

 

 

11P4

Albert Frederick William Collett

Born in 1870

#2

 

11P5

Mary Jane Collett

Baptised on 08.10.1871

#2

 

11P6

Florence Gertrude Hall Collett

Born in 1873

#2

 

 

 

 

11O10

Jane Collett was born at Admington in 1838.  She and was baptised at Quinton on 30.12.1838 and was recorded as living with her family on 6th June 1841 aged 2.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O11

Ann Collett was born at Welford-on-Avon and was baptised there on 15.01.1822. 

#2

 

 

 

Ann’s rounded age in the 1841 Census was 20 when she was recorded as living in the Alcester & Stratford-on-Avon registration district.  Two years later she was one of the witnesses at the Quinton wedding of her brother George (below).

#2

 

 

 

 

11O12

George Collett was born at Welford-on-Avon in 1823 but moved to live at Admington with his father Robert and older sister Ann shortly after.  He married Emma Rogers at Quinton parish church around 1843. 

#2

 

 

 

Emma was born in 1825 at Admington where all of their children were born.  The witnesses at their wedding were George’s sister Ann Collett (above) and Jacob Cox.

#2

 

 

 

According to the 1861 Census George aged 38 was working away from home and was recorded in the Evesham & Broadway area, whereas his wife Emma 35 and son John aged 10 were still residents in the hamlet of Admington.

#2

 

 

 

So far no record of the family has been found in 1871, and no record at all have been found for the couple’s son Richard.  This may indicate that he died between 1852 and 1861.

#2

 

 

 

In 1881 at the age of 57 George Collett of Admington was a coachman and domestic living with Emma aged 55 at Cross Cottage in Blaisdon on the edge of the Forest of Dean north of Cinderford.

#2

 

 

 

Following the death of her husband, Emma had moved to live in Worcester by 1901 where she was listed as a 75 years old dressmaker of Admington.  And with no entry found in the census of 1911, it is likely that she died during the first decade of the new century.

#2

 

 

 

11P7

John Collett

Born in 1851

#2

 

11P8

Richard Collett

Born in 1852

#2

 

 

 

 

11O13

Daniel Collett, who was born at Admington in late 1832 or early 1833 and was baptised at Quinton on 10.05.1833, was aged 8 in June 1841.  He was one of four children still living with his parents in the parish of Quinton at that time.

#2

 

 

 

He was an agricultural labourer and he married Sarah A who was born at Aston Magna just north of Moreton-in-Marsh in 1832.  It seems likely that the marriage took place after 1861.

#2

 

 

 

By the time of the 1871 Census of Admington the marriage had produced two children for Daniel and Sarah.  Daniel was 34, Sarah was 33 and their children were Jane 5 and William 2.  All three of their children were born at Admington but baptised at Quinton.

#2

 

 

 

Ten years later in 1881, Daniel and Sarah were both listed as 48 and were living at Lower Admington.  With them were sons William who was aged 12 and already working as an agricultural labourer, and ‘Dan’ who was six years old.

#2

 

 

 

The couple’s fifteen years old daughter was working away from home and was in service at a house in nearby Stratford-on-Avon

#2

 

 

 

In 1891 Daniel aged 57 and Sarah aged 55 were still living at Admington.

#2

 

 

 

Sometime within the next ten years Daniel died leaving his wife Sarah A Collett a widow of 64 in the census of 1901.  At that time she was living with her son William Henry Collett and his family at their home in Admington.

#2

 

 

 

During the next decade Sarah moved away from Admington when she went to live with her youngest son Dan at Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire.  And it was at Ross that she was recorded as living with son and his family in April 1911 at the age of 74.

#2

 

 

 

11P9

Ella Jane Collett

Born in 1865

#2

 

11P10

William Henry Collett

Born in 1868

#2

 

11P11

Daniel (Dan) Collett

Born in 1874

#2

 

 

 

 

11O14

Rachel Collett was born at Admington and baptised at Quinton on 22.03.1835.  Rachel was six years of age in the 1841 census and 16 in 1851 and on both occasions was listed with her family at Admington.  Ten years later she was unmarried at the age of 25 and was still living at the family home in Admington.  It is assumed that she was married shortly after.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O15

Dinah Collett was born at Admington and baptised at Quinton on 22.01.1837.  By June 1841 she was four years old and was living with her family in Admington as she was ten years later aged 13.  Six years later she married Thomas Tomlinson at Pebworth on 08.04.1857.

#2

 

 

 

According to the 1871 Dinah was referred to as Diana aged 33 and was living with her husband Thomas 34 at Pebworth with their four children Joseph 11, William 9, Caleb 6, and Jane aged 4.

#2

 

 

 

Ten years later Dinah and Thomas were both aged 44 and were still living at Pebworth where Thomas was born and was working as an agricultural labourer at that time.

#2

 

 

 

Dinah was confirmed as having been born at Admington and all three of their children, Joseph 21, William 19 and Caleb 16, had been born at Pebworth and were also employed as agricultural labourers.  The family’s address was simply ‘cottage’ Pebworth.

#2

 

 

 

With Dinah’s daughter Jane missing from the 1881 census records, when she would have been aged 14, it must be assumed that she had died during the previous ten years.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O16

Sarah Collett was born at Admington possibly in later 1838 and was baptised at Quinton on 10.02.1839.  Rather strangely there was no Sarah listed with her family in 1841 or at any later time so it might be assumed that she died shortly after she was born - see below.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O17

Selena Collett was born at Admington in 1840 and was listed using different variations of her name in the census records.  It would also appear that she never married and in 1881 as Selena she was aged 40 and was companion to her widowed mother Mary Collett.

#2

 

 

 

During the earlier census records she was listed as Sierra aged 2 in 1841, as Leanah aged 21 in 1861, and as Susannah aged 31 in 1871.  It is possible that Sierra may have been an interpretation of Sarah which would perhaps indicate that Sarah (above) and Selena were the same person.  No record of either of them has been in 1891 or 1901.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O18

Mark Collett was born at Admington in 1844.  At the time of the 1861 Census he was aged 16 and ten years later in 1871 he was not married but was still living in Admington with his parents at the age of 26. 

#2

 

 

 

He later married Mary Mason who was born in 1850 at Long Marston just three miles to the north-west of Admington.

#2

 

 

 

Sometime after they were married Mark and Mary moved to Hatton to the west of the town of Warwick where Mark took up employment as a cowman and where Mary was a dairy maid.

#2

 

 

 

According to the 1881 Census Mark was aged 37 and Mary 31 and they were living at Georges Farm in Hatton not far from Leek Wootton where Mark’s brother Joseph was living at that time. 

#2

 

 

 

The marriage had not so far produced any children and the only person living with Mark and Mary was Mary’s younger brother Frederick Mason aged 14 who was working as a farm servant.

#2

 

 

 

The 1901 Census places Mark and Mary as living at Stretton-on-Fosse where Mark was a farmer aged 56 of Admington and Mary was aged 51.

#2

 

 

 

Ten years later in April 1911, Mark and Mary were still living at Stretton-on-Fosse where Mark of Admington was 67 and Mary was 61.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O19

Joseph Collett was born at Admington in 1849.  Whilst he has not been located in the 1851 Census he was aged 12 and was living with his family in 1861.

#2

 

 

 

Joseph later joined his brother Mark who had left the family home in Admington to travel north into Warwickshire.  However before leaving Gloucestershire Joseph married Anne around 1870.  The marriage is likely to have taken place at Quinton parish church since it was at Quinton that Anne was born in 1848.

#2

 

 

 

By the time of the 1871 Census Joseph and his new wife Anne were still living with Joseph’s parents Robert 70 and Mary 61 at Admington.  Joseph was aged 22 and Anne 24 and with them was their first child, their daughter Mary F Collett.  However, it would appear that she died shortly after.

#2

 

 

 

Perhaps it was the child’s death that prompted Joseph and Anne to move north to live at Barford between Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick where the couple’s next two children were born.  By 1876 the family had moved again this time to Leamington where their fourth child was born.

#2

 

 

 

A couple of years later found the family living at Kenilworth where another child was born.  By early 1881, around the time of the birth of their sixth child, the family had settled at Leek Wootton where Joseph was the storekeeper and baker of the village Cooperative Stores.  Only the couple’s first born child was missing from the census record.

#2

 

 

 

It is interesting to note that Leek Wootton is only a very short distance from Hatton where Joseph’s older brother Mark was living at the start of the 1880s.

#2

 

 

 

The birth of the couple’s sixth child took place in the week just before the census date of 3rd April 1881 and on the day of the census no name was given to the child.  It was simply registered as ‘infant Collett unnamed’ although it is known that the child was later named Mary.

#2

 

 

 

During the next ten years a further three children were added to the family, so by 1891 the family was made up of Joseph 41, Anne 42, and seven of their children.  These were Ernest 17, George 14, Joseph 12, Mary 10, Helen 6, Albert 2, and Geoffrey who was under one year old.  The family was recorded as living at Charlton Entire near Evesham in Worcestershire.

#2

 

 

 

By 1901 Joseph, Anne and some of their children were still living at Charlton Entire.  Joseph was confirmed as of Admington aged 51 and Anne was aged 52 of Upper Quinton.  The children were daughter Mary 20, and sons Joseph 21, Albert 12, and Geoffrey aged 10. 

#2

 

 

 

Joseph’s occupation was then stated as being a market gardener and it may be of interest that in the same area the family of William Collett of Willersey and his wife Charlotte of Badsey were in the same business at Badsey Entire near Evesham.

#2

 

 

 

It would appear from the census of 1911 that Joseph died within the first ten years of the new century, and it may have been this that prompted the family to leave Charlton.  According to the 1911 Census, Ann of Upper Quinton was 62 and a widow, living at Yessell Lane in Evesham.

#2

 

 

 

Living with Ann were three children of her four youngest children, all of whom were still unmarried.  These were Mary who was 30, Albert who was 22, and Geoffrey who was 20.

#2

 

 

 

Also living with Ann and the three children was her married son Ernest who was 37.  Whether he was just visiting his mother is not known, but neither his wife nor any children, if he they had any, were with him on this occasion.

#2

 

 

 

11P12

Mary F Collett

Born in 1871

#2

 

11P13

Ernest Collett

Born in 1873

#2

 

11P14

Louisa J Collett

Born in 1874

#2

 

11P15

George Robert Collett

Born in 1876

#2

 

11P16

Joseph Collett

Born in 1879

#2

 

11P17

Mary Collett

Born in March 1881

#2

 

11P18

Helen Collett

Born in 1884

#2

 

11P19

Albert Collett

Born in 1888

#2

 

11P20

Geoffrey Collett

Born in 1890

#2

 

 

 

 

11O20

George Collett was born at Admington in 1853 and was aged 8 in 1861.  Ten years later George was still living with his parents in Admington and was listed as being aged 17.

#2

 

 

 

By the time of the 1881 Census he was a carrier aged 27 still living at the family home in Lower Admington with his mother and older sister Selena (above).

#2

 

 

 

Three years later in 1884 he married Agnes Skey at Quinton parish church.  The parish register confirmed that they were both aged 31 and that Agnes’ father was James Skey, while George’s father was Robert Collett.  The witness to the signing of the register was George’s oldest brother Daniel Collett (above).

#3

 

 

 

No further record of George and Agnes after this time has so far been found, although the widow Agnes was aged 58 and was living in the Toxteth district of Liverpool in April 1911.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O21

Ann Winifred Gilkes was born at Great Rollright in 1849.  She married Valentine Pinfold who was born at Enstone in 1846.  During his life Valentine was a shepherd and a farm labourer, but he was listed with his wife at the time of the 1881 Census.

#5

 

 

 

According to the census record, Ann who was 31 was a visitor at the Spelsbury home of shepherd William Leech and his family.  Accompanying Ann were two of her children, Joseph aged 4 and Mary Elizabeth who was just eleven months old, both children having been born at Chipping Norton.

#2

 

 

 

Twenty years later Ann aged 51 of Great Rollright and Valentine aged 54 of Enstone were living at Chipping Norton with their children including 20 years old Mary E Pinfold who was working as a domestic cook.  Valentine died in 1914.

#2

 

 

 

11P21

Mary Elizabeth Pinfold

Born in May 1880

#2

 

 

 

 

11O22

John Collett was born at Admington in 1841 and his occupation was that of a blacksmith like many of the Colletts of Admington.  As a single man he moved north to Staffordshire and it seems likely that he was aged around 28 when he married Elizabeth (Hammond?).

#2

 

 

 

Elizabeth was eight years older than John and was born in 1833 at either Ranton or the adjacent Staffordshire village of Long Compton.  Once they were married the couple set up home at Ellenhall where they appear to have lived for the rest of their lives and where all of their children were born.

#2

 

 

 

In 1881 the family comprised John aged 40 a blacksmith of Admington, Elizabeth 48 of Ranton, and children Annie 11, Rosa 8, John 7, Francis 5, and Fanny Elizabeth aged 2.  Also living with them was niece Elizabeth Hammond aged 18 of Ellenhall and servant and blacksmith Edward Tomlinson aged 25 of Gayton in Staffordshire.

#2

 

 

 

The Stafford registration district was still the family’s place of residence in 1891.  John was 49, Elizabeth was 37, and their children still at home with them were sons John 17 and Francis 15, and daughter Fanny who was aged 10.

#2

 

 

 

Ten years later in 1901, John who was 59, was described as a farmer and blacksmith but he now stated he had been born at Chipping Campden rather than at Admington.  Similarly Elizabeth who was 67 stated she was born at Long Compton. 

#2

 

 

 

Living with them was son Francis aged 25 who was a blacksmith like his father, and their unmarried daughter Elizabeth who was 23.  Their son John was 27 and had left the family home and was working as a general farmer labourer at Kings Norton to the south of Birmingham.

#2

 

 

 

During the next few years it would appear that both John and Elizabeth passed away as no record of them has been found in the census of 1911.

#2

 

 

 

11P22

Annie M Collett

Born in 1869

#2

 

11P23

Rosa G Collett

Born in 1872

#2

 

11P24

John Harvey  Collett

Born in 1873

#2

 

11P25

Francis Edwin Collett

Born in 1875

#2

 

11P26

Fanny Elizabeth Collett

Born in 1878

#2

 

 

 

 

11O23

Josiah Collett was born at Admington in 1846 and he too was a blacksmith like his older brother.  It would appear that he never married as in 1881 aged 34 he was still living with his widowed mother at Upper Admington.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O24

John Collett was born at Admington around 1841 but was later baptised at Quinton on 05.05.1844.  By 1851 John aged 9 and his family were living at Back Ends in Chipping Campden.

#2

#1

 

 

 

Nearly ten years later he married Harriet Cook Waters at the parish church in Shipston-on-Stour during the December quarter of 1860.  Harriet was born on 25.05.1840 in the hamlet of Honington just north of Shipston-on-Stour.

#2

 

 

 

Their first two children were born at Shipston-on-Stour before the couple moved to Admington, where they lived for the rest of their lives together.  And it was at Admington that a further eight children were born, although all of them were baptised in the parish church at Quinton.

#1

 

 

 

By the time of the census of 1871 the family had increased to five children.  John was aged 29 and Harriet 30.  The children at that time were Mary aged 10, George 8, Emma 5, Kate 3, and William aged just one year.

#2

 

 

 

Ten years later according to the census of 1881, John was an agricultural labourer aged 40 and born at Admington.  He was head of the house at Lower Admington where he was living with his wife Harriet, who was 41 and born at Ilmington, and eight of their nine children.

#2

 

 

 

It is possibly that John’s and Harriet’s eldest daughter Mary had already left the family home and may have even been married as she would have been twenty years of age.

#2

 

 

 

The fact that the 1881 Census indicates Harriet was born at Ilmington may well be a transcribing error.  That is a misinterpretation of Honington where she was actually born and as indicted correctly in the later census of 1901.

#2

 

 

 

According to the 1891 Census, John was aged 48 and Harriet 49, and living with them at Admington were their sons William (referred to as Thomas) aged 21, John 18, Mark 15, and James aged 8, together with their daughters Eliza 13 and Annie aged 10.

#2

 

 

 

By the time of the 1901 Census John and Harriet were still living at Admington where John of Admington was 58 and was employed as an agricultural labour, while his wife Harriet of Honington was 59.

#2

 

 

 

Ten years later and John and Harriet were both listed in the 1911 Census as being aged seventy.  John’s place of birth was again confirmed as Admington while the couple were living in the Shipston-on-Stour registration district, with all of their children then living elsewhere.

#2

 

 

 

11P27

Mary Ann Collett

Born 1861

#2

 

11P28

George Collett

Born 1863

#2

 

11P29

Emma Collett

Born 1866

#2

 

11P30

Kate Collett

Born 1867

#2

 

11P31

William Thomas Collett

Born 1870

#2

 

11P32

John Collett

Born 1873

#2

 

11P33

Mark Collett

Born 1875

#2

 

11P34

Eliza Collett

Born 1878

#2

 

11P35

Annie Collett

Born September 1880

#2

 

11P36

James Collett

Born in 1882

#2

 

 

 

 

11O26

Louisa Collett was born at Admington in 1846 and was later baptised at Quinton on 11.07.1847.  By the time of the census of 1851 Louisa and her family had moved to Chipping Campden and were living at Back Ends.

#2

#1

 

 

 

Ten years later in 1861 she was the oldest child at fourteen still living with her parents at Chipping Campden.  On this occasion the family was living at Cow Fair in the town.  Five and a half years later she and her family had moved to Mickleton where Louisa married George Unitt on 10.09.1866.

#1

 

 

 

George was a labourer born at Marston in 1840 and in 1881 he and Louisa and their five children were living at 24 North Street in Ruston, Birmingham.  The two oldest children Annie L Unitt aged 11 and Lilly J Unitt aged 9 had been born at Northfield in Worcestershire midway between Bromsgrove and Birmingham, with the other three born in Birmingham, Fanny M Unitt aged 7, Ada Unitt aged 5 and Clara R Unitt aged 1.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O27

Robert Collett was born at Admington and was baptised at Quinton on 03.06.1849.  Not long after he was born the family left Admington and moved south to Chipping Campden where in March 1851 they were living at Back Ends in the town.

#1

 

 

 

In the census of 1861 Robert was aged 12 and was still living with his family in Chipping Campden although at that time they were living at Cow Fair in the town.  During the next ten years Robert left the family home and in 1871 at the age of 22 he was living in the Kings Norton & Edgbaston area of Birmingham.

#1

 

 

 

So far no further records have been found for Robert after the second April in 1871.

#2

 

 

 

 

11O28

Walter Collett was born at Back Ends in Chipping Campden on 21.10.1851 shortly after his parents had moved there from Admington.  By 1861 he was nine years old and was living with his family at Cow Fair in Chipping Campden. 

#1

 

 

 

During the next decade Walter’s family left Chipping Campden and moved to The Butts in Mickleton where they were living in 1871, when unmarried Walter was recorded as being 19.

#2

 

 

 

Later that same year Walter married Eliza Jane Green at Shipston-on-Stour on 19.11.1871.  Eliza, sometimes referred to as Elizabeth, was born at Benson near Wallingford in Oxfordshire in June 1850 and was the daughter of Edmund Green and Alice Cooke of Swyncombe, near Benson.

#2

 

 

 

It may be interesting to note that the parents of Alice Cooke were John Cooke and Charlotte Kearsey, there being other connections between the Kearsey and Collett families.

#2

 

 

 

Shortly after they were married, Walter and Eliza moved to Stoke-on-Trent where their three surviving children were all born.  Sadly the couple’s first born child died while still an infant.  A further tragedy struck the family in 1879 when Eliza died during the birth of the couple’s fourth child. 

#2

 

 

 

This happened in the final quarter of that year and left Walter as a widower with three young children to look after, as well as needing to continue with his work as a blacksmith to support them.

#2

 

 

 

As a result of this situation, Walter moved the twelve miles south of Stoke-on-Trent when he and his children went to live with his father George Collett at The Swan Inn in Eccleshall where his father was the publican and also a blacksmith like Walter.

#2

 

 

 

This was confirmed by the 1881 Census in which blacksmith Walter was listed as living with at The Swan in Small Lane with his daughters Alice aged 8 and Gertrude aged 2, and his son Walter aged 6, all confirmed as having been born at Stoke-on-Trent. 

#2

 

 

 

Curiously Walter gave his place of birth as Admington rather than Chipping Campden, which may suggest that he was born right around the time his parents moved from Admington to Chipping Campden.  In addition to this, his age was recorded as 43 rather than 29, but this must have been a transcribing error.

#2

 

 

 

It seems likely that Walter’s time living with his father may have only been a temporary measure, since towards the end of the decade he was back living in Stoke-on-Trent where he died in 1890.

#1

 

 

 

Walter’s only surviving son Walter is the only member of the family to be traced in the 1901 Census, but even he and his wife and family do not appear to be living in the United Kingdom by 1911.

#2

 

 

 

11P37

John E Collett

Born in 1872; infant death

#2

 

11P38

Alice Collett

Born in 1873

#2

 

11P39

Walter Collett

Born in 1875

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11P40

Gertrude Collett

Born in December Quarter of 1879

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11O29

Mark Collett was born at Chipping Campden in 1854.  This may have taken place at either ‘Back Ends’ or ‘Cow Fair’ in the town, since it was at these two addresses that his parents were living in 1851 and 1861 respectively. 

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In the 1861 Census for Chipping Campden Mark was listed as being aged 6, but ten years later according to the 1871 Census, he had left Gloucestershire and was living in Staffordshire where he was listed as being sixteen years old and from Chipping Campden. 

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It would therefore appear that, just prior to April 1871, Mark had moved to Staffordshire with blacksmith John Collett (above) who was Mark’s older cousin.  And it was there that he met and married Sarah Williams the daughter of Sarah Williams of Eccleshall.  Sarah, who was born at Slindon just north of Eccleshall in 1852, and Mark were married around 1874.

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Mark’s occupation was that of a blacksmith like his father George and his older brother Walter and it seems likely that all three were involved in working together as all three of them were living in Eccleshall in 1881.

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The census that year listed Mark as 29 of Chipping Campden and a blacksmith, Sarah his wife also 29, and their two daughters Nelly 5 and Ada 2, and son Thomas 3, all of whom had been born at Burslem north of Stoke-on-Trent.

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Living with the family was Sarah’s widowed mother Sarah Williams aged 56 a retired farmer, and younger sister Jane Williams a 17 years old dressmaker of Eccleshall listed as sister-in-law to head of the house Mark Collett.

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Within about a year of the census Sarah presented Mark with a second son Albert also born at Burslem and nearly twenty years later the whole family had moved to Eccleshall.

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The census for Eccleshall in 1901 listed Mark as a farmer aged 47 as was his wife Sarah, sons Thomas aged 23 and Albert 19 were both farmer’s sons and daughter Ada was 22.  Eldest daughter Nelly was not included and may have been married by then.

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By April 1911 only son Thomas aged 33 was still living with his parents who, by then, were still living at Eccleshall.  Mark and Sarah were both listed as being 57.was

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11P41

Nelly Collett

Born in 1875 at Burslem

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11P42

Thomas Collett

Born in 1877

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