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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Kent => England => Kent Lookup Requests => Topic started by: GB2005 on Saturday 12 October 24 00:58 BST (UK)
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A relative of mine, by the name Douglas Collins (born 1923, died 1994 (I think)) was one child of 11 children, by a mother I don't know the name of. He, according to my mother, whom to her Douglas is her mother's mother's husband.
According to my mother, when she was about 12, her and the Collins family (we are not called Collins) were in the local newspaper for being the largest family in Kent. This would have been in the early 1980s. The mysterious woman's maiden name was most likely not Collins, and the amount of times I have attempted to search for this woman is incalculable. Though no such luck as I don't know her maiden surname, name, anything. All I know is she lived to 103 years old, mothered 11 children in a 2-bedroom house, and died somewhere between 1984 and 1986 (possibly).
Douglas, Bill, and Frank Collins are the only children of this woman my mother knows (and even then she's not sure on Bill and Frank). Any help at all is appreciated greatly.
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I would suggest looking in the paper for the article you mention, and seeing what more information you can find. You really need to pinpoint an address, to be sure you have the right family.
You also need to give more detailed information about the relative that you name as Douglas - who did he marry, where did he die, where was he born, etc......
In the meantime there is this possibility ........
Douglas James Collins born 11 Jan 1923 Medway Kent, Died 2 Nov 1994 Southwark
Mother’s maiden name GILBEY
(He married ELizabeth Adcock in 1944 Chatham)
Marriage 1916 Chatham Kent
James Henry Collins to Harriet Gilbey
Harriet was born 8 Nov 1890 Southwark, and died 1993 (age 103) in Chatham
Children:- I can see 9 children born to that couple in Medway Kent between 1916 and 1933
ADDED -
It looks as if James Henry Collins who married Harriet Gilbey was previously married in 1905 to Edith Bird – and possibly a child from that union.
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Thank you for the swift reply,
Unfortunately, Regarding the use of newspapers, I have tried looking through online ones to no avail. It's possible my maternal grandmother owns a copy of the original clipping, however we are no longer in contact with them.
In regards to Harriet Gilby, the information to me looks near what my mother told me, however 2 things stand out that (from her testimony) are incorrect. She claimed her Great-grandmother had 11 children, a couple dying when they were tiny, and that she died when my mother was in her teens (specifically between the ages 14 and 16, or 1986-1988).
However, so as to not completely throw this potentially valuable information away, I will ask her in the morning. It is all the possible she confused this information with that or another relative, or that the information was distorted slightly by the passage of time.
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Please note my added information regarding 2 marriages for James Henry Collins
Children from 1st wife
James Henry , Doris (edit - Doris incorrect)
Children from 2nd wife -
Verdun, Joan Ellen, Leslie Richard, Marjorie Vera, Douglas James, Sidney, Cyril Robert, Robert Frederick, Sylvia
Once again you really need to supply more information as suggested in my 1st reply.
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There is an article about the 100th birthday of Harriet COLLINS of Chatham, Kent which mentions her 9 children and 1 step son.
Chatham News, 16 Nov 1990.
I don't have access to the complete article. She lived in Longdale House, Walderslade at the time.
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An obituary in 1993 says she was late of Coronation Rd, Luton and Longdown House, Chatham and died at Frindsbury Hall Nursing Home.
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From article posted by Maddy
Husband was James
He was a widower with a baby son and died in 1961
Married Feb 1916 at Chatham
Says Lived coronation road Luton
Then crane driver Strood docks.
Photo
36 grand children
71 great grandchildren
2 great great grandchildren
So.. That is the Gilbey marriage Neale posted
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NB, that is Coronation Road, Luton, Chatham not Bedfordshire.
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A relative of mine, by the name Douglas Collins (born 1923, died 1994 (I think))
Third attempt:- please clarify, how is Douglas Collins related to you?
This may help us confirm the family link.
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Blimey yes, she did die at Frindsbury Hall nursing home! My mum said she used to visit up until her death.
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Douglas Collins is my great-granddad on my mother's side. My mum had a mother named Maureen, who had a mother named Elizabeth, who had a husband named Douglas Collins.
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The marriage certificate of Douglas Collins to Elizabeth Adcock will give you his father’s name and occupation.
It may also give you a home address, and these details help you confirm all the details we have posted.
Douglas’ birth certificate will confirm the name of his mother.
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There is an article about the 100th birthday of Harriet COLLINS of Chatham, Kent which mentions her 9 children and 1 step son.
Chatham News, 16 Nov 1990.
I don't have access to the complete article. She lived in Longdale House, Walderslade at the time.
I am unable to attach article as this thread is on the lookup request board. I wonder if this is the article your mother remembers. It mentions the large size of family and compares it with another local family. Often memories can be distorted or half remembered. It is quite a large article with a big photo of Harriet.
NEWSPAPER CLIPPING, Chatham News, Friday 26 Oct 1990, page 4
Heading 1 - Harriet’s many relatives set to gather for centenary party
Heading 2 - 100 Reasons why gran is the tops!
Photo caption – Medway’s record-breaking granny Mrs. Harriet Collins
Text – Who can claim the title of Medway’s top granny? Certainly the credentials of 99 year old Mrs. Harriet Collins take some beating.
She has nine children and one stepson, 36 grandchildren, 71 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Her relatives see her as a worthy rival to Mrs. Amy Fever whom we featured some weeks ago.
Mrs. Collins, who will be celebrating her 100th birthday next month, lives in Longdown House, Walderslade.
She was born in Rotherhithe, but moved to Sidcup when she was a few weeks old.
After leaving school she went into service as a nurse and housemaid and then met her future husband, James, who was widowed with a baby son.
They were married at All Saints Church Chatham in Frebruary 1916, and lived in Coronation Road, Luton.
Mrs. Collins husband was a crane driver at the Strood docks and she endured some hard times bringing up her family on his low wage. When he retired they moved to Weedswood Chatham. He died in 1961.
Mrs. Collins moved to warden-controlled Longdown House in 1969 and she will celebrate her 100th birthday there on 8 November.
She will no doubt be surrounded by the members of her remarkably large family, and city mayor Councillor Mrs. Jane Chitty will be popping in to wish her well.
Mrs. Collins has always been known for her splendid singing voice and was a member of various choirs in her younger days.
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James Henry COLLINS (age 31, widower, crane driver)
son of James Henry COLLINS (labourer, deceased)
and
Harriet GILBEY (age 25, spinster)
daughter of Samuel GILBEY (labourer)
married on 27 February 1916
after banns
at All Saints, Chatham, Kent
Bride and Groom both living at 17 Sturla Road at the time
Witnesses:
R A Cole
T Tillman [or possibly J Jillman]
Image is available from the Medway Cityark website
Also accessable via FindMyPast
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If you can't attach the article, could you please tell me where you found it, or hyperlink it (if that wasn't what you meant by attach)?
I'm sure my mum would love to see her great-grandmother's face once again :)
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It is in the Chatham News, Friday 26 Oct 1990, page 4
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
Or you probably can view it in your local library
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GB2005, there are two articles, each with a different photo of Harriet.
I have sent direct links via private message. :)
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PHOTO Medway’s record breaking granny, Mrs. Harriet Collins
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/GBLW-XJK
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I think I put that one there lol
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I think I put that one there lol
Well, then you already have the newspaper clipping.
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More or less. My mum remembers a second photo of her and other family members in a hall, and she didn't see that one in the newspaper I looked at (October 26th 1990, Chatham News, page 4). It's likely in the other one mentioned on here (Nov 16th 1990), and I don't wish to pay £15 for the privilege to look at it online.
So instead, my parents and I are going to the local library at some point to search for them
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No, it’s a photo of Harriet with Jane Chitty the mayor
Cutting the cake.
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Harriet GILBEY Born 8 Nov 1890 Rotherhithe
Father:- Samuel GILBEY (labourer) born 1852 Finchingfield, Essex. Baptised 8 Oct 1854. Died 1931 Bromley, Kent.
Mother:- Eliza WALTERS born abt 1852 Yorkshire. Died 1934 Bromley, Kent.
(Samuel and Eliza married 22 Oct 1876 Southchurch, Holy Trinity, Essex)
Children of Samuel and Eliza
• Eliza Gilbey born 1877 St Saviour Surrey
• Samuel Gilbey born 1879 Greenwich
• Henry Gilbey born 1882 Lambeth
• Un-named female Gilbey born & died 1884 Greenwich
• John Gilbey born 1885 Rochford
• Jane Gilbey born 1888 Rotherhithe
• Harriet Gilbey born 1890 Rotherhithe
• Ivy Dean Gilbey born 1893 Bromley
• Edith Louisa Gilbey born 1896 Bromley
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James Henry COLLINS - Birth registered March quarter 1885 Orsett, Essex (Mother’s maiden name – COSTEN)
Father:- James Henry COLLINS baptised 26 Jan 1862 Sittingbourne Kent (son of Thomas Collins and Rosetta Ashley – married 1855). Died in 1902 Orsett, Essex.
Mother:- Agnes Sarah COSTEN / COSTIN baptised 20 Feb 1866 Rainham Kent (daughter of John Costen and Sarah Ann Smith – married 1854)
James Henry COLLINS and Agnes Sarah COSTEN married in Milton Kent in 1881
Children of James Henry and Agnes Sarah
• Rebecca Jane Collins born 1883 Milton
• James Henry Collins born 1885 Orsett
• Leonard Herbert Collins born 1887 Milton
• Percival Maurice Archibald 1889 Milton
• Reginald Wilfred 1893 Milton
• Clive Bertram 1899 Orsett
Agnes Sarah 2nd marriage to David EDWARDS in 1904 in Orsett Kent
(1911 census address for Agnes Sarah is 17 Sturla Rd Chatham. This address is where James Henry Collins and Harriet Gilbey were living when they married in 1916) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWDJ-XW2
Agnes is looking after her grandson, James, from James Henry’s first wife who had died.