On the 1861 census, James is a young widower with two children aged 3 and 2; he has a sister-in-law Ann Jones (single, born Reading). RG 9/778, f.127, p.35. A James Collier married in the Reading district in the last quarter of 1855. There is an Elizabeth Jones with matching GRO reference numbers. So this could be the first marriage, but you'd need a certificate or parish register entry to confirm it.
James George Collier is probably the 4 year old George J. Collier (born Hayes) who was with his Jones grandparents in Reading in 1861: RG 9/745, folio 103, p.43. (indexed as George I. Collier on Ancestry)
He was still alive in 1901/2. On the 1901 census, 44 year old James G. Collier (single, coal and pottery merchant, born Hayes, Middlesex) was with Samuel Collier (69, living on own means, born Witney) and Samuel's wife Susan (68, born Reading) at 40 Culmington Road, Ealing (RG 13/1192, f.77, p.11). James is shown as Samuel's nephew. The National Probate Calendar shows that on 31 October 1902, James George Collier, coal merchant, was granted administration of the estate of Samuel Collier, of 40 Culmington Road, Middlesex, who had died on 27 August 1902. Perhaps he is the James George Collier of 385 London Road, Reading, who died on 5 June 1932 according to the National Probate Calendar. Probate was granted to Barclays Bank later that year. FreeBMD says he was 75 when he died, which would fit perfectly for someone born in 1857.
Do you have access to Ancestry, Pam? If so you should be able to follow James George Collier's uncle Samuel through from his baptism at the Witney Independent chapel (they have transcribed his surname as Colliver), and then on the various censuses. We have already seen him aged 10 in Witney in 1841 (see above somewhere). In 1851 he's a printer's apprentice in Bicester, Oxfordshire (HO 107/1729, f.397, p.4). In 1861 he's a bookseller, printer &c. in Windsor. He has a widowed sister with him, who is enumerated as Julia Tadman but I suspect she is Thirza in disguise (RG 9/760, f.13, p.2). By 1871 (when he was a bookseller, stationer, printer &c. in Windsor) he had found himself a wife, Susan (RG 10/1299, f.15, p.2).
Going back about 150 years, I am still trying to piece together the earlier part of the family tree of the Colliers. I have been looking in particular at Timothy Collier, tallow chandler, of Brize Norton, died 1707, and Robert Collier, of Witney, the Clothier and Blanket Weaver, who died in October 1723. I have also been looking for a possible family link between these and the Edward Collier who was born in Witney in 1699, whose father the register of St. Mary's gives as another Edward. I have looked at (a) the Oxford Heritage Search site, (b) the wills of Timothy Collier and (c) of Robert Collier, yeoman of Taynton, who died in 1673, and also (d) at a case in the Court of Chancery between Robert Collier, clothier, and his mother, then Margery Veysey and Robert Veysey. The case is dated 1684 [C5/463/34] and relates to a debt of £50 dating from 1664 whereby Robert Collier, Clothier of 'Wittney' and his brother William had borrowed the sum from a Dr. Elliott in Oxford. Robert Collier, the clothier, had fallen out with his brother in law Robert Veysey over this debt and other matters. The family relationships revealed in the case and in the wills are as follows 1) Robert Collier yeoman of Taynton had two wives, the first being the father of Robert Collier, clothier, and of William Collier and Elizabeth, who married Robert Veysey as his first wife. The second wife, Margery, was the mother of Timothy Collier of Burford and Brize Norton. 2) Robert Collier, yeoman, died a prosperous man. Meanwhile Elizabeth, the wife of Robert Veysey also died. Robert Veysey, who already had a son, Robert Veysey, the younger, then married Margery Collier, who thereby became Margery Veysey. Margery Veysey was buried in Burford church circa 1684/5. 3) William Collier, the brother, had died at some stage before 1673 The answers of Margery Veysey and Robert Veysey to the case brought by Robert Collier, the clothier, suggest that Robert Collier, clothier, was in effect a ne'er do well with a lot of debts which his father had often helped him with. One question is how Robert Collier, clothier, of this case, the one who quarreled with his step-mother, might have been related, if at all, to Robert Collier, clothier and blanket weaver, who died in 1723 a respected and successful man. Oxfordshire Record Office SL17/5/D1-2, lease and release, relating to a cottage in Taynton, 1688, would suggest that Robert Collier, clothier and blanket weaver, who died in 1723 might perhaps have been the son of the William Collier, son of Robert Collier, yeoman of Taynton. No proof, however. If anyone can shed any light on these early relationships, I would be very grateful!
Hello Peter. Sorry for the delayed reply: it has taken some time to get myself, my laptop and my research notes all in the same place. I still don't have all my Collier notes but here are a few thoughts. I think I must have looked at that 1688 lease & release at the record office, as I've added a note to one tree to say 'Robert Collier of Witney, clothier, only son & heir of late Wm Collier of Witney, bought Taynton property 1688'. I would suggest checking the document again to see if it bears Robert Collier's signature: if it does it could be compared with that on the Oxford diocesan marriage licence bond for the Robert Collier / Ann(e) Prior marriage in 1691 and with signatures in the records of Witney's Company of Blanket Weavers (also at the record office). There are some references to the Taynton Colliers in Index of persons in Oxfordshire deeds acquired by the Bodleian Library 1878-1963, by W.O. Hassall (Bodleian Library, 1966). If you haven't seen these, let me know and I'll post details. Another little snippet comes from one of Jack Howard-Drake's wonderful calendars of Oxford Church Court depositions (the volume covering 1589-1593). It relates to a tithe dispute from 1590. One of the witnesses was (to quote the modern calendar) 'John Collier of Taynton, resident a year (?and of Swinbrook), previously of Witney for 40 years, aged about 50'. Also involved was one Master Barrodall of London, upholsterer, 'free of the Merchant Taylors', who was 'proprietor of the tithes of Fifield parsonage and of the glebe land and had leased them through John Collier, his agent'. That's it for now! Will keep rummaging through my piles of paper . . .
That's very helpful, Huncamunca, many thanks. I would indeed like to hear any details from Hassall's Index relating to the Colliers. I see from the apprenticeship registers of the Grocers' Company, edited by Cliff Webb, that William Farr, Grocer, who described himself in his Will as the brother [in law?] of Robert Collier of Taynton, was the son of William Farr of Chimney, yeoman, and that he was apprenticed to John Jorden on the 12th October 1631 on payment of a bond of £100 by Robert Collyer of Taynton, yeoman. The London grocer, John Jorden, to whom Farr was apprenticed, appears on a good online tree of all the Jordens of Burford and elsewhere in Oxfordshire.
Hello Peter. Just a thought but could the Mr Robert Collier who was buried at Witney on the 30th October be the same Mr Robert Collier who was buried at Burford on the 31st August 1724? If it isn't the same Robert, who was the one at Burford?
Hi Derek, an executor of Timothy Collier of Brize Norton in 1707 was Robert Collier of Burford, Saddler. I thought that was probably the Robert Collier who died in Burford in 1724. I have not discovered much about Robert Collier, Saddler, however.
Hi Peter. Ok you could be right with Robert, but I have found in other church records that a second entry could be made up to a year later, although the day and month was usually the same. The other thing which might be of help is William of Southleigh at the Somerset Archives Office. 1668 William (senior of Southleigh). Letter to his landlord Sir Thomas Gore, explaining the deferment of his rent and the difficulties he is in. I am sure his son William moved to Brize Norton just after this date. I did try to get a copy, but it seemed there was to much to go through to copy it. Not sure why. Maybe you can try.
Thanks for the suggestion, Derek. Are you linking the William Collier, the younger, of Southleigh and then Brize Norton with the William Collier, probable father of Robert Collier, Clothier and Blanket weaver of Witney, died 1723?
Hello Peter. I haven’t got a proven connection, but in saying that there is a chance of it being true. William Collier of Brize Norton did hold property in Corn Street. The other thing that makes me think there was a connection, is that this branch of the Collier’s are the one’s who came down to Robert and Horatio etc at Crawley and Worsham Mills. I have just found that according to Horatio, his families blanket business was started in 1691, this being the same year that Robert married Anne Pryor, so did he start his business with help from the Pryor family? To me I am sure that although the Collier’s were really a Witney family they also had connections with North and Southleigh. In the late 1600’s William was at leasing a farm at Southleigh while Thomas who died in 1686 had property in Northleigh. I also think he was the son of William and Dorothy and was born in 1612 at Northleigh. Edward Collier who married Dennis Waite widow of Cassington was also from Northleigh, but how did their son Edward who married Mary Minchin end up holding freehold of property on Witney High Street. Maybe Huncamunca has some thoughts on this?
Many thanks, Derek, for sharing your research. No doubt (a) that this is a tricky family to piece together and (b) they were a very interesting family. With regard to William Collier of South Leigh, had you seen the apprenticeship of Thomas Collier, son of William of South Leigh, Gentleman, to Benjamin Ash, Vintner of London, 07/06/1668? Also, Thomas Collyer, son of Robert, Witney, Oxfordshire, Clothier, to Henry Freeman, 12/08/1680, Pewterer of London. I assume that William Collier of South Leigh, gentleman, was the same William that you are referring too. I assume that this Robert Collyer, Clothier, of Witney, was the son of Thomas Collier of Taynton who brought the court case against Robert and Margery Veysey in 1684.
Here are the Collier references from the above book, as promised. 'Collyer (Anne), widow, customary tenant of Witney manor. Hailey surrender for use of her son Thomas by (1723), 655. Collier (Francis). Witnesses Hampton Poyle deeds (1614, 1626), 2483, 2488-9. Collyer (Harman), Taynton prosecution against (1630), 2578. Collier (John), Curbridge tenant (1716), MS. rolls Oxon. 60 Collyer (John), to pay his brother John and his sister Mary (wife of James Turner) money, or Hailey surrender will be void (1723), 655 Collier or Collyer (John), Taynton tenant. Award there by and agreement with (1630, 1648), 2578 Collier (Richard), son of William Collier the elder, of Southleigh, yeoman. Lease there to (1674), 906. Collyer or Collier (Robert), Taynton prosecution against and agreement (1630), 2578-9. Collier (Stephen), Hailey tenant (1716), MS rolls Oxon. 60. Collier (Thomas), Witney bequest to (1750), 2591; of Witney, 1639 Standlake grant to, cited (1728), 3756 Collier (William), witnesses addition to Cogges lease (1633), 781; South Leigh witness (1649), 2561-2; South Leigh lease to (1701), 957; of Southleigh. Lease there to, on lives of himself and his son William (1638), 786-8; witness there (1649, 1652, 1654, 1656-60, 1664-5) 810, 815, 821, 830 [and several others, up to 881]; the elder. Lease there to (1658), 851; the younger, of South Leigh. Leases there to (1674, 1687), 907, 923; of South Leigh, yeoman. Agreement there of (1710), 972.' The book was compiled from an index of slips, rather than from the documents themselves. For more details you'd need to consult the original documents. From what I can gather they are from MSS. ch. Oxon. unless stated otherwise. NB A note in the preface says 'It is often impossible to distinguish with certainty between individuals with the same name, and no attempt is here made to do so.'
Hi Peter. No I didn’t know about the apprenticeships. I don’t think the Thomas who died in 1686 would be the same Thomas as the 1668 apprenticeship, but there is no reason not to think that he could have been an uncle. William Collier Gent. of Southleigh could be brother of the Thomas who died in 1686. As for Thomas the Pewterer son of Robert, he must be the Thomas mentioned as Thomas Collier Pewterer in the Witney Church records of 1705. He had a son Robert in 1698 who I think married Ann Tyrrell in 1742. Robert died in 1747 and was a Brazier of Witney, but also held land in Northleigh. To be honest I am getting very confused with all of the 17th century Collier’s from the Witney area. My head is on overload even though I have pages of information.
