James Henry COLLINGS .....

[Moonwatcher]

Okay Guys. Anyone help me out here? I’ve been sitting in Oldham for the past few days with my English rellies trying to track down the marriage of one James Henry COLLINGS to an Amy … These English records are doing me head in! You don’t really appreciate SP until you cross the border : )

Anyway, James Henry COLLINGS hails originally from Aylesbury in Bucks but moved to Manchester/Oldham area in the 1880s. His wife Amy was born in Manchester (surname unknown). We believe he worked in the Rubber Manufacturing Industry when he came to Manchester. To make any headway we need to find the marriage certificate of these two … or some other document that opens the door to Jame’s past. But we’re getting nowhere. Anyone any ideas?

Bob.

[jeanwatts1]

There is a James Collings born Aylsbury Bucks, with a wife amy born Manchester, and a son James Henry,

this family are living in Gorton 1891, but his occupation is A watch wheel cutter,

There is a marriage 1884 for Amy Lee and James w Collings,

Could this be your man,
Regards
Jean

[jeanwatts1]

Hello,
In 1901 this family has expanded to six children and James has changed jobs to india rubber worker, and they are living at pleasant veiw, Middleton,
Regards
Jean

[JustJean]

Hi Bob

I'm thumbing through the 1881 census and there is only one that catches my eye....

Dwelling: 81 New Rd
Census Place: Aylesbury, Buckingham, England
Source: FHL Film 1341357 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 1473 Folio 8 Page 10
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
James COLLINGS M 70 M Aylesbury, Buckingham, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Tailor
Mary Ann COLLINGS M 39 F Chinnor, Oxford, England
Rel: Wife
Occ: Tailor
James COLLINGS U 17 M Aylesbury, Buckingham, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Tailor
Amy COLLINGS U 8 F Aylesbury, Buckingham, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar

Oddly enough his sister is Amy...and tailor doesn't exactly spell rubber industry. I wasn't sure just what age you were putting on him or when he would have married. There is a ton of spellings of Collings to consider.....I've seen Callings, Cullum, Callan, Callon, McCallum, Coling amongst the Collings.....but Collins seems to be lumped into a separate class. If you narrow up an age for him I'll have another go at the census disks!

Best wishes
Jean

[Moonwatcher]

Thanks all.

Our man is James Henry COLLINGS. b. 1864/5 Aylesbury in Bucks. By 1897 he was employed in Manchester area in the Rubber Industry. He and his wife (Amy) had:

Frank Woodbridge
James Henry
Harold L.
Kate L.
John W.
Amy R.

From there on we are on certain ground with clear BMD evidence to hand.

However, although we’re fairly confident the Aylesbury COLLING’s who were in the tailoring business are James’s family, we’re failing to find a definite link to them.

Bob.

[JustJean]

Hi Bob

Well it's got me somewhat baffled. You seem pretty convinced that James middle name was Henry. But also convinced that he was born in Aylesbury. There just isn't any other James anyspellingofCollings in the 1881 census other than the one who was the tailor that makes sense!! If you know of some reason this can't be your James then I haven' figured that out yet!! According to the FreeBDM website the middle name of the James Collings/Amy Lee marriage that jeanwatts found in Chorlton 1884 is Woodbridge....


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriages Jun 1884
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COLLINGS James Woodbridge S Chorlton 8c 1029

.....and then the middle name of one of the 6 children was Woodbridge. I'm convinced this is the right couple. Of course if you were to purchase their MC it would show at least the name of James father and possibly his occupation. If it were to say "James" and "tailor" that could make a huge difference.

btw....it looks like the James Snr, tailor died in Aylesbury in the Sep quarter of 1889 age 78. The reference is vol 3a, pg 359. Not that this will tell you anything much but at least you know when he died. I haven't found a marriage yet for the sister Amy or a death or remarriage of the mother Mary Ann or even a marriage of James and Mary Ann before the birth of James!! Perhaps she wasn't even the mother of James and Amy!! So many mysteries.....

I'm hoping someone will come along who can check the other English census returns and try and track down some more clues!!

Hope this helps but having my doubts!!
Jean

[jeanwatts1]

Hello Bob,
I too am convinced that J ames Henry and James Woodbridge are one and the same person,

1851 James Collings born 1811, Wifes name Ann,

1861 James Collings born 1811 wife Isabella, born c1829 Nee Woodbridge Isabella died 1863 Aylsbury.

1871 James Collings born 1811 wife Rebeka, nee Searle i think

1881 James Collings born 1811 wife Mary Ann.

I am not very clever with computers but if you would trust me to transcribe all this census information for you I will willingly do so,

Warm regards
Jean,

[Moonwatcher]

Thanks ladies. [the two jeans]

It’s gratifying to see that you guys seem to be following the same route as ourselves and coming to similar conclusions. The reason for our assumption on the James Henry COLLINGS name is simply that that’s the father’s name given by his son Frank Woodbridge COLLINGS on his marriage cert. However, like yourselves, we’re seriously now considering that this may be in error and that the middle name should have been Woodbridge not Henry. But is it reasonable to suggest that the son would have made such a mistake? I suppose it is. Anyway, we sent off for the MC of James Woodbridge S COLLINGS last night and hopefully we’ll find out when it arrives if the two James’s are really one and the same person.

Meanwhile, in Aylesbury, old man James who married Isabella seems to have been quite a lad! Thanks for the date of Isabella’s death – we didn’t have that. There seems to be plenty of juicy stuff to research in that family, but we’re holding back just now until we’ve made a definite connection.

JeanWatts1 - Any transcripts would be most welcome, thanks.

Thanks again for your help on this. I’ve been locked in a small upstairs room here in deepest, darkest Oldham: four of us around a square table with two desktop computers and two laptops. Air thick with cigarette smoke. Empty beer cans, coffee mugs and bottles. Half eaten pizzas. Piles of crumpled BMD certificates. Old sepia photos. Family memorabilia (including a full size Union Jack that was hung from a window during the WW2 Victory celebrations. Now tired, pale and blinking as I step out into the sunlight.

Genealogy at it’s best : )

Bob.

[jeanwatts1]

Hello Bob.

HO107/1721. FOLIO 304. PAGE 31, 1851 CENSUS

James Collings junr, head, born 1811, occu. Tailor,
Ann Collings wife born 1807.
John Collings, son, born 1835, occ Talor
Ann Collings, daur, born 1836,
Emma Collings, daur, born 1838.
Amelia Collings, daur, born 1841
George Collings, son, born 1842.
William Collings, son born 1845

the address was Back Street, and they were all born Aylesbury.

Next door,

James Collings, head, born 1772, occ Tailor, superannuated

Elizabeth Collings daur, born 1814,
Sarah Collings grand daur, born 1839.
William Collings, son, born 1805, Occ tailor

Once again all born Aylesbury.

That completes the 1851, 1861 to follow

James born 1811 appears to have liked his woman young, as I send the rest of the census info look out for the ages of his wives.

Back soon.
JEAN,

[JustJean]

Wow...this story is getting gooder and gooder! =D> Nice work JeanWatts!......and best wishes Bob.....looks like you'll need a bigger file folder...... !

Best wishes
JJean

ps....I do hope you'll please let us know the outcome of the MC?.......to be continued.........