Augustus Collison

Augustus (Gus) was the son of Henry (Harry) Collison and Charlotte Collison nee Harrison. Henry Collison was the son of Howlett and Elizabeth Collison and born in Holme, Huntingdon, in about 1844. Charlotte Harrison was born in Stilton, Huntingdon, in 1849 (J/F/M Peterborough Northants). They were married in 1868 (Peterborough) and according to the 1911 Census had nine children of whom eight were still living. Nine children have been identified, seven from the census returns and two, Elizabeth and Edith, from the registration of births: Frederick (Fred) b. Stilton abt 1869, Herbert b. Stilton 7 October 1870 (O/N/D Peterborough), Elizabeth b. Stilton 19 January 1872 (J/F/M Peterborough, Harrison), Arthur b. Stilton 15 September 1873 (J/A/S Peterborough), Edith b. Stilton 1877 (J/A/S Peterborough, Harrison), Hettie Isabel b. Stilton 14 February 1879 (J/F/M Peterborough, Gertrude Leonora b. Nottingham 19 June 1882 (J/A/S Nottingham, Harrison), Walter Percy b. Nottingham 1883 (O/N/D Nottingham) bap. 28 November 1888 St Paul Hyson Green, and Augustus b. Nottingham 1890 (A/M/J Nottingham). Edith has not yet been traced on civil records apart from the resigistration of her birth in 1877 and so it is likely that she was the child who died in infancy or childhood. The six older children were born in Stilton, Huntingdon, but the family was living at Nottingham by 1882 when Gertrude was born (registered Nottingham). Henry Collison's parents and numerous brothers had also moved to Nottingham by 1881 when Henry (36) was living with his parents at 28 Hubert Street, Radford, along with two of his brothers. It therefore seems that Charlotte and the children joined Henry in Nottingham some while later. However, by 1891 Henry (47) and Charlotte (40) were living on Midlothian Terrace, Radford. In the home on the night of the census were Frederick (22) a bricklayer's labourer, Herbert (20) a theatre scene setter, Arthur (17) a driver at a colliery, Hettie (12), Gertrude (8), Walter (7) and Augustus (1). Elizabeth has not yet been traced on the 1891 Census but she was married in Nottingham three years later. By 1901 Henry and Charlotte had moved to 1 Mabel Terrace, Birkin Avenue, Hyson Green. Henry was still working as a bricklayer and Charlotte was doing lace work. In the home on the night of the census were three of their children: Gertrude (18) a cigarette maker, Augustus (10), who was still at school and Herbert (30) a bricklayers labourer, who was now married. There is a record of the marriage of a Herbert Collison to either Kate Hopkinson or Annie Birkinshaw in 1898 (O/N/D Nottingham). Also in the houshold was Henry's niece, Grace Collison (16, b. 1884 J/A/S Nottingham), a cigarette maker. Grace was the daughter of Charles Elijah Collison and his wife Eliza (Eliza Gowen Smith, m. 1881 J/F/M Nottingham) who in 1891 were living on Brown Street, Nottingham. Eliza had died aged 40 in 1894 (J/F/M Nottingham) and Charles Elijah aged 48 in 1899 (J/A/S Nottingham). In 1901, Frederick (33), who in 1891 and 1911 was living with his parents, was a visitor at the home of Annie E Holmes (38), single and working as a charwoman, at 5 Brown Street, Nottingham. Also in the home were Louis Collison (12, William Louis Collison b. 1888 O/N/D Nottingham) and Muriel Collison (8, Muriel Blanche Collison b. 1892 J/A/S Nottingham, mother's maiden name Smith) who were described as Annie's foster children. Louis was the son of Charles Elijah and Eliza Collison as recorded on the 1891 Census (also Mabel D. who was nine years old and Grace who was six years old). By 1911 Henry (60), now working as a bricklayer's labourer, and Charlotte (60) were living at 87 Bateman Street. Frederick (41) single, and Herbert (40) married, both of whom were bricklayer's labourers, and Augustus (20) a machinist in a tobacco factory, were still living with their parents. Charlotte Collison died in 1915 (J/A/S Nottingham) and Henry Collison in 1920 (J/A/S Nottingham) aged 76. Augustus married Doris Maude E Hooton (b. 24 September 1897) in 1916 (A/M/J Nottingham) and their daughter, Dorothy Mabel was born on 26 July 1917 (J/A/S Nottingham. Hooton), five months after Augustus' death. In 1939 at the time of the England & Wales Register, Doris, who was working in the wool hosiery trade, was living at 4 Lindbridge Road, Nottingham, with her daughter Dorothy, a tobacco packer at John Player & Sons. Doris died in 1975 (A/M/J Nottingham. Dorothy married Eric Samuel Parker (b. 31 July 1911) in 1941 (A/M/J Nottingham); Eric died in 1987 and Dorothy in 2000 (J/F/M Nottingham). Of Augustus' siblings: Frederick died in 1921 (A/M/J Nottingham). Herbert married in 1898 (O/N/D Nottingham, Kate Hopkins or Annie Birkinshaw) although on the census of 1901 and 1911 he was living with his parents. He married Mary A {Agnes} Thompson (b. 13 January 1970) in 1929 (J/A/S Nottingham) and in 1939 they were living at 49 Victoria Buildings, Bath Street, Nottingham. The register records that he was a pedlar but formerly a bricklayer's labourer; Mary's occupation was given as unpaid domestic work. Herbert died in 1941 (J/F/M Nottingham) aged 70. His widow married Isaac Hickton in 1941 (O/N/D Nottingham). Elizabeth married John Solari in 1894 (J/A/S Nottingham) and in 1901 she and John were living at Lowes Yard, 5 Leen Side, Nottingham, with their three children; Hilda (6) and William and John who were both under 1 year. John (27) and Elizabeth (27) were confectioners. By 1911 the family had moved to 35 Leen Side, and John and Elizabeth were working as ice cream vendors. According to the census they had had eleven children of whom only five were still living: Hilda (16) a shop assistant, John (10), Horace William (8), Bernard Lea (4) and Evelyn (2). In 1939 at the time of the England & Wales Register, Elizabeth (married) was living at 14 Pinders House Road, Nottingham. She died at the age of 77 in 1949 (O/N/D Nottingham). Arthur attested in the Militia on 10 October 1891 (1496 Private 4th Bn Sherwood Foresters); he was 18 years 1 month and worked as a coal miner. He attested in the Reserve on 4 August 1893 and was deemed present from 1892-1897. Arthur married Emily Machin (b. 13 March 1875) on 1 June 1895 (A/M/J Nottingham) at St Peter's Radford. Their first child, Albert Edward, was born in 1898 (J/A/S Nottingham, Machin) but died before his first birthday (1899 J/F/M Nottingham). In 1901 they were living at 20 Lambert Street, Nottingham. Arthur (27) was a coal miner and Emily (26) a lace mender; they had two sons, Walter (1, b. 1899 O/N/D Nottingham) and William (under 1 year, probably William Henry b. 1900 O/N/D Nottingham). Another son, Fred, was born in 1913. In 1939 they were living at 45 Ambleside Road, Nottingham; Arthur was a retired general labourer and his wife's occupation was given as unpaid domestic duties. Also in the household was their son Fred Collison (b. 11 March 1913), a window cleaner. Arthur died aged 93 in 1966 (O/N/D Nottingham). Edith - no civil records has yet been found other than the registration of her birth in 1877 (J/A/S Peterborough, Northampton, mother's maiden name Harrison). Hettie Isabel married Ernest Widdowson (b. 23 December 1878) in 1899 (J/A/S Nottingham). Their first child Elsie's birth was registered in 1900 (J/F/M Nottingham) but she died the same year (J/F/M Nottingham). In 1901 Hettie (22) a chenille spotter, and Ernest (23) a foundry labourer, were living at 12 Lewis Square, Nottingham. By 1911 they were living at 10 Oxford Square, Canal Street. Ernest (33) was now a packer (hats and caps) while Hettie (32) was a lace worker. They had two children, William Ernest (6, b. 1905) and Doris (3, b. 1907). In 1939, Ernest, a packer at a wholesale gents outfitters, and Hettie were living at 20 Albert Avenue, Nottingham. Ernest died aged 63 in 1941 (J/F/M Nottingham and Hettie in 1966 (O/N/D Nottingham) aged 87. Gertrude Leonora married Charles William Ragsdale (b. Bingham 10 October 1879) in 1906 (O/N/D Nottingham). In 1911 they were living at 25 Durnford Street, Nottingham; Charles (31) was working as a labourer for Nottingham Corporation. He and Gertrude had two children Irene (b. 24 April 1907 A/M/J Nottingham) and Sydney Augustus (2, b. 19 June 1908). A third child, George Bernard, was born later that year on 1 September 1911 (O/N/D Nottingham), and a fourth, Charles, was born in 1919 (J/A/S Nottingham) but died the following year before his first birthday (1920 A/M/J Nottingham). In 1939 Charles, a general labourer, and Gertrude were living at 87 Bateman Street, Nottingham, the address in 1911 of Gertrude's parents. Gertrude died in 1971 (A/M/J Nottingham). Irene married Bertie Appleyard in 1931; she died in 2002 (J/F/M Nottingham). Sydney died in 1978 (J/A/S Nottingham) and George in 2002 (J/A/S Nottingham). Walter was probably working as a groom (domestic) in 1901 (age 18 b. Hyson Green Nottingham) and living at the Manor House stables, Rotherby, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. Also accommodated in the stable block was another groom and a gardener. He married in 1908 O/N/D Nottingham (Kate Thorpe or Eva Haynes). Walter served in the war with the Yorkshire Regiment (31961 Private) from 10 December 1915 to 2 November 1917 when he was discharged. (Silver War Badge No. 259064). Walter died in 1929 (O/N/D Nottingham) aged 46.