William James Collyer

William James was the youngest son of Thomas and Kate Collyer (née Harvey). His father, Thomas, was born in London in 1840, the son of William, a bookbinder, and Mary Collyer. His mother, Kate Harvey, was born in Kensington in 1853, the daughter of William Harvey, a coachman. She had been a children's nurse to the family of an East India merchant before her marriage Thomas and Kate were married at Barnet Christ Church on 12 April 1882 (A/M/J Barnet Middlesex); Thomas was a bachelor, 41 years old and a watchmaker, Kate was a spinster, 29 years old and of no occupation. They had three children who survived childhood: Samuel Thomas b. Hadley bap. Monken Hadley St Mary the Virgin, Catherine Mabel b. Barnet bap. Barnet Christ Church and William James b. Barnet 1892. There was probably at least one child who died in infancy, Mary Elizabeth b. 1888 bap. Chipping Barnet 15 July 1888 d. 1888.Thomas Collyer was a master watchmaker who had the Freedom of the City of London. admitted 19 February 1864. Both his sons were admitted by patrimony to the Company of Mercers; Samuel Thomas was born in the 'Liberty of the City to wit at High Street Hadley Barnet' and was admitted on 16 July 1914 and William James, born 'without the Liberty of the City to wit at Bruce Road Barnet Middlesex', was admitted on 15 October 1914. In 1891 Thomas (50), a master watchmaker, and Kate (30) were living on Bruce Road, South Mimms, Barnet with their two children Samuel (8) and Catherine (6).Thomas died in 1899 and in 1901 Kate, described as living on her own means, was living at 10 Thornton Road, Barnet, with her three children Samuel (18) a merchant's clerk, Mabel (16) a general assistant in a photographic factory, and William (8).By 1911 Kate was living with her sons at 26 Muswell Hill, London. Samuel, who was head of household, was an accountant for an Indian merchant while William was a mercantile clerk for a tea merchant. William became a student at Kelham in 1913 but was there for only a year before he enlisted.In 1911 Catherine (26) was living at 22 The Vineyard, Richmond, Surrey, where she was a companion to an elderly widow, Jane Lawton Tate. Also in the household was her employer's son, Leonard George Tate (45), an electrical engineer whom Catherine married in 1913 after his mother's death.Samuel Thomas served with the 16th Bn London Regiment (552244 Rifleman) during the war and qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.