Albert Antony Collins (1871 – 1878)

Anthony Collins was born circa 1837 in Newbury, the son of Isaac and Harriet, nee Purton, Collins. He was baptized on 23 April 1837 at St Michael in Enborne. Albert married Eliza Withers on 24 December 1861 at St Michael in Enborne. Eliza was baptized on 12 July 1840 at St Michael in Enborne, the daughter of Henry and Mary.

Anthony and Eliza had nine children, Mary Eliza (1862), Kate (1864), Alice (1866), Rosa (1869), Albert Antony (1871), Ellen Lavinia (1872), Annie Matilda (1875), Frederick Charles (1877) and Harry (1879). Kate was born in Shrivenham and the others were all born in Newbury.

In the 1871 census the family was living in Wash Common and Albert was a beer house keeper. A few years later in October 1878 Anthony and Eliza were living in the Fighting Cocks public house in Speenhamland along with their children. On Wednesday 16 October Eliza went into the front room leaving her son Albert in the kitchen. Eliza then heard Albert cry out and found him with a knife in his face. She called her neighbour Mr Palmer and they managed to stop the flow of the blood. Dr Palmer was called and his assistant came at once. The surgeon Mr M Palmer saw Albert on Thursday morning and the case continued favourably until Sunday evening. Mr Palmer was called again and by the time he arrived Albert was almost collapsed. Albert died about half past four the following morning, by then he was paralysed to a great extent on the right side.

An inquest was held on the evening of 21 October at the Bacons Arms Hotel where a verdict of accidental death was recorded. A full report of the inquest appeared in the Newbury Weekly News dated 24 October 1878.

Albert was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 21 October 1878.

Albert and Eliza continued to live in the district, they were recorded in Speenhamland in 1881, Park Street in Newbury in 1891, Inkpen in 1901 and 1911 and Burghfield in 1921. Eliza died in 1922 and Anthony in 1930.

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