Social Victorians/People/Robert Hawthorne Collins

Also Known As

• Family name: Collins
• Sir Robert Collins

Demographics

• Nationality:

Residences

• Betterton House, East Lockinge, Berkshire
• Windsor
• Boyton Lodge, Esher
• Ordsai, Tilehurst Road, Reading St Mary (1901 census)

Family

• Father, Reverend John Ferdinando Collins (1812–1889)
• Sarah Hawthorne Collins (1809–1906)

1. John Ferdinando (1837–1910)
2. Henry (1839–1914)
3. Charles (1841–1907)
4. Robert Hawthorne (3 August 1841 – 2 November 1908)
5. Emley Jane, later Emily (1842–1900)
6. Fanny Katherine (1844–1850)
7. Arthur (26 June 1845 – 21 November 1911)
8. Francis (1851–1878)

• Robert Hawthorne (3 August 1841 – 2 November 1908)
• Mary Elizabeth Wightwick Collins ()

Relations

• Lord and Lady Wantage

• Jane Hawthorne (aged 30 in 1851, born in Scotland)
• Robert Hawthorn (1861 census)
• Sarah Hawthorn (1861 census)

Acquaintances, Friends and Enemies

Acquaintances

• George F. Fowle (1851 census)
• William Smith (1851 census)
• Robert Smith (1861 census)
• sister-in-law Lucy L Wightwich (1881 census)
• visitor Walter J D Campbell (1881 census)

Organizations

• Balliol College, Oxford
• Lincoln's College, Oxford
• Apollo University Lodge of the Masons, Oxford
• In the household of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany and, after his death, that of the Duchess of Albany

Timeline

1841 September 12, Robert Hawthorne Collins was christened.

1851 March 30, census: "as Robert Collins / Son / age 9 / occupation Scholar at home / birthplace Berkshire Lockinge / living at Betterton House, East Lockinge, with parents John F and Sarah Collins, brothers John F, Henry, Charles and Arthur Collins, sister Emily J Collins, visitor William Smith, visitor George F Fowle, visitor ... Jane Hawthorne (unmarried, age 30, born Scotland), 9 servants" (http://www.halhed.com/t4r/getperson.php?personID=I9006&tree=tree1).

1859 October 15, Collins matriculated at Balliol College, Oxford.

1860, Collins was a scholar in Lincoln's College, Oxford.

1861 April 7 census: "as Robert H Collins / Son / age 19 / birthplace Berkshire East Lockinge / living at Betterton House, East Lockinge, with parents John F and Sarah Collins, sister Emily Collins, brothers John F and Francis Collins, visitor Robert Hawthorn, visitor Sarah Hawthorn, bailiff Robert Smith, 6 servants" (http://www.halhed.com/t4r/getperson.php?personID=I9006&tree=tree1).

1864, Collins was awarded his B.A. at Lincoln's College, Oxford.

1866 November 17, Collins was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn.

1867, Collins was awarded his M.A. at Lincoln's College, Oxford.

1867–1874, Collins was Prince Leopold's tutor.

1871 April 2 census: "as Robert Collins / Tutor / unmarried / age 29 / occupation Barrister at Law / birthplace Berkshire Wantage / living at Windsor Castle, Windsor, with Her Majesty The Queen (Head of household), Her Royal Highness Princess Louise, His Royal Highness Prince Leopold, Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice, Her Majesty's son-in-law John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, ladies-in-waiting Susanna Stephania Roxburghe, Jane Churchill, Caroline Barrington and Jane Elys, maids of honour Horatia Stopford and Lucy Kerr, governess Louisa Norelle, visitor James Innes Ker Duke of Roxburghe, visitor Frederick Temple Bishop of Exeter, visitor Countess Charlotte Spencer. lord in waiting Frederick Methuen, equerry Augustus Fitzroy, groom in waiting Francis Seymour, master of household John Clayton Cowell, librarians Richard Holmes and Hermann Sahl, tutor George Poore, 115 servants." (http://www.halhed.com/t4r/getperson.php?personID=I9006&tree=tree1)

1874 May, along with Prince Leopold, Collins was initiated into the Apollo University Lodge of the Masons, which is in Oxford ("History: 1870–1914").

1874 May 28, Collins was awarded his C.B.

1874–1884, Collins was comptroller of the household of the Duke of Albany (Prince Leopold).

1876, Robert Hawthorne Collins and May [?] Elizabeth Wightwick married.

1881 April 3 census: "as Robert H Collins / Head / married / age 39 / occupation Barrister not in practice / birthplace Berkshire Lockinge / living at Boyton Lodge, Esher, with wife Mary E Collins, sister-in-law Lucy L Wightwich, visitor Walter J D Campbell, 3 servants" (http://www.halhed.com/t4r/getperson.php?personID=I9006&tree=tree1).

1884 April 15, Collins was awarded his K.C.B.

1884–, Collins was comptroller of the household of the Duchess of Albany (Prince Leopold's widow).

1901 March 31 census: "as Robert H Collins / Son / married / age 59 / occupation Barrister at law / birthplace Berkshire Lockinge / living at Ordsai, Tilehurst Road, Reading St Mary, with mother Sarah Collins, wife Mary E Collins, 4 servants" (http://www.halhed.com/t4r/getperson.php?personID=I9006&tree=tree1).

1908 November 8, Collins died Esher, Surrey. One obituary: "November. ... On the 2nd, aged 67, Sir Robert Hawthorn Collins, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., tutor of the Duke of Albany (H.R.H. Prince Leopold) and afterwards Comptroller of his household. Obituary in The Times, 3 November 1908, p. 11, reads: SIR ROBERT COLLINS, / Sir Robert Hawthorn Collins, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., died shortly after 1 o'clock yesterday morning at Claremont Palace, Esher. / Sir Robert Collins, who had acted as comptroller of the household of the Duchess of Albany, had been in failing health, and some time ago he underwent an operation. He was, however, able to get about as usual up to Saturday last, when he was seized with peritonitis. The Duchess of Albany's medical adviser was in constant attendance. Sir Robert was a son of the Rev. John F. Collins, of Betterton-house, wantage, and he was born in 1841. He was educated at Marlborough and at Lincoln College, Oxford, where he received his B.A. degree in 1864, and he was called to the Bar (Lincoln's Inn) in 1866. In 1867 he was appointed the tutor of the late Duke of Albany, and from 1874 until 1884 he was comptroller of the Duke's household. In the latter year he became comptroller of the Duchess of Albany's household. He was held in very high esteem by the late Queen Victoria and the members of the Royal Family. Sir Robert Collins married, in 1876, May Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Henry Wightwick, rector of Codford St. Peter, Wilts." (http://www.halhed.com/t4r/getperson.php?personID=I9006&tree=tree1).

Bibliography

• Alumni Oxonienses: The Members of the University of Oxford 1751–1886: Their Parentage, Birthplace, and Year of Birth with a Record of Their Degrees. Joseph Foster, ed. Oxford and London: Parker, 1887. Volumes 1-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=kNE9AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA280
• "History: 1870–1914." Apollo University Lodge No. 357 http://www.apollo357.com/index.php/history/1870-1914 (accessed April 2015).
• "Sir Robert Hawthorne Collins, K.C.B." Halhed Family Genealogy and Family Trees http://www.halhed.com/t4r/getperson.php?personID=I9006&tree=tree1 (accessed April 2015).