P12

Richard Henry Collett


My Dad Mum's Dad's Dad

My Great-Great-Grandfather

29 October 1856 - March 1943

When Richard Henry Collett was born on 29 October 1856 in Yoxford, Suffolk, his father, Charles, was 27 and his mother, Caroline, was 25.


He married Catherine Hoton and they had six children together.


He then married Rose Ellen Trussler and they had ten children together.


He died in March 1943 in Coulsdon, Surrey, at the age of 86.

Great-Great-Grandfather's Gallery

A selection of photographs and images associated my great-great grandfather.

Official Documentation

Additional Information

  • 1861 Census
  • In 1861, my great-great-grandfather was aged 4, is living with his parents, Charles and Caroline, at Brook Street, Yoxford, Suffolk, with his younger sister Amelia and Charles's stepson John Collier.
  • Charles (aged 36) is a bricklayer from Saxmundham, Suffolk.
  • Caroline (aged 31) is from Yoxford, Suffolk.
  • Richard, Amelia (aged 2) and John (his stepbrother, aged 11) are all from Yoxford, Suffolk.
  • 1871 Census
  • In 1871, Richard (aged 15) and his family are now living in the Blythburgh Union Workhouse, Suffolk, presumably after the recent death of his father, Charles. He is there with his mother, Caroline, and his three sisters (Amelia, Rosanna and Mary).
  • Caroline (aged 40) is still from Yoxford, Sussex.
  • Richard and his sisters, Amelia (aged 13), Rosanna (aged 10) and Mary (aged 6) are all listed as scholars from Yoxford, Sussex.
  • 1881 Census
  • In 1881, Richard (aged 23) was now married to Catherine with one child (Bertha) living at Princes Street, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.
  • Richard was listed as a plasterer from Yoxford, Sussex.
  • Catherine (aged 20) is from Pinxton, Derbyshire.
  • Bertha (aged 10), Rose A (aged 8) and John Hy (aged 5) are all  is from Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.
  • 1891 Census
  • In 1891, Richard, now aged 34, and his wife Catherine (aged 30) are now living at 130 Branstone Road, Buxton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, with three children (Bertha, Rose A and John Hy, my great-great-grandfather).
  • Richards is recorded as as a plasterer from Saxmundham, Suffolk.
  • His wife Catherine was born in Pinxton, Derbyshire.
  • My great-grandfather (aged 5) along with his sisters, Bertha (aged 10) and Rose A (aged 8) are all listed as 'scholars' (so presumably they attended school) and all being born in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire. 
  • 1901 Census
  • In 1901, Richard and his family are now living at 20 Blenheim Street, Chelsea, London.
  • Richard H (aged 44) remains a plasterer from Saxmundham (now Norfolk), but he seems to now have a new wife called Rose (aged 28). Apparently from Farnham, there is an additional annotation that states 'English born not stated', suggesting that perhaps she was not English at all. (Whatever happened to Catherine is unclear; in addition, despite claiming to be married, Richard and Rose did not officially tie-the-knot until 1923!).
  • John Henry (aged 15) looks as if he might have been a guard for a carman (horse-drawn delivery driver), so perhaps he was being trained up and helping the actual carman! He is stated as being born in Eastwood, now in Essex.
  • Richard and Rose seem to have had a son, also called Richard, aged 6 months, and presumably my great-grandfather's step-brother. He was born in Chelsea. 
  • 1911 Census
  • In 1911, Richard (aged 55) and Rose Ellen (aged 38) are now living at 5 Woodcote Terrace, Woodmansterne Rd, Coulsdon, Surrey, along with five children (Richard Frank, Ernest Frederick, Albert Edward, Ronald Arthur and Alec Sydney) and two lodgers, Herbert George Bailey and Charles Henry Randle.
  • Richard is a plasterer (in the build trade) from Saxmundham, Suffolk.
  • Rose is from Farnham, Surrey. (Interestingly, it says they have been married 11 years, and have had 7 children - 5 who were still alive and 2 who had died.)
  • Richard Frank (aged 10) is from Chelsea, London.
  • Ernest Frederick (aged 8) and Albert Edward (aged 7) are from Eltham, Kent.
  • Ronald Arthur (aged 2) and Alec Sydney (aged 8 months) are both from Coulsdon, Surrey.
  • Herbert George Bailey (aged 27) is from Hythe, Kent, and Charles Henry Randle (aged 36) is from Ipswich, Suffolk. Both are registered as lodgers and working in the building trade as general labourers. Herbert is single, whilst Charles is a widower.


Other Documentation

Other relevant documents for view will be listed below...

  • Birth Register 1856
  • Here is a copy of the birth register with my great-great-grandfather's listing in the Blything district, Suffolk.
  • Marriage Banns 1880
  • Here is a copy of the marriage banns with my great-great-grandfather's listing in the Pinxton district, Derbyshire.
  • Marriage Register 1880
  • Here is a copy of the marriage register with my great-great-grandfather's listing in the Mansfield district, Nottinghamshire.
  • Electoral Register 1915
  • In 1915, my great-great-grandfather was registered to vote at 22 Banstead Villas in the Parish of Coulsdon, Surrey.
  • Marriage Register 1923
  • Here is a copy of the marriage register with my great-great-grandfather's listing in the Croydon district, Surrey.
  • England and Wales Register 1939
  • In 1939, Richard Henry was living at 236 Chipstead Valley Road, Coulsdon, Surrey, with his wife Rose E and his son, Albert E and his wife Doris (whose maiden name may have been Collinson, as this was annotated to 'Collett' in the register). Interestingly, Albert and Doris don't seem to get officially married until 1944!
  • Richard Henry's date of birth is listed as 29 October 1856, and he is a plasterer by trade (retired).
  • Rose E's date of birth is listed as 20 May 1872, and that she undertakes 'unpaid domestic duties', presumably meaning a housewife.
  • Albert E's date of birth is listed as 26 December 1904, and that he is a chemist's assistant.
  • Doris's date of birth is listed as 8 March 1901, and that she is a mental nurse (presumably working up at Cane Hill Hospital).
  • Death Register 1943
  • Here is a copy of the death register with my great-great-grandfather's listing in the Surrey S.E. district.

Family Relationships

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