FACHRS Ref: A/DB/001 Bank Manager: Henry Ellis Collins Researcher Name: David Barnard

YEAR 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901

CENSUS RG9 RG10 RG11 RG12 RG13

PIECE 1726 2385 5322 4405 5509

FOLIO 30 82 116 33 18

PAGE 8 21 12 5 13

REG DIS Clifton Bridgwater Merthyr Tydfil Cardiff Neath

PARISH Clifton Bridgwater Aberdare St Nicholas YstradFellte (Brecon)

ADDRESS 1 Bruton Place Taunton Rd Cardiff St Duffryn House Abermellte House

TOWN Bristol Bridgwater Aberdare St Nicholas Vale of Neath

COUNTY Gloucestershire Somerset Glamorgan Vale of Glamorgan Glamorgan

AGE 13 23 33 42 53

OCCUPATION

Banker's Clerk

Bank Manager Banker None

WIFE

Mary Mary

Children

4 8

Cook

Yes Yes

Housemaid

Yes 2

Nurse

Yes Yes

Governess

Yes Bank Premises No No Yes No No

(house)

Relation to Head Son

Visitor (to future father-in-law) Head Head Living alone

Henry Ellis Collins was born 1847 at Clifton, Bristol. According to a website

(https://sites.google.com/site/genealogycollins/) he was educated at Bristol Grammar School. He was a

Bank Clerk when he visited the Akerman household in 1871 but there is no indication as to which bank he

was associated with at that time.

Henry married Mary Akerman 25 October 1873 in Paris (TNA ref: RG33/Piece76/Folio 41) and their first

child was born c1874 in Penderyn, Breconshire. (about 3 miles from Aberdare). Henry was working for

the National Bank of Wales at the 1881 census and gave his occupation as Bank Manager. The National

Bank of Wales was incorporated in February 1879 (newspaper report) and had its head office in Cardiff.

There are references to branches in Manchester and Blaenavon as well as Aberdare.

Henry ceased to be General Manager in May 1893 and filed for bankruptcy in 1895. In 1897, at Bow

Street, Colonel Frederick Robert Hall, Kensington; Thomas Cory, of Reading; (both former directors) and

Henry Ellis Collins, of Glynn Neath, South Wales, were charged on remand with unlawfully and

fraudulently taking and applying to their own use the sum of £30,000 belonging to the National Bank of

Wales. This action had taken place 8 years earlier in 1890.

In January 1898, they were found guilty at the Old Bailey and, in February, Henry was sentenced to four

years penal. Howell was sentenced to 15 months; and Corey to 8 months.

It is not known where Henry served his sentence but seemingly it was cut short since he appears in the

1901 census at Abermellte House, Pontneathvaughn.

FACHRS Ref: A/DB/001 Bank Manager: Henry Ellis Collins Researcher Name: David Barnard

Military Career

In February 1876 the London Gazette reported Henry Ellis Collins, gent. to be lieutenant

(supernumerary) of the 14th Glamorganshire Rifles Volunteer Corps.

In February 1878 Army List he is lieutenant.

In November 1885 Captain Henry Ellis Collins of the 2nd

Glamorgan Rifle Volunteer Corps to be captain

in 3rd

Battalion the Welsh Regiment.

In June 1890 Collins and Howell purchased Dean Forest Collieries; in the Forest of Dean Local History

Society description of one of these, Pillowell Colliery, Collins is referred to as Major Collins.

Henry’s son, William Frederick Collins, was married 7th December 1916 in Peking, China. His father’s

profession is given as Army Major.

Property

Abermellte House, Pontneathvaughn, was advertised for sale in 1876. Was this the first property

purchased by Henry?

6 June 1890 Messrs. Evans Williams & W. Owen Johnes the present owners of Pillowell, Yorkley and

Unity gales, sold them to Mr. H. E. Collins. (http://lightmoor.co.uk/forestcoal/CoalPillowellLev.html)

In 1891 Henry sold Duffryn House to John Corey who had resigned as a director of National Bank of

Wales in 1890. John Corey, a South Wales coalowner, created the Duffryn House we see today.

29 February 1892 Major Collins owner of Pillowell Level. Major Collins and Major Howell who

together form the Dean Forest Navigation Coal & Fuel Co.

(http://lightmoor.co.uk/forestcoal/CoalPillowellLev.html)

1893: Clearwell Court in the Forest of Dean, remained in the Wyndham family until 1893, when it was

sold to Henry Collins. It was sold again by Collins’ mortgagees in 1907 (English Heritage).

February 1895: A five day sale of furniture, horses, and effects, until recently the property of Mr Collins,

late general manager of the Bank of Wales, was commenced at Clearwell Court. (Evening Express 27 Feb

1895)

In October 1895 Major Henry Ellis Collins of Clearwell Court, was suing to recover possession of a public

house & land. (Evening Express 2 Oct 1895)

Mr H E Collins, late manager of the National Bank of Wales, has filed a statement of his affairs. This

shows the gross liabilities to be £98,206 13s 9d.

(Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent. 17 Jan 1896)

The article refers to Clearwell estate, Abermellte House, and others.

Trade Directories Slater's Directory of N & S Wales etc., 1880. [Part 1: N & S Wales] National Bank of Wales Limited, Dunraven Place, Bridgend. Head office: Manchester.

Post Office London Directory, 1882 National Bank of Wales Limited Head Office: Aberdare H. Ellis Collins, general manager

Kelly's Directory of Newcastle-on-Tyne & Suburbs, 1886 National Bank of Wales Limited Head Office: Cardiff H. Ellis Collins, general manager

Owen & Co.'s Cardiff Directory, 1891 National Bank of Wales Limited Head Office: Cardiff H. Ellis Collins, general manager