Encyclopedia Titanica

John Collins

John Collins
John Collins

Mr John (aka Samuel) Collins was born in Ramsgate, Kent on 19 January 1874, the son of John Collins and Mary Lawrence.

He enlisted in the Royal Marines on 27th December 1890.  Although he was underage he was retained and transferred from Walmer to Chatham on 1 Jan 1891 for further training but discharged as "invalided" on 8 March 1892. It is thought he later reenlisted and served during the boer war.

He was married in Ramsgate on 16 March 1902 to 17-year-old Harriett Farley (1885-1967) giving his occupation at the time as 'groom'.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, he gave his address as the Sailors' Home, (Southampton). His last ship had been the Highland Laddie. As a fireman he received monthly wages of £6.

Collins was rescued in Emergency Lifeboat 1 and was later called to testify at the British Inquiry into the disaster.

Samuel married for a second time to Florence Milly Grant (nee Green) on 25 June 1916 in London giving his name as John Lawrence Collins (Lawrence being his mother's name).  There is no evidence that Samuel and Harriett were ever divorced, it seems that Samuel wanted to move to Canada but Harriett did not wish to leave Ramsgate.

He and his second wife moved to Canada but Samuel soon returned across the Atlantic to serve in France with the CEF. He was wounded and discharged still in 1916, whereafter he returned to Canada.

Florence Grant had two children by a previous relationship with a medical practitioner and bore Collins a further two girls Mary Ypres Collins (1 March 1918 – 16 June 1999) and Doris Mons Collins (1 August 1919 – 27 September 1990).

Harriett Collins, John's estranged wife, herself remarried in 1927 to George Edward Page (1885-1975) and had a daughter Laura (born 1924) and possibly other children as well, in addition to helping raise George's son George Henry Thomas Page born 1911.

On 15 April 1939 Collins, together with Elizabeth Mellinger, Madeline Mann (née Mellinger) and Emma Bliss met for a Titanic reunion dinner at the Royal York Hotel, Toronto.

Collins at memorial
Samuel Collins at the cenotaph in Toronto with other veterans, c.1946.
Courtesy of Malcolm Collins

He died on 28 September 1950 at the Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto and he was buried in the veterans section of Pine Hills Cemetery in Toronto.

John Collins Grave
John Collins grave
Courtesy of Jason Tiller

References and Sources

England and Wales Census

Research Articles

Jason D. Tiller Titanica! (2012) Toronto's Titanic Survivors

Newspaper Articles

Edmonton Journal (27 April 1939) 1939 Meeting Of Toronto-based Titanic Survivors

Documents and Certificates

Agreement and Account of Crew, National Archives, London; BT100/259

Miscellaneous

(1912) Wreck Commissioners' Court, Proceedings before the Right Hon. Lord Mersey on a Formal Investigation Ordered by the Board of Trade into the Loss of the S.S. Titanic, Titanic Inquiry Project

Comment and discuss

  1. MALCOLM COLLINS

    MALCOLM COLLINS

    Autopsy For those interested in the final resting place of my grandfather, I have at last received the Medical Certificate of Death from the Ontario authorities. He died in the Sunnybrook... Read full post
  2. MALCOLM COLLINS

    MALCOLM COLLINS

    I don't believe he ever went to New York.
  3. Aidan Crawford

    Aidan Crawford

    Learned today that he's my great great great uncle on my mother's side. Nice to see lots of info on the interwebs.
  4. Sophie (2512)

    Sophie (2512)

    I really what to find out more about the Collins family tree and if I could trace it to my family name, how would I go about doing this?
  5. Jas (2542)

    Jas (2542)

    I have been tracing my family tree and I believe this man to be my Grandmother's Uncle. My Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Woodcock (nee Collins) is this man's brother. I know nothing about her, or her family in Belfast. She met, married and lived with her husband Patrick Woodcock in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. My Grandmother, also Elizabeth was born in 1909. Any info appreciated.
  6. Marie Cook

    Marie Cook

    I am trying to track down any family, of Samuel Collins/ John Collins, Who is my Great Great Uncle. If Malcolm Collins could possibly get in touch.. I would love to hear,,, thankyou
  7. Marie Cook

    Marie Cook

    Hello Malcolm.. I have been doing a family tree of the collins/Jackson family, and it is my belief that Samuel Collins, and my Great Grans Dad were brothers. Could you please leave a message or contact me, as we would love to know the rest of the family and your whereabouts... Many thanks and hope to hear from you soon.
  8. MALCOLM COLLINS

    MALCOLM COLLINS

    Hello Kerry, I have my grandfather's Medical Certificate Of Death now all written in scratchy handwriting but clear enough. The cause of death is recorded as 'Carcinoma of Stomach' which he'd had for 5 months. There was an autopsy which basically confirms the cancer which had also also spread to the lymph nodes. I hope he didn't suffer too much. Kind regards, Malcolm Collins
  9. LadyRoisin

    LadyRoisin

    This is my grandfather...he was known as Jack. His three children were Benjamin, Hugh and Mary, who was born in 1928 April 23rd, died 2011 in Spain. I am her second daughter. As my grandfather was only 17 at the time, I wondered if he was the 'Jack' in the film.
  10. Mike Gunnill

    Mike Gunnill

    Grateful if Marie Cook could make contact with me, regarding Samuel/John Collins please. mikegunnillATmacDOTcom

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Titanic Crew Summary

Name: Mr John Collins (Samuel)
Age: 38 years 2 months and 27 days (Male)
Nationality: English
Marital Status: Married to Harriett Farley
Occupation: Fireman
Embarked: Southampton
Rescued (boat 1)  
Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912
Cause of Death:
Buried: Pine Hills Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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