John Collins
Remembered in St Bartholemew's Church Hints

The memorial shown on the left, is placed in memory of John Collins, and the text above is the text on the memorial.

It reads;

Sacred
To the memory of
John Collins, of Milford
In the county of Stafford Esq
Who dies Oct V1 MDCCCXX
Aged LIV years

Gordon Thursfield is related to the Collins family mentioned in the Hints archives. In his search for information about his family roots he has provided some interesting information for us.

We do not appear to have any details about the John Collins who is remembered by a plaque in the Church.To be remembered in such a way John Collins must have been an important member of the Hints community.

Gordon contacted us with these original comments,

The Collins and Kendricks seem to be well rooted in Hints .

The Thursfields ( family of 4 sons and 1 daughter as far as i know ) are Weeford based but we can't track down where the father Thomas came from before then ? ( He married a Rebecca Birch in Weeford 1731 )

The brother of my GGGGG grandfather Thomas - Richard was married in Hints Church to a Elizabeth Jervise/Jarvis around this time .

The eldest of the 4 brothers John Thursfield ( brother of Thomas and Richard ) who stayed in Weeford ( the other three left - Thomas to Wednesbury / Richard to Shenstone / Samuel to Birmingham we think ) is listed in the Weeford burials Weeford as "slitting mill labourer" . Think there might be a reference on marriage entry as well ?

The survey on your Hints' site has the slitting mill in Weeford but essentially together with all the Hints mills and forges are part of one operation exploiting the Bourne Brooke with seemingly the slitting mill producing the final product - iron rods from iron bars produced at the Hints Hammer Mill to be made into nails for the nailing industry ?

And has extended the information like this

Have had a brief look for the John Collins on the plaque in Hints Church and there is a John Collins christened 12 September 1766 in Hints Church son of John Collins and Urram ?

( this seems to fit with John Collins aged 54 and the plaque date of 1820 )

Looks as if John's father remarries after his first wife Urram dies in 1771 in Hints.

  • COLLINS, John John COLLINS Urram 12 SEP 1766* Hints
  • COLLINS, Christopher John COLLINS Urram 25 APR 1768* Hints
  • COLLINS, Ann John COLLINS Urram 02 MAY 1770* Hints
  • Urram dies 17 Apr 1771* Hints
  • John COLLINS marries Mary SCOTT 29 Apr 1773 Castle Church Stafford
  • COLLINS, Elizabeth Scott John COLLINS Mary 30 JUN 1774* Hints
  • COLLINS, Thomas Scott John COLLINS Mary 29 APR 1776* Hints
  • COLLINS, Mary John COLLINS Mary 29 APR 1777* Hints buried 10 May 1778* Hints
  • COLLINS, Mary Ann John COLLINS Mary 10 JAN 1781* Hints
  • COLLINS, Robert John COLLINS Mary 14 JUL 1782* Hints
  • COLLINS, William John COLLINS Mary 09 JAN 1785* Hints buried 03 Feb 1785* Hints

The name Collins also appear in the church records

Hints Ministers / ChurchWardens

1703 - 1706 Curate John Husband / ChurchWardens Robert Collins Christoper Bright

1710 - 1713 Curate John Husband / ChurchWardens John Kendrick John Whitehead

1783 - 1785 Curate John Oldershaw / ChurchWarden John Collins

1786 - 1788 Minister Walter Rose Norton / ChurchWarden John Collins

The John Collins ChurchWarden may be the grandson of the earlier Robert Collins ChurchWarden and possibly the father of the plaque John Collins ?

If you have information which may help Gordon fill in the gaps in his family history please send an e-mail to info@hints-village.com