Watering Cattle by Thomas Gainsborough
I have long thought the will of Daniel Collins of London indicated a total of six children for his brother Samuel because of the way it is worded. Continue reading
St. Mary the Virgin, Great Leighs, Essex
Walter Adamson, Jr. was the first born child of Walter, Sr. and Sarah Adamson of Chelmsford. All their children were baptized at St. Mary the Virgin in Chelmsford. Continue reading
Memorial plaque for Samuel Collins, Jr.
St. Michael’s, Braintree, Essex
Most of Samuel’s writing was the usual correspondence with family and friends. His one published work is “The Present State of Russia; In a Letter to a Friend at London; Written by an Eminent Person residing at the Great Czars Court at Mosco for the space of nine years.” This was published, by a friend, in 1671 after Samuel’s death. Continue reading
I SAMUELL COLLINS, The Son Of Samuell Collins late of Brayntrey in Essex intending (if God please) to travaile into fforeyne countryes for some tyme do think fitt to leave behind me this my last will and testament in manner and forme as followeth. Continue reading
St. Michael’s, Braintree, Essex
The Revd. Canon Bernard Davies has given us the definitive work on the life and times of Samuel Collins with his book “Samuel Collins of Braintree; A Seventeenth Century Essex Vicar”. This book is a delightful look into the history of the social and religious customs during the lifetime of Samuel Collins. Continue reading
With any handwriting analysis one needs to be sure that the sample was written by the person in question. When I first discovered Samuel’s signature in the Romford records I didn’t think he had written the data on the rest of the page because it’s written in a different style.