Joseph Collen of Homestead
Joseph Collen born 1853 at Armagh son of Thomas Collen and Elizabeth Harcourt. He
was an architect and builder. He married Mary Graham Black on 8 Dec 1875 at Frederick
Street Church, Belfast. Mary was the eldest daughter of John Black, a Presbyterian
minister, and his wife Anne. Mary died 27 Feb 1879 at Green Hill, Killarney aged 26.
1 John Black Collen born 23 Sep 1876 at Gillygooly, near Omagh. He was a building
contractor based in Cork in 1911. He married Eleanor Susan Bassett in Cork on
25 Jul 1911 and moved to Portadown in 1912. Eleanor died circa 1922. John was
a director of Collen Bros and was chair in 1944. He died in November 1960.
1 Thomas Anthony (Tony) Collen born 18 May 1912 in Dublin.
2 John Joseph Black (Joe) Collen born 11 Aug 1913 in Portadown.
2 Joseph Harcourt (Harcourt/Harky) Collen born 14 May 1878 at Aghamoyle, Co
Tyrone. He was a building contractor and married Mary Arnott Neill on
28 Apr 1908 at the Adelaide Road, Presbyterian Church. Mary was the daughter
of Alex Neill of Fox Hill. Harcourt died 26 Mar 1963 at the Meath Hospital late of
Kingston Lodge, Clonliffe Road. Mary died at Kingston Lodge on 9 Jan 1965. Both
were buried at Calary, Co Wicklow.
1 Desmond Collen born circa 1909 in Dublin.
2 Harcourt Joseph Collen born 15 Aug 1911 at Glasnevin.
3 Dorothy Mary Collen born 14 Jun 1914 at Glasnevin.
4 Standish William Neil Collen born 26 Jan 1916 was educated at St
Andrew's College and studied civil engineering at Trinity College Dublin.
He was a director of Collen Bros (Dublin) Ltd.
5 Lyal David Gordon Collen born 3 Mar 1919 in Glasnevin was educated
at St Andrew's College and studied civil engineering at Trinity College,
Dublin. He was a director Collen Bros (Dublin) Ltd.
Joseph Collen a widower and builder/contractor married Hannah Maria Stewart on
29 Sep 1881 at Lurgan, Co Armagh. Hannah was the daughter of William Stewart, a
physician and surgeon. He 1882 he applied to the courts for custody of his son Joseph,
who was living with his grandmother Anne Black at Aghamoyle. She had refused to return
the child and the court issued an order. By 1910 they were living at Homestead, Balally.
Joseph helped establish Collen Brothers, which became one of the largest Building and civil
Engineering contractors in Ireland. Hannah died 4 Mar 1935 aged 71 and was buried at
Kilgobbin cemetery. Joseph died on 25 Jul 1941 and was buried with his wife. He left 24K
in personal estate.
3 Mary Elizabeth Collen born 7 Nov 1883 at Woodbank, Gilford, Lurgan. She was
living at Homestead and married James Heron on 1 Sep 1910 at the Methodist
Church Kingstown. James was a bank official and the son of Samuel Heron MD
of Portadown. Mary died circa 1950.
4 Hannah Sophie Collen born 17 Jun 1885 Woodbank, Gilford died unmarried on
19 Mar 1969 at Red Cottage, Kilgobbin Road, Sandyford.
5 William Stewart Collen born 13 Aug 1889 at Aston Villa, Portadown, Co Armagh.
He was educated at Aravon School, Bray, and Wesley College, Leys School in
Cambridge. William worked in his father's business and played rugby for
Lansdowne. He was a keen golfer, a member of Carrickmines and Milltown
Golf Clubs and competed in the Irish Close Golf Championship of 1913. He
enlisted and served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 6th Battalion. He died
7 Aug 1915 and is commemorated at Green Hill Cemetery, Turkey. He is also
remembered on the Kilgobbin War Memorial at Stepaside, Co Dublin, Christ
Church, Taney and on Lansdowne Football Club War Memorial.
6 Margaret Robinson (Peggy) Collen born 29 Oct 1892 at Aston Villa, Portadown.
She married Gerald Paul Gordon Beckett on 15 Jan 1918 at Christ Church,
Taney. Gerald was a Dorton, an international water polo player and
international rugby player. He died on 3 Sep 1950 aged 63 at Drummany,
Greystones. He was survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.
Margaret died on 17 Mar 1968. Both are buried at Redford Cemetery in
Greystones.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2023
Joseph Collen born 1853 at Armagh son of Thomas Collen and Elizabeth Harcourt. He
was an architect and builder. He married Mary Graham Black on 8 Dec 1875 at Frederick
Street Church, Belfast. Mary was the eldest daughter of John Black, a Presbyterian
minister, and his wife Anne. Mary died 27 Feb 1879 at Green Hill, Killarney aged 26.
1 John Black Collen born 23 Sep 1876 at Gillygooly, near Omagh. He was a building
contractor based in Cork in 1911. He married Eleanor Susan Bassett in Cork on
25 Jul 1911 and moved to Portadown in 1912. Eleanor died circa 1922. John was
a director of Collen Bros and was chair in 1944. He died in November 1960.
1 Thomas Anthony (Tony) Collen born 18 May 1912 in Dublin.
2 John Joseph Black (Joe) Collen born 11 Aug 1913 in Portadown.
2 Joseph Harcourt (Harcourt/Harky) Collen born 14 May 1878 at Aghamoyle, Co
Tyrone. He was a building contractor and married Mary Arnott Neill on
28 Apr 1908 at the Adelaide Road, Presbyterian Church. Mary was the daughter
of Alex Neill of Fox Hill. Harcourt died 26 Mar 1963 at the Meath Hospital late of
Kingston Lodge, Clonliffe Road. Mary died at Kingston Lodge on 9 Jan 1965. Both
were buried at Calary, Co Wicklow.
1 Desmond Collen born circa 1909 in Dublin.
2 Harcourt Joseph Collen born 15 Aug 1911 at Glasnevin.
3 Dorothy Mary Collen born 14 Jun 1914 at Glasnevin.
4 Standish William Neil Collen born 26 Jan 1916 was educated at St
Andrew's College and studied civil engineering at Trinity College Dublin.
He was a director of Collen Bros (Dublin) Ltd.
5 Lyal David Gordon Collen born 3 Mar 1919 in Glasnevin was educated
at St Andrew's College and studied civil engineering at Trinity College,
Dublin. He was a director Collen Bros (Dublin) Ltd.
Joseph Collen a widower and builder/contractor married Hannah Maria Stewart on
29 Sep 1881 at Lurgan, Co Armagh. Hannah was the daughter of William Stewart, a
physician and surgeon. He 1882 he applied to the courts for custody of his son Joseph,
who was living with his grandmother Anne Black at Aghamoyle. She had refused to return
the child and the court issued an order. By 1910 they were living at Homestead, Balally.
Joseph helped establish Collen Brothers, which became one of the largest Building and civil
Engineering contractors in Ireland. Hannah died 4 Mar 1935 aged 71 and was buried at
Kilgobbin cemetery. Joseph died on 25 Jul 1941 and was buried with his wife. He left 24K
in personal estate.
3 Mary Elizabeth Collen born 7 Nov 1883 at Woodbank, Gilford, Lurgan. She was
living at Homestead and married James Heron on 1 Sep 1910 at the Methodist
Church Kingstown. James was a bank official and the son of Samuel Heron MD
of Portadown. Mary died circa 1950.
4 Hannah Sophie Collen born 17 Jun 1885 Woodbank, Gilford died unmarried on
19 Mar 1969 at Red Cottage, Kilgobbin Road, Sandyford.
5 William Stewart Collen born 13 Aug 1889 at Aston Villa, Portadown, Co Armagh.
He was educated at Aravon School, Bray, and Wesley College, Leys School in
Cambridge. William worked in his father's business and played rugby for
Lansdowne. He was a keen golfer, a member of Carrickmines and Milltown
Golf Clubs and competed in the Irish Close Golf Championship of 1913. He
enlisted and served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 6th Battalion. He died
7 Aug 1915 and is commemorated at Green Hill Cemetery, Turkey. He is also
remembered on the Kilgobbin War Memorial at Stepaside, Co Dublin, Christ
Church, Taney and on Lansdowne Football Club War Memorial.
6 Margaret Robinson (Peggy) Collen born 29 Oct 1892 at Aston Villa, Portadown.
She married Gerald Paul Gordon Beckett on 15 Jan 1918 at Christ Church,
Taney. Gerald was a Dorton, an international water polo player and
international rugby player. He died on 3 Sep 1950 aged 63 at Drummany,
Greystones. He was survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.
Margaret died on 17 Mar 1968. Both are buried at Redford Cemetery in
Greystones.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2023