Collen of Portadown
Thomas Collen married Elizabeth Harcourt
born circa 1815 circa 1836 born circa 1816
died 19 Mar 1896 died 8 Mar 1899
Tandragee Tandragee
Thomas Collen born circa 1815 was a builder and stone mason of Tandragee. He married
Elizabeth Harcourt circa 1836. This was possibly Elizabeth White nee Harcourt. They
lived at Bloomhill, Ballyknock. Thomas died 19 Mar 1896 and was buried at Mullavilly
graveyard. Elizabeth died 8 Mar 1899 and was buried with her husband.
1 John Collen born circa 1837. He married Mary Harvey on 2 Mar 1858 at Tandragee
Church. They travelled to New Zealand and Australia and returned to Ireland in
1866. He was the principal and founder of Collen Brothers in 1868 with premises
Hanover Street, Portadown, County Armagh. By 1872 they had opened offices at
5 Clanwilliam Place, Dublin. They were awarded the largest contract ever granted
by the state with the building of Portrane Asylum between 1896 and 1903. John
was a JP and DL for Armagh. They had eleven children of whom 10 survived in
1911. Mary died at Killicomaine on 29 Oct 1913 aged 81. John died at his residence
Killicomaine House on 19 May 1921.
1 Thomas John Collen born circa 1859 in Australia.
2 Elizabeth Jane (Bessie) Collen eldest daughter born circa 1860 in Australia.
She married Hamilton Robb of Portadown in 1891. They were living at
Portadown with their three children in 1901.
3 William Collen born circa 1862 in Australia graduated Trinity in 1884. He was
a civil engineer and appointed a surveyor for North County Dublin in 1891.
He retired in 1923 and died in Bournemouth on 29 Apr 1932.
4 Annie Collen born 1 Mar 1863 at Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
5 Julia Collen born circa 1865 in New Zealand, was unmarried in 1911 and
living with her parents.
6 Frederick Collen born circa 1866 owner of the Seagoe brickworks in Portadown.
He married Dorcas Adella Sunner in 1893 and they had three children. Their
only son Lieutenant John Collen died WW1.
7 Richard Collen born 26 Jul 1869 at Portadown. He married Constance Alice
Mackinson on 23 Apr 1908 at Bamford Chapel near Rochdale. Constance was
the second daughter of Thomas Finlayson Mackinson of Bamford. They were
living in London in 1911 and Richard enlisted in 1914 and discharged in 1916
as not fit for duty. Constance died 14 Nov 1948 in Cheshire.
1 Patricia Finlayson Collen born 14 Feb 1916 at St Clement, Oxford was
mentally handicapped and living at Normansfield in Teddington, ‘a
private asylum for mentally handicapped children from upper class
families and those of good social position’, in 1939.
8 Louisa Collen born circa 1871 in Armagh married Major David Graham
Shillington in 1895. In 1911 they were living at Edenderry and had six children.
9 Jessie M Collen born circa 1874 died 31 Dec 1931 at Bournemouth the home
of her brother William.
10 Edward Victor Collen born 2 Aug 1875 at Portadown.
2 Thomas Collen junior born circa 1840 went to Australia and New Zealand with his
older brother John. He married Julie Ashe in 1864 in New Zealand and returned to
Ireland in 1866. He set up Collen Brothers with his brother John. He married Julia
Ashe in New Zealand in 1864. Julia died on 14 Mar 1884. He stepped aside from the
company and set up his own building firm in Tandragee and had a farm. He was on
the board of Guardians for Bainbridge and on Tandragee Rural District Council.
1 Charles John Collen eldest son born circa 1867 married Geraldine Robinson
in 1888. He was a builder of Belfast. They were survivors of the Armagh Rail
disaster of 12 Jun 1889. Eighty people were killed and 260 were injured, about
a third of these were children. Included in the fatalities were Geraldine's two
younger brothers who were sitting either side of them. They lived at
Ballyknock, Tandragee. Charles died 29 Dec 1890.
2 Thomas Collen born circa 1868 died at Ballyknock on 3 Dec 1873.
3 Annie Elizabeth Collen born circa 1873 married William Parks 16 Dec 1908.
4 Mary Evaline Collen born 31 Jul 1874 at Ballyknock married George Wallace
7 Aug 1901.
5 Audley Herbert Collen (twin) born 19 Jun 1878 at Ballyknock. He was married
in 1911 with seven children.
6 Helena Maud Collen born 19 Jul 1877 at Kilarney died 31 Oct 1887 at
Ballyknock.
7 Thomas Harcourt Collen (twin) born 19 Jun 1878 at Ballyknock. He married
Florence Jane Wallace on 28 Sep 1910 at Mullavilly Church. Florence was the
daughter of James Wallace of the Manchester Arms, Tandragee. Thomas died
on 27 Sep 1911 in a building accident.
Thomas secondly married Mary Anne Graham a widow on 14 Oct 1886 at Ballymore
Church Armagh. Mary was an organist of Tandragee and the daughter of Richard
Gracey. Mary died on 23 Aug 1898.
8 William Collen born 17 Sep 1887 at Ballyknock a building contractor of
Ballyknock in 1911.
9 Eleanor Collen born 26 Nov 1888 at Ballyknock.
10 Mary Collen born 9 Feb 1890 at Ballyknock.
11 John Collen born 3 Nov 1891 at Ballyknock a building contractor of Ballyknock
in 1911.
Thomas thirdly Sarah Taylor in 26 Apr 1899. They were living at Tanderagee in 1911
and together they had no children. Thomas died in 1926 and was survived by three
sons and three daughters by his previous marriages.
3 Eliza Collen second daughter born circa 1841 married Samuel Turner on
11 Sep 1872. She died 7 Sep 1898 at Tandragee aged 57.
4 Sara Jane Collen born circa 1843 died in 1867.
5 Richard Collen born circa 1848 married Margaret Daly in Freemantle, Australia in
1873. Maris died 19 Nov 1874 at 4 Clanwilliam Place, Lower Mount Street aged 23.
Richard secondly married Harriett (Haddie) Rutledge on 10 Nov 1876 at Salthill, Galway.
Haddie was the daughter of George and Rebecca Rutledge. Richard, managing director
of Collen Brothers died at Glenmore, Rostrevor on 7 Feb 1927.
1 Helena (Lena) Harcourt Collen born 19 Oct 1877 in Galway. She died unmarried
in 1956 and was buried at Knotty Ash.
6 Joseph Collen born 1853 at Armagh was an architect and builder and lived at Homestead.
7 William born circa 1857 died a bachelor from Typhoid on 16 Nov 1880 at 5 Clanwilliam
Place. He was buried at Mullavilly.
8 Mary Margaret (Maggie) Collen youngest daughter married Rev William John Christie
3 Jun 1882 at Tandragee. Their son Rev Harold Christie was killed in WW1. William died
in 1932 survived by wife and a daughter.
9 David Collen born 12 Feb 1865 at Ballyknock was a building contractor. He married Clara
Emily Callister on 22 Mar 1900 at Douglas in the Isle of Man. Clara was the daughter of
Robert Daniel Callister. They lived at the Bungalow, Kilbarrack and later at Kilbarrack
House, where David bred and showed horses. David also had a house at 1 Stewart
Avenue, Portadown. He was a director and deputy chairman of Collen Bros. In 1932
their housemaid Minnie Reid was murdered and the following year Harold Courtney was
hanged for her murder. Emily died at Kilbarrack on 23 Aug 1938 aged 63. David died
on 4 Feb 1945 at Kilbarrack and was buried at Mullavilly.
1 Richard Collen born 13 Feb 1901 at Portrane married Margaret McDougall on
12 Nov 1930 at Methodist Church, Sutton. Richard was a building contractor and
like his father, he bred and showed horses. Peggy died 13 Feb 1940 aged 29 at
Ardrella, Kilbarrack. Richard died at Portobello House Nursing home on 6 Apr 1948.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2023
Thomas Collen married Elizabeth Harcourt
born circa 1815 circa 1836 born circa 1816
died 19 Mar 1896 died 8 Mar 1899
Tandragee Tandragee
Thomas Collen born circa 1815 was a builder and stone mason of Tandragee. He married
Elizabeth Harcourt circa 1836. This was possibly Elizabeth White nee Harcourt. They
lived at Bloomhill, Ballyknock. Thomas died 19 Mar 1896 and was buried at Mullavilly
graveyard. Elizabeth died 8 Mar 1899 and was buried with her husband.
1 John Collen born circa 1837. He married Mary Harvey on 2 Mar 1858 at Tandragee
Church. They travelled to New Zealand and Australia and returned to Ireland in
1866. He was the principal and founder of Collen Brothers in 1868 with premises
Hanover Street, Portadown, County Armagh. By 1872 they had opened offices at
5 Clanwilliam Place, Dublin. They were awarded the largest contract ever granted
by the state with the building of Portrane Asylum between 1896 and 1903. John
was a JP and DL for Armagh. They had eleven children of whom 10 survived in
1911. Mary died at Killicomaine on 29 Oct 1913 aged 81. John died at his residence
Killicomaine House on 19 May 1921.
1 Thomas John Collen born circa 1859 in Australia.
2 Elizabeth Jane (Bessie) Collen eldest daughter born circa 1860 in Australia.
She married Hamilton Robb of Portadown in 1891. They were living at
Portadown with their three children in 1901.
3 William Collen born circa 1862 in Australia graduated Trinity in 1884. He was
a civil engineer and appointed a surveyor for North County Dublin in 1891.
He retired in 1923 and died in Bournemouth on 29 Apr 1932.
4 Annie Collen born 1 Mar 1863 at Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
5 Julia Collen born circa 1865 in New Zealand, was unmarried in 1911 and
living with her parents.
6 Frederick Collen born circa 1866 owner of the Seagoe brickworks in Portadown.
He married Dorcas Adella Sunner in 1893 and they had three children. Their
only son Lieutenant John Collen died WW1.
7 Richard Collen born 26 Jul 1869 at Portadown. He married Constance Alice
Mackinson on 23 Apr 1908 at Bamford Chapel near Rochdale. Constance was
the second daughter of Thomas Finlayson Mackinson of Bamford. They were
living in London in 1911 and Richard enlisted in 1914 and discharged in 1916
as not fit for duty. Constance died 14 Nov 1948 in Cheshire.
1 Patricia Finlayson Collen born 14 Feb 1916 at St Clement, Oxford was
mentally handicapped and living at Normansfield in Teddington, ‘a
private asylum for mentally handicapped children from upper class
families and those of good social position’, in 1939.
8 Louisa Collen born circa 1871 in Armagh married Major David Graham
Shillington in 1895. In 1911 they were living at Edenderry and had six children.
9 Jessie M Collen born circa 1874 died 31 Dec 1931 at Bournemouth the home
of her brother William.
10 Edward Victor Collen born 2 Aug 1875 at Portadown.
2 Thomas Collen junior born circa 1840 went to Australia and New Zealand with his
older brother John. He married Julie Ashe in 1864 in New Zealand and returned to
Ireland in 1866. He set up Collen Brothers with his brother John. He married Julia
Ashe in New Zealand in 1864. Julia died on 14 Mar 1884. He stepped aside from the
company and set up his own building firm in Tandragee and had a farm. He was on
the board of Guardians for Bainbridge and on Tandragee Rural District Council.
1 Charles John Collen eldest son born circa 1867 married Geraldine Robinson
in 1888. He was a builder of Belfast. They were survivors of the Armagh Rail
disaster of 12 Jun 1889. Eighty people were killed and 260 were injured, about
a third of these were children. Included in the fatalities were Geraldine's two
younger brothers who were sitting either side of them. They lived at
Ballyknock, Tandragee. Charles died 29 Dec 1890.
2 Thomas Collen born circa 1868 died at Ballyknock on 3 Dec 1873.
3 Annie Elizabeth Collen born circa 1873 married William Parks 16 Dec 1908.
4 Mary Evaline Collen born 31 Jul 1874 at Ballyknock married George Wallace
7 Aug 1901.
5 Audley Herbert Collen (twin) born 19 Jun 1878 at Ballyknock. He was married
in 1911 with seven children.
6 Helena Maud Collen born 19 Jul 1877 at Kilarney died 31 Oct 1887 at
Ballyknock.
7 Thomas Harcourt Collen (twin) born 19 Jun 1878 at Ballyknock. He married
Florence Jane Wallace on 28 Sep 1910 at Mullavilly Church. Florence was the
daughter of James Wallace of the Manchester Arms, Tandragee. Thomas died
on 27 Sep 1911 in a building accident.
Thomas secondly married Mary Anne Graham a widow on 14 Oct 1886 at Ballymore
Church Armagh. Mary was an organist of Tandragee and the daughter of Richard
Gracey. Mary died on 23 Aug 1898.
8 William Collen born 17 Sep 1887 at Ballyknock a building contractor of
Ballyknock in 1911.
9 Eleanor Collen born 26 Nov 1888 at Ballyknock.
10 Mary Collen born 9 Feb 1890 at Ballyknock.
11 John Collen born 3 Nov 1891 at Ballyknock a building contractor of Ballyknock
in 1911.
Thomas thirdly Sarah Taylor in 26 Apr 1899. They were living at Tanderagee in 1911
and together they had no children. Thomas died in 1926 and was survived by three
sons and three daughters by his previous marriages.
3 Eliza Collen second daughter born circa 1841 married Samuel Turner on
11 Sep 1872. She died 7 Sep 1898 at Tandragee aged 57.
4 Sara Jane Collen born circa 1843 died in 1867.
5 Richard Collen born circa 1848 married Margaret Daly in Freemantle, Australia in
1873. Maris died 19 Nov 1874 at 4 Clanwilliam Place, Lower Mount Street aged 23.
Richard secondly married Harriett (Haddie) Rutledge on 10 Nov 1876 at Salthill, Galway.
Haddie was the daughter of George and Rebecca Rutledge. Richard, managing director
of Collen Brothers died at Glenmore, Rostrevor on 7 Feb 1927.
1 Helena (Lena) Harcourt Collen born 19 Oct 1877 in Galway. She died unmarried
in 1956 and was buried at Knotty Ash.
6 Joseph Collen born 1853 at Armagh was an architect and builder and lived at Homestead.
7 William born circa 1857 died a bachelor from Typhoid on 16 Nov 1880 at 5 Clanwilliam
Place. He was buried at Mullavilly.
8 Mary Margaret (Maggie) Collen youngest daughter married Rev William John Christie
3 Jun 1882 at Tandragee. Their son Rev Harold Christie was killed in WW1. William died
in 1932 survived by wife and a daughter.
9 David Collen born 12 Feb 1865 at Ballyknock was a building contractor. He married Clara
Emily Callister on 22 Mar 1900 at Douglas in the Isle of Man. Clara was the daughter of
Robert Daniel Callister. They lived at the Bungalow, Kilbarrack and later at Kilbarrack
House, where David bred and showed horses. David also had a house at 1 Stewart
Avenue, Portadown. He was a director and deputy chairman of Collen Bros. In 1932
their housemaid Minnie Reid was murdered and the following year Harold Courtney was
hanged for her murder. Emily died at Kilbarrack on 23 Aug 1938 aged 63. David died
on 4 Feb 1945 at Kilbarrack and was buried at Mullavilly.
1 Richard Collen born 13 Feb 1901 at Portrane married Margaret McDougall on
12 Nov 1930 at Methodist Church, Sutton. Richard was a building contractor and
like his father, he bred and showed horses. Peggy died 13 Feb 1940 aged 29 at
Ardrella, Kilbarrack. Richard died at Portobello House Nursing home on 6 Apr 1948.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2023