Pat Collins (showman)
Encyclopedia
Patrick Collins was a Liberal
MP for Walsall
(1922 - 1924) and Mayor
of Walsall
(1938), but is chiefly remembered for his involvement in the fairground
industry. His name remains in the company "Pat Collins Funfairs". He was also an early presenter of moving pictures
both in travelling shows and cinemas. At one point he was running 4 separate fairs a week as well as owning 13 cinemas and some skating rinks.
, one of 5 children of John Collins an agricultural labourer of Irish descent. He went to St. Werburgh Catholic School in Chester but left at the age of ten to go travelling with his family. He had two wives, Flora Ross (married 1880, died 1933) and Clara Mullett, who was his secretary. They married in 1934 and she survived him. Flora gave him a son, Patrick Ross Collins (born 7 March 1886) who continued the business. Pat Collins Ltd was created in 1899, when he had established a round of fairs in the Black Country
based on traditional holidays or 'Wakes' from August to October.
He was President of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain
from 1920 to 1929. He lived in Bloxwich
in the borough of Walsall
, where he became a Liberal
Councillor in 1918, an Alderman in 1930, and Mayor of Walsall in 1938. In 1939 he was made a Freeman
of the Borough of Walsall. He also won a place as Liberal
MP
for Walsall
in the 1922 General Election
, retaining his seat in the 1923 elections
but losing it in the 1924 general election
to a Conservative, W. Preston
.
He died at his home in Bloxwich
in December 1943, aged 84, and was buried in the cemetery there.
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP for Walsall
Walsall (UK Parliament constituency)
Walsall was a borough constituency centred on the town of Walsall in the West Midlands of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
(1922 - 1924) and Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Walsall
Walsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
(1938), but is chiefly remembered for his involvement in the fairground
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
industry. His name remains in the company "Pat Collins Funfairs". He was also an early presenter of moving pictures
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
both in travelling shows and cinemas. At one point he was running 4 separate fairs a week as well as owning 13 cinemas and some skating rinks.
Life
Collins was born 12 May 1859 on a fairground in ChesterChester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, one of 5 children of John Collins an agricultural labourer of Irish descent. He went to St. Werburgh Catholic School in Chester but left at the age of ten to go travelling with his family. He had two wives, Flora Ross (married 1880, died 1933) and Clara Mullett, who was his secretary. They married in 1934 and she survived him. Flora gave him a son, Patrick Ross Collins (born 7 March 1886) who continued the business. Pat Collins Ltd was created in 1899, when he had established a round of fairs in the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
based on traditional holidays or 'Wakes' from August to October.
He was President of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain
Showmen's Guild of Great Britain
The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain exists to protect the interests of travelling showmen at funfairs in Great Britain.The Showmen's Guild was originally founded as the United Kingdom Van Dwellers Protection Association in 1889 in Salford...
from 1920 to 1929. He lived in Bloxwich
Bloxwich
Bloxwich is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, West Midlands, England, with a population of around 40,000 people.-Early history:Bloxwich has its origins at least as early as the Anglo-Saxon period, when the place name evidence suggests it was a small Mercian settlement named after the...
in the borough of Walsall
Metropolitan Borough of Walsall
The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall is a local government district in the Black Country part of the West Midlands, England, with the status of a metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Walsall, but covers a larger area which also includes the towns of Aldridge, Brownhills,...
, where he became a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Councillor in 1918, an Alderman in 1930, and Mayor of Walsall in 1938. In 1939 he was made a Freeman
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of the Borough of Walsall. He also won a place as Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Walsall
Walsall (UK Parliament constituency)
Walsall was a borough constituency centred on the town of Walsall in the West Midlands of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
in the 1922 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
, retaining his seat in the 1923 elections
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
but losing it in the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
to a Conservative, W. Preston
William Preston (UK politician)
William Preston was a British industrialist and Conservative politician.Born in 1874, Preston was educated at Walsall Grammar School and Weston School, Bath. In 1907 he married Lilly Swinton Sanders, and he became managing director of William Sanders & Co Limited, a major manufacturer of...
.
He died at his home in Bloxwich
Bloxwich
Bloxwich is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, West Midlands, England, with a population of around 40,000 people.-Early history:Bloxwich has its origins at least as early as the Anglo-Saxon period, when the place name evidence suggests it was a small Mercian settlement named after the...
in December 1943, aged 84, and was buried in the cemetery there.