From Branscombe, Devon to Bendigo
Christopher John Bartlett Collins was born on the 2nd September 1843 at Sellerswood Cottages Branscombe Devon to John Charles William Henry Edward Collins and Eleanor Bartlett and was Christened at St Winifreds Church on the 1st October 1843, Unfortunately his mother Eleanor died a few days before his 1st birthday on the 29th August 1844 so it was left to his old Grandmother (who, according to letters writen by herself and son loved him very dearly), to bring him up with the help of his uncles, his father, a Teacher, was to remarry in 1846 to Emma Minifie. Not much is known about Christopher’s early years except that in the 1851 census he is living with his grandmother Martha Bartlett at Sellerswood Cottages and in the 1861 census, at the age of 18 was living at 9 Strongs Cottages St Sidwell Exeter with his cousin Noah Gay Bartlett and his wife Sally Bartlett [Nee Bush] and was employed as a Railway labourer/Miner on the line. No trace of Christopher until he turns up emigrating to Australia, arriving on 16th August 1869 after leaving Gravesend in July 1869. It was here where he was to married on the 30th March 1875 to Esther Manser in Bendigo Victoria and went on to have 12 children by her at various locations around the Victoria area whilst working as a miner. It was in 1902 that he lost his life in a mining accident in a mine at Bendigo Victoria
