HARRY PERCIVAL COLLAR
Image from 1918 Whitstable Times and Tankerton Press
Born: 5th February 1897, Whitstable, Kent.
Died: 30th December 1915; age 19. Killed by an internal explosion on a vessel in Cromarty Firth.
Residence: 113, Felixstowe Road, Ipswich.
Occupation: Turner.
Enlistment Location: Chatham; age 16 years & 4 months. Height when first joined: 5ft 4 1/2 ins, height at 18 years – 5ft 6 1/2ins, dark complexion, hazel eyes & dark brown hair.
SERVICE RECORD:
H.M.S. ‘Ganges’ – 10th October 1912 – 21st April 1913 – Boy.
H.M.S. ‘Crescent’ – 22nd April 1913 – 21st August 1913 – Boy.
H.M.S. ‘Pembroke I’ – 22nd August 1913 – 10th September 1913 – Boy.
H.M.S. ‘Natal’ – 11th September – 18 years.
H.M.S. ‘Natal’ – 5th February 1913 – 20th December 1915 – Ordinary Seaman.
Rank: Ordinary Seaman; Service Number: J.2061
Regiment: Royal Navy, H.M.S. ‘Natal’.
Medals Awarded: Victory, British War & Star.
Memorial Reference:
Chatham,
Kent.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Harry & Minnie Flora Collar, of 113, Felixstowe Road, Ipswich.
CENSUS
1901 15, Argyle Road, Whitstable, Kent.
Harry was 4 years old and living with his parents & siblings.
Harry Collar, 31, a Shipwright, born Whitstable, Kent.
Minnie Flora Collar (nee Goldsack), 30, born Blean, Kent.
Bettie Flora Collar, 7, born Whitstable.
Minnie Clarice Collar, 5, born Whitstable.
Sydney Browning Collar, 8 months, born Whitstable.
1911 42, Hatfield Road, Ipswich.
Harry was 14 years old and living with his parents & siblings.
Harry, 41, a Shipwright.
Minnie, 40.
Bettie, 17, a Shop Assistant Draper.
Minnie, 15, a Dressmaker’s Apprentice.
Sydney, 10.
Ellen Gwendoline Collar, 6, born Whitstable.
Harry is also remembered on the war memorial at ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH, Ipswich.
Harry’s paternal grandfather, John Collar was the eldest brother of the well-known Whitstable firm of shipbuilders – Collar Bros., whose premises were based at Collar’s Alley, Island Wall. Besides the shipwright business, the Collar brothers specialised in the repairing of colliers, and the building of dinghies and fishing smacks, including ‘Rose and Ada,’ and ‘Emeline.’ In the severe freezing weather of 1895, Whitstable Bay became icebound and fishing boats were unable to put out. This occasioned great local distress. Harry’s grandfather and his uncles opened up their foreshore works as a feeding centre, providing the community with free food, hot drinks and warmth! The ‘Gamecock’ was to be the last vessel to be built before in September 1909, the Collar Bros., shipwright business and premises were put up for sale.
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