Francis Collison (1795 - 1876)

Born 15 Apr 1795 in Stockwell, Surrey, England

Ancestors

Husband of Phoebe (Watts) Collison — married 8 Dec 1824 in Cape Town, Cape Colony, South Africa

Descendants

Died 17 Feb 1876 at age 80 in Herne Hill, Surrey, England

Biography

Francis married Phoebe Watts on 8 December 1824 in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.^[1]

In 1825 Francis (age about 29) was employed as a Wine Merchant in South Africa.

In the 1851 census Francis (age 55), Merchants (general), was the married head of household at 5, Grove Hill Terrace, St Giles Camberwell, Camberwell, London & Surrey, England.^[2]

Francis died on 17 February 1876 in Surrey, England and his estate wasa granted probate and granted to Mimi Collison of Herne Hill, spinster and daughter and John Wotherspoon of Denmark Hill two of the executors on 21 March 1876 in Principal Registry.^[3]

Research Notes

The first local brandy in South Africa was made in 1672 at the Cape. Whether it was good brandy is to be doubted, yet it soon became an integral part of the Cape lifestyle. Popularly known as "Cape Smaak", the brandy was also used as a home remedy for every imaginable ailment. For the first 100 years there was no significant improvement in the quality of Cape brandy. Crudely distilled on the skins and stalks, it was raw and unmatured.

The beginning of change only came with the first British occupation of the Cape in 1795. Britain was a strong world power and in developing new markets they brought about economic prosperity and with it, a greater awareness of quality.

In 1825 Francis Collison, with the support of the Governor, Lord Charles Somerset, formed the Cape Wine Trade Committee.

In the years following, the well-known names of Collisons Brandy Company, Van Ryns, E K Green, Sedgwick, Paarlse Wijn en Brandewijn Maatschappij Beperk and others were established.

Francis Collison (son of Nicholas Cobb Collison & Mary Stroughton) married Phebe Watts in Cape Town, South Africa on 8 Dec 1824. Their son Henry Clerke Collison was born Stockwell, London, in 1832. He was the 5th of their 9 children variously born in England and South Africa. Clearly the family travelled back and forth between the UK and SA. Not withstanding this mobility the family do apear in all the relevant England censuses.
Francis Collison, with his brother John, went to the Cape in 1815 and became noted wine producers. Rene Santhagens, a former cavalry officer of French origin, imported the first pot still and, in partnership with Francis, began to distil fine brandies. Brandy is recorded as being first made in SA in 1627, with Dutch settlers technology but it was pretty rough, fiery stuff. The French Huguenots improved it in late 17th Century but it wasn't until the British arrived, with a taste for drinking superior brandies, at the beginning of 18th Century, that it became more as we know it today.
In 1833 the recently formed Cape of Good Hope Agricultural Society held the first wine, brandy & beer awards, Francis Collison received the prize for best brandy and for many years afterwards Collison was a well known name in the brandy industry. Wine writer Jane MacQuitty recommended Henry C Collison, 7 Bury Street, St James', London SW1 for buying SA wines, as late as Feb 1985. Today there is still a fine brandy being made in SA under the Collison name.

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage: "South Africa, Marriage Index, 1807-2007", Original data: Various sources from across South Africa, Ancestry uk Record 61330 #1858 (accessed 7 April 2024), Francis Collison marriage to Phoebe Watts on 8 Dec 1824 in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
2. ↑ 1851 Census: "1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census", Reference: HO107; Piece number: 1580; Folio: 210; Page: 48; Schedule: 157, FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 7 April 2024), Francis Collison (55), married, Merchants (general), head of household at 5, Grove Hill Terrace, St Giles Camberwell in Camberwell registration district in London & Surrey, England. Born in England.
3. ↑ Probate: "England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995"
   Original data: Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 1904 #3234478 (accessed 11 September 2023)
   Francis Collison probate on 21 Mar 1876 in Principal Registry. Died 17 Feb 1876 in Surrey, England.

• Media: Personal Abbreviation: Graham Collison Title: Graham Collison Author: Graham Collison Italicized: Y Paranthetical: Y

Acknowledgments

• Profile Collison-330 was created through the import of collyson.ged on Jan 7, 2012 by Will Chapman.