Eliza (Smith) Collis (1834 - 1870)

Born 29 Mar 1834 in Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Haynes Collis — married 23 Jul 1855 (to 25 Oct 1870) in Lubenham, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 25 Oct 1870 at age 36 in Yarram Yarram, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Eliza was born 29 Mar 1834 in Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England to John Smith and Elizabeth (Gilbert) Smith.

Eliza was Thomas Haynes Collis second wife. She married Thomas in the Parish of Lubenham (a small rural village between Great Bowden and Theddingworth), Leicestershire, England aged 22 and is recorded as a lace weaver. Thomas was 36 years old and a shoemaker. Eliza made her mark with a X on the marriage certificate so it can be assumed she did not know how to write.

Eliza Collis aged 25 sailed to Australia from Great Bowden, England aboard the Merlin ship with her daughter Mary Rosina 3.5 years old and son Thomas under 1 year old. It states she was to join her husband in Gippsland and taking the children to their father. She was a Victoria (Australia) Assisted Passenger, with the Merlin ship arriving in Melbourne in 1860.

Eliza had lived in England for 25 plus years and Victoria, Australia for 10 years.

Eliza's death was due to exhaustion from childbirth, enduring a 12-hour labour and dying 2 days after giving birth. She passed away in 1870 at Yarram Yarram, Victoria aged 36 years, with her brother-in-law, George Collis being the informant of her death.

Eliza was buried at Alberton Cemetery, Alberton, Victoria, Australia on the 27th of October 1870, performed by a Church of England Clergyman.

The living children of Eliza at the time of her death as recorded on her death certificate were-

Rosina - 14 and a half

William - 12

John Thomas - 9

Annie - 7

Charles - 5

George - 4 and a half

Jane - 2

Sarah Maud - 2 days old

Sources

• Baptism: "Leicestershire Baptisms"
  Archive: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland; Reference: DE1998/7; Page: 54
  FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 4 May 2024)
  Eliza Smith baptism on 29 Mar 1834 (born 1834), daughter of John & Elizabeth, in Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England.
• Marriage: "England, Leicestershire Parish Registers, 1533-1991"
  citing Page: 37; Affiliate Name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland; Digital film/folder number: 102138513; FHL microfilm: 102138513; Image number: 45
  FamilySearch Record: QP4W-ZKTH (accessed 4 May 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CS49-B645
  Eliza Smith (22) marriage to Thomas Collis (36) in 1855 in Lubenham, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom.
• 1851 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1851"
  citing The National Archives of the UK Class: HO107; Piece/Folio: 2079 / 309; Page: 18; Line: 12
  FamilySearch Record: SGFK-C4S (accessed 4 May 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSQ7-FQ52
  Eliza Smith (17), unmarried sister, Lace Runner, in household of George Smith (28) in Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England. Born in Great Bowden, Leicestershire.
• Victorian Death Certificate of Eliza Colliss Year of Registration:1870, Place of Registration: Yarram Yarram, Registration No. 8296, Victoria, Australia.
• Merlin Ship. Nominal List, lines 96, 97 and 98: https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/E295E325-F1B1-11E9-AE98-A7615D0B36BD?image=448.
• Merlin Ship lines 155, 156 and 157: https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/E29790D6-F1B1-11E9-AE98-597179266B76?image=100.
• Victoria Marriage Certificate of Charles Collis and Elizabeth Annie Ferguson in 1888, South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/224615492/eliza-colliss: accessed May 1, 2024), memorial page for Eliza Colliss (1834–27 Oct 1870), Find a Grave Memorial ID 224615492, citing Alberton Cemetery, Alberton, Wellington Shire, Victoria, Australia; Maintained by ! woowoo (contributor 49949980).