William James Collins Junior was born in 1932 to William James Collins Senior and Lily (nee) Robinson from Sutherland Street in Aston.

Lily worked at Dunlop’s.  William and Lily had 4 children, two boys, William junior and Brian and two girls, Jean and Elaine.


                                                                     

William went to Schools at Nansen Road, Alum Rock, Chapel Fields in Solihull and Adcock’s Green. He met and then married in 1953, Florence Dobbins b. 1934 from Worcester who went to Whiteheads School. Florence worked at Ebenezer Baileys Printers as a Clerk.

William’s Timeline of Employment:

1946 Van boy at Smiths crisps then a Van Boy at Acock’s Green laundry.

1950 Army in the RAOC for 2 years.

1953 Driver at Smiths Crisps

1954 Film Transport Driver

1958 LC Hunt Transport Driver

1959 Driver at Averill’s Transport

1968 Collins Light Haulage Driver

1972 CEGB Chauffeur

1991 to present day Self employed Chauffeur.

 

Since their marriage in 1953, Florence did a bit of cleaning work but as they had children she became a Housewife and mother to seven children:

Toni in 1953

Dale in 1954

Jayne in 1956

James in 1957

Peter in 1959

Dawn in 1962

Elaine in 1970

  

 

At the time of writing, William and Florence live in Solihull.