Patrick Collins (12 May 1859 – 9 December 1943) was a Liberal MP for

Walsall Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located ...

(1922–1924) and

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

(1938), but he is chiefly remembered for his involvement in the

fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Fairs showcase a wide range of go ...

grounds industry; in fact, the "Pat Collins Funfairs" company still bears his name. He was also an early presenter of moving pictures, both in travelling shows and in cinemas. At one point, he was running four separate fairs a week and owned thirteen cinemas and several skating rinks.Oxford Dictionary of National Biography retrieved 21-09-2008

Life

Collins was born 12 May 1859 at a fairground in

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

. He was one of five children born to John Collins, an agricultural labourer of Irish descent. Patrick attended St. Werburgh Catholic School in Chester but left at the age of ten to go travelling with his family. He was married twice, first to Flora Ross in 1880 (she died in 1933) and then to Clara Mullett, his secretary, in 1934 (she survived him). Flora gave him a son, Patrick Ross Collins (born 7 March 1886), who continued the family business. Pat Collins, Ltd. was created in 1899, when Collins had established a round of fairs in the

Black Country The Black Country is an area of England's West Midlands. It is mainly urban, covering most of the Dudley and Sandwell metropolitan boroughs, with the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall and the City of Wolverhampton. The road between Wolverhampto ...

based on traditional holidays or 'Wakes' from August to October.Ned Williams
All the fun of the fair He served as the president of the

Showmen's Guild of Great Britain The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain exists to protect the interests of Travelling Showmen in Great Britain. The Showmen's Guild was founded as the United Kingdom Van Dwellers Protection Association in 1889 in Salford. The formation of the guild ...

from 1920 to 1929. Residing in

Bloxwich Bloxwich is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, West Midlands, England. It is located between the towns of Walsall, Cannock, Willenhall and Brownhills. The most famous resident is John Singh Sangha, the Bengali tiger, the ...

in the borough of Walsall, he became a Liberal Councillor in 1918, an Alderman in 1930, and Mayor of Walsall in 1938. In 1939 he was made a

Freeman Freeman, free men, Freeman's or Freemans may refer to: Places United States * Freeman, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Freeman, South Dako ...

of the Borough of Walsall. He also won a place as Liberal MP for

in the 1922 General Election, retaining his seat in the 1923 elections but losing it in the 1924 general election to a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

, W. Preston. Patrick Collins died at his home, Lime Tree House, in

in December 1943, aged 84, and was buried in the cemetery there.

References

www.funofthefair.co.uk
Pat Collins "King of Showmen"

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Pat 1859 births 1943 deaths Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1922–1923 UK MPs 1923–1924 Mayors of places in the West Midlands (county) Politics of Staffordshire People from Bloxwich Burials in West Midlands (region)