Biggs Leeds

Biggs Collyer was born around 1865 in the July Aug Sept quarter of the year to parents Joseph Richard Collyer Born 27th May 1832 in Lambeth Surrey England and Elizabeth J. Adams Born 1832. Biggs (Bigge) was the fourth child in a family of nine children.

When Biggs was around 28 years old, her daughter Gladys Georgina Annie Leeds born 31.8.1900 after her marriage to William Horace Leeds-Born 26.3.1876, who was a Private in the English Army - Private in the 1st. Worchester Regiment.

The 1901 UK Census shows Biggs Leeds living with her parents Joseph and Elizabeth Collyer at 53 The Common Epsom, Surrey in a 3 room house, with a child called May Lillian Lowles whom she called her daughter in this census report, Lilly was 9 years old and Gladys Georgina Annie Leeds, her daughter with William Horace Leeds was 7 months old. Husband William was not with the family in the year 1901.

Biggs Collyer Leeds died on the 10th November 1906, leaving her daughter aged 6 years and Lilly aged 15 years to be brought up by her elderly Grandmother. The 1911 UK Census shows both girls living with Elizabeth Jane (Adams) Collyer aged 79 years working as a 'washerwoman' to support them as her husband Joseph Richard Collyer had died.

UK Census 1911 - shows as follows: Elizabeth Jane Collyer - Aged 79 years

                                                   Gladys Leeds - Aged 10 years - Scholar - Grand-daughter

                                                  Lilly Lowles - Aged 19 years - daily domestic worker - Foster daughter

May Lllian Lowles was the daughter of Alice Lowles born 1865 , domestic worker, single mother. May Lillian Lowles was baptised at Christ Anglican Church, Epsom, Surrey, England, the same church that Gladys was baptised in, the church of the Collyer family.

It appears that Biggs Collyer took over the care of Lilly, following her death her mother continued as foster carer.