A. E. J. Collins - Early Life and Education

Early Life and Education

Collins was born in Hazaribagh, India, to Arthur Herbert Collins, a judge in the Indian Civil Service, and Mrs Esther Ida Collins. Both of his parents had died by the time he began his education at Clifton College, Bristol, where he held a scholarship.

He joined Clifton College in September 1897, becoming a member of Clark's House, although he later moved to North Town House. Clifton had an excellent reputation for sport. W.G. Grace scored 13 first-class centuries on the Close, and he sent his sons to the school. Collins played half-back for the rugby XV, and was also in the cricket XI. He won a bronze medal for boxing at the public schools tournament in Aldershot in 1901, along with E. A. Hughes and H. P. Hewett.

Tim Rice, in a 9 June 1999 article for The Telegraph to celebrate the centenary of the score, entitled "On the seventh day AEJ Collins rested", described him thus:

He was an orphan whose guardians lived in Tavistock, Devon. He was a reserved boy, short and stockily built, fair-haired and pale. He was remembered by contemporaries as one who led by example, rather than by inspiration, although paradoxically he was regarded as likely to fall short of the highest standards as a cricketer because of his recklessness at the crease.

Read more about this topic:  A. E. J. Collins

Famous quotes containing the words early life, early, life and/or education:

    ... goodness is of a modest nature, easily discouraged, and when much elbowed in early life by unabashed vices, is apt to retire into extreme privacy, so that it is more easily believed in by those who construct a selfish old gentleman theoretically, than by those who form the narrower judgments based on his personal acquaintance.
    George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)

    It is so very late that we
    May call it early by and by. Good night.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    The most useful man in the most useful world, so long as only commodity was served, would remain unsatisfied. But, as fast as he sees beauty, life acquires a very high value.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    A good education is another name for happiness.
    Ann Plato (1820–?)