George Collison - Collison's Students

Collison's Students

One of the Rev. George Collison's best known students was the philanthropist and founder of the London Orphan Asylum, the Rev. Dr Andrew Reed (1787-1862). Reed, who entered the college in 1807 and was ordained in 1811, became closely associated with Wycliffe Chapel in Shoreditch, where he remained pastor until 27 November 1861. A prominent missionary associated with China, Robert Morrison, was another of his successful students.

One of the Rev. George Collison's other students, Isaac Phillips, was involved in a trial at The Old Bailey. In 1822 he gave evidence against James Hamilton, a local painter and decorator who had returned to george Collisons house and college after carrying out refurbishments, to steal Isaac Phillips' purse containing fifty sovereigns. At that date such a considerable theft might have attracted a capital punishment, but the defendant appealed to the Rev. George Collison to save his life. He was found guilty of stealing and imprisoned for one year.

MR. ISAAC PHILLIPS . I am educating as a minister under the Reverend George Collison, who lives in Well-street, Hackney. About ten days before the robbery the prisoner had been painting; he was the only one employed - he finished the job on the 11th of December, last. On the 10th, while he was working there I was giving one of the students change for a sovereign; the student said what a number I had got there - I said there was 50 l. I do not know whether the prisoner heard it - the prisoner returned a little before one o'clock on the 12th, which was our dinner hour. I saw the gold in the bag in the drawer that morning, between nine and ten o'clock, and on returning from dinner to the study, I found it locked as I had left it - I unlocked it, and found the handle of a razor on the floor, my desk broken open, and the money gone - I did not see the prisoner again till the 10th of June, when Tufts brought him down to Hackney - I said I knew him, and asked if he did not know me; he said Yes; I said: "You know these studies," he said Yes - I said': "You are the person that painted them," he said Yes; I then got into a coach with him, and on our way from Hackney in the coach, I asked him how he came to commit the offence; he said he would not answer any question of that kind, but begged me to spare his life. The study is at the bottom of the garden; it is attached to the dwelling-house by two walls, and inclosed with the premises by a wall all round.

ROBERT TUFTS . I am a publican, and live in Upper East Smithfield. On the 12th of December, between five and six o'clock in the evening, the prisoner came to my house with two or three more, he called for a bottle of wine, took a bag out of his pocket, and gave me a sovereign; it was a small canvass bag with a red string - there was a great deal more money in it. I changed him two sovereigns out of it - I asked where he got the money; he said he had an uncle dead in the country, who had left him 50 l. He drank a 5 s. bowl of punch, and went away. I saw no more of him till the 10th of June. I saw him at my door - I asked him in; he had no shirt on, and appeared distressed. I went out to buy him a shirt and handkerchief - I told him there were hand-bills out against him for a robbery that he had done; he said he saw it pasted up in the Borough - I said he must go with me to the place, which he was willing to do; I said I did not know where the house was - he said I will shew you. We took a coach, and he said he hoped I would beg for his life, for it was the first crime that ever he did - he took me to Mr. Collison's; he ordered the coachman to pull up at the door. We saw Mr. Phillips, who said to him: "Do you know this place;" he said he did. He begged of him to save his life. DAVID JONES . I am a painter, and live in Leonard-street, Finsbury. The prisoner was an out-door apprentice of mine - I sent him to Hackney to work at Mr. Collison's. He called at the shop on Monday morning, the 10th of December, and said he should finish that evening - I did not see him again till now. I had paid him no sovereigns. I knew of no uncle of his dying

THOMAS HARRISON . I am a headborough. On the night of the 12th of December, I was fetched and took the prisoner - he was brought to the watch-house, for having bad money. I found four sovereigns, a small bag, 2 l. 5 s. in silver, and some copper on him; I found they were all good, and asked him how he came by them; he said he had been doing a long job, and had left the money in his master's hands, and that he was going to have a spree with it. The bag was canvas, about six inches long and three wide.