George Edward Collins was the third son of Charles Collins and was born at 19 Horsham Road in October 1880. He studied at Epsom, Lambeth School of Arts and “The Langham”.
Although he painted in oils, he was better known for his watercolours. Specialising mainly in Natural History; Collins was the second generation to work at Ernest Nister. One of his water colours of a robin nesting on a golden syrup tin was used by Lyles as an advertisement. He also succeeded his father as Art Master at Dorking High School.
George married Clara (another artist) in 1916; they remained in Dorking residing at 15 Arundel Road. They had two children; a son Patrick and a daughter, Helen, who became known for her paintings of horses.
During the First World War George served with a Searchlight Battery and after his retirement in 1947 painted bird pictures and the ancient buildings of Surrey in the countryside around his home. He died in 1967 and is buried with Clara in Peaslake.
The Tillingbourne Valley by George E. Collins
This book is 108 pages with black and white drawings. Reprinted in 2015.
Priced at £7.50.
To read more information on the life of George Edward Collins – see our exhibition from 2014.
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