Reverend George Jennings COLLIS M.A. 1871 – 1918

George Jennings Collis was the sixth vicar of St. Paul’s, Evenwood following Rev. H. J. H. Faulkener in 1908.  He was to remain vicar for ten years until his sudden death in September 1918, at 47 years old.  His previous appointments were as curate at Berwick-on-Tweed 1894-97, Embleton 1897-1905 and Morpeth 1905-08.  He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge gaining a B.A. in 1892 and he then went on to attain an M.A. in 1902.  Rev. G.J. Collis published invaluable notes on the Great War in the Evenwood Parish Magazine.  He died suddenly in September 1918.  The Parish Magazine ceased publication and with it reports of local news associated with the war.  It did not appear regularly until March 1919 when Rev. Ragg was appointed to the parish. 

The Parish was formed in 1866 and St. Paul’s Church was built at that time.  It was restored 1890-01 but destroyed by fire in December 1907.   The church was re-opened on Tuesday 23 March 1909 when the lesson was read by Mr. W. R. Innes Hopkins, managing director of the North Bitchburn Coal Company and father of W. Hustler Hopkins, chairman of the building committee. A public tea followed in the schoolroom. 

Below: March 1909: Opening of the new Evenwood Church by the Bishop of Durham. Rev G.J. Collis is back row, 2nd left.

At this time Rev. G. J. Collis was still the relatively new vicar and no doubt relished the challenge of building up his congregation in his newly built church.  The Parish Magazine would be a valuable tool in “spreading the word”.  His curate until July 1911 was Rev. A. Armitage who resided at Victoria House.  His choirmaster was Mr. J. R. Bouch, a schoolmaster at Evenwood National School and honourable secretary of Evenwood Crusaders football team.  Clearly, he was an active member of the village community but he left on being appointed Headmaster at Eaglescliffe National School in the Spring of 1912.

Below: 1910/11: Evenwood Crusaders with the Shildon Nursing Shield. Rev. G.J. Collis is back row, 4th left. Mr. J.R. Bouch is stood 3rd from the left, next to Rev. Collis.

Rev. W. T. Taylor was the replacement curate who came into the village in March 1912. He was instrumental in forming the Boy Scouts movement and by September 1913, there were 20 boys in the Evenwood troop.  Messrs. J. H. Nutter and J. W. Hordern were Assistant and Deputy Assistant Scoutmasters respectively.  In October 1913, it was reported that Rev. Taylor left the Parish to take up an appointment at Heighington.

The Parish Magazine was well established by this time and communicated local information throughout the district.  Details of births, marriages, burials, church services and secular matters were provided but also many other topics were brought to the attention of readers such as local events, presentations, meetings, sporting occasions, educational achievements, schooling matters – even the sinking of the Titanic in 1912!  

It was instrumental in passing on information throughout the locality and good news was especially welcome such as the Evenwood Silver Band winning the Boothroyd Challenge Vase at Bishop Auckland in 1910.  Rev. Collis is included in the 1908 photograph of the prize winning band assembled outside the new vicarage at Shirley Terrace.  Also the exploits of the village football teams enjoyed good publicity in the magazine.  For instance, the league winning Evenwood Crusaders and junior teams are mentioned in May 1909, June 1910 and November 1911.  Again Rev. Collis takes pride of place alongside his friend Mr. J.R. Bouch, in the team photographs.  J.R. Bouch was a teacher at Evenwood National School.  Clearly, Rev. Collis involved himself in various aspects of village life and reported many cheerful events in the magazine.

Below: Evenwood Silver Band. Rev Collis is back row, 1st right.

The Parish Magazine probably was as effective as any other broadsheet or newspaper during the years of the Great War.  Rev. Collis gave his opinion as to the progress of the war, trying as would be expected of him, to paint a “rosy picture” in times of crisis and being as patriotic as the occasion demanded.  The magazine also provided an outlet for letters from men on active service away from home.  It was passed around, home and abroad and voluntary subscriptions were forthcoming and acknowledged.  There can be little doubt that its readers valued the publication. 

Rev. Collis offered himself for the war effort but was denied service as the following extract from the Parish Magazine (July 1918) confirms:

“I have three times offered myself at various times during the war for any National Service to which the Diocesan authorities might care to appoint me and have been three times informed that they considered that the best form of service I could render was in my own parish among my own people.”

Perhaps the manner in which Rev. Collis kept his parishioners informed about these events is one of his best achievements.  It is evident that matters of life and death, tragedy and sorrow are reported with great sympathy and tact.  Perhaps the diocesan authorities were correct in their belief that Rev. Collis should stay in Evenwood.

15 September 1918, as the war raged on, sadly, Rev. Collis died.  He was just 47 years old. The publication of the Parish Magazines came to an abrupt end with the October edition which was written by Mr. Spencer Wade. It announced the death of Rev. Collis and contained a warm tribute to him. He had almost lost his sense of hearing. In August 1918, he had enjoyed a month’s holiday returning in September apparently, “refreshed and re-invigorated”.  His appearance of good health was obviously masking serious health problems.

 To quote Spencer Wade:

“In the sudden death of the Rev. George J. Collis, Evenwood has suffered a great loss.  He was in every sense of the word a good man and good men in this sin stained world are few and far between…I was greatly struck while at Evenwood with the love of the young people for their vicar…Mr. Collis’ influence in Evenwood has been such that few men will be able to follow him.”

Rev. Collis was buried in Evenwood Cemetery, 18 September 1918.  He was succeeded by Robert Edward Ragg in January 1919 and it was not until March 1919 that regular copies of the Parish Magazine recommenced.

Below: Rev G.J. Collis’ headstone

In St. Paul’s Church, there is a tablet to his memory.