COLLINS, CHARLES (1850-1898), merchant and politician, was born on 12 May 1850 at Goulburn, New South Wales, the second of six children of Joseph Collins and his first wife Lydia, née Marks. He was educated at the academy of Rabbi Davis. Originally from Moravia, the family had achieved prominence in the Goulburn social and commercial communities. After two years of apprenticeship to a merchant, Charles, a dark-eyed Jewish youth of 17, moved to Narrabri in the north-west of New South Wales. Since the first lots had been sold in 1860 at the neighbouring police town of Wee Waa, Narrabri had grown quickly and had two hundred residents when Collins arrived. After six years, first as clerk and then as manager, Collins embarked on his own business career. By 1883 he was a magistrate, had opened stores at Walgett, Pilliga and Wee Waa, and become the first mayor of Narrabri. He ...

Read more at the source website

Source:

Australian Dictionary of Biography