Canon John Collins
Encyclopedia
John Collins was an Anglican priest who was active in several radical political movements in the United Kingdom
.
Educated at Cranbrook School
, Kent
and the University of Cambridge
, Collins served as a chaplain in the Royal Air Force
during World War II
and was radicalised by the experience. In 1946, he founded the organization Christian Action to work for reconciliation with Germany
. He was appointed as a canon
of St Paul's Cathedral
, London
in 1948, an office he held for 33 years. Shortly afterwards he became disturbed by the newly developing apartheid system in South Africa
.
In 1951, Collins was one of the four founders of the charity War on Want
which fights global poverty. In 1956, he committed Christian Action to raising funds for the defence of anti-apartheid activists accused of treason in South Africa and this gave rise to the Defence and Aid Fund for Southern Africa.
Collins was strongly opposed to the spread of nuclear weapon
s and was one of many on the left in Britain who believed that it was unnecessary and wrong for Britain to own such weapons. He was one of the founders of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
. He was also a member of the Anglican Pacifist Fellowship
, working with the Reverend Sidney Hinkes
on anti-nuclear campaigns.
The Canon Collins Educational Trust for Southern Africa (CCETSA) is a charity
founded in 1981. It was set up as the Defence and Aid Fund for Southern Africa and Collins was its first chairman. In the days of apartheid it provided money to help South African and Namibia
n refugee students gain the higher education
in the United Kingdom and in independent African states. It now provides scholarships for students within South Africa and in other African countries.
(1917–2003) in 1939; they had four sons. Diana Collins was knighted in 1999 as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Educated at Cranbrook School
Cranbrook School, Kent
Cranbrook School is a co-educational boarding and day grammar school located in Cranbrook, Kent in South East England.-Brief history:Founded in 1518 for poor boys of the town, it received a charter from Queen Elizabeth I in 1574. Although in 1817 the town petitioned the Master of the Rolls,...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, Collins served as a chaplain in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was radicalised by the experience. In 1946, he founded the organization Christian Action to work for reconciliation with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was appointed as a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1948, an office he held for 33 years. Shortly afterwards he became disturbed by the newly developing apartheid system in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
In 1951, Collins was one of the four founders of the charity War on Want
War on Want
War on Want is an anti-poverty charity based in London, England. It seeks to highlight the needs of poverty-stricken areas around the world and lobbies governments and international agencies to tackle problems as well as raising public awareness of the concerns of developing nations while...
which fights global poverty. In 1956, he committed Christian Action to raising funds for the defence of anti-apartheid activists accused of treason in South Africa and this gave rise to the Defence and Aid Fund for Southern Africa.
Collins was strongly opposed to the spread of nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s and was one of many on the left in Britain who believed that it was unnecessary and wrong for Britain to own such weapons. He was one of the founders of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
. He was also a member of the Anglican Pacifist Fellowship
Anglican Pacifist Fellowship
The Anglican Pacifist Fellowship is a body of people within the Anglican Communion who reject war as a means of solving international disputes, and believe that peace and justice should be sought through non-violent means .-Origins and early history:...
, working with the Reverend Sidney Hinkes
Sidney Hinkes
Sidney George Stuart Hinkes was a pacifist and a priest in the Church of England.Hinkes was born in Dagenham. His father was a postman. He was educated at Dagenham County School from 1936 and was evacuated to Ilfracombe during the Second World War. He went on to serve with the 6th Airborne...
on anti-nuclear campaigns.
The Canon Collins Educational Trust for Southern Africa (CCETSA) is a charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
founded in 1981. It was set up as the Defence and Aid Fund for Southern Africa and Collins was its first chairman. In the days of apartheid it provided money to help South African and Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n refugee students gain the higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
in the United Kingdom and in independent African states. It now provides scholarships for students within South Africa and in other African countries.
Family
Collins married Diana Clavering ElliotDiana Collins
Dame Diana Clavering Collins, DBE was the widow of Dr John Collins, the fiery Canon of St Paul's Cathedral who earned an international reputation for his leadership of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the British campaign against apartheid in South Africa...
(1917–2003) in 1939; they had four sons. Diana Collins was knighted in 1999 as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.