Erroll Collins
Encyclopedia
Erroll Collins was a British author active during the 1940s, specialising in adventure and science fiction
for boys.
Collins never married. Instead she took on the role of looking after her younger siblings and father, after her mother died and then later she looked after her brother Earnest. He had had a notable war record enlisting in the army in 1939 and becoming a commando, taking part in the 1940 raid on the Lofoten Islands. Later he became a glider and small plane pilot in the Glider Pilot Regiment
being discharged after the war with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He then worked in research for the Paint Research Association. He died in 1979 and his sister lived on until 1991 dying alone in her home in Isleworth
on the 11th of March.
Her 1944 Mariners of Space is for its time a very advanced piece of science fiction. It envisages a future world where there were populations on Mars
and Venus
as well as Earth flying around the solar system, and, inevitably, getting into wars. As it was serialised in the then popular Boy's Own Paper
it was read widely and must have influenced many boys of that generation to take an interest in the possibility of space travel
. To some extent it anticipates the later work of Robert A. Heinlein
, though it is clearly just aimed at boys. It was published by Lutterworth Press in hardback in 1949.
Mariners of Space also anticipates a number of political realignments, some of which have actually come true. The book predicts a 'United States of Europe' not dissimilar to the EU, although the British Empire and the USA have merged to become the 'British-American Empire'! Nonetheless, Collins correctly anticipates that the world's major trouble-spots at the millennium would be in the Middle East (she posits a dispute between Europe and Asia over the territorial rights to the Caspian Sea). In the Interplanetary War which forms the climax to the story, Earth is victorious largely due to the population uniting against their common enemies from Mars and Venus.
Other books include Submarine City, The Black Dwarf of Mongolia,Outlaw Squadron, The Hawk of Aurania, Volcanic Treasure
Rebel Wings, The Secret of Rosmerstrand and The Sea Falcon.
During the Second World War one of her books was refused printing permission by the Censors on the grounds of National Security, perhaps the fiction was a little to close to reality of things being secretly developed.
It appears that she was possibly an acquaintance of Barnes Wallis
- the use of swing-wing Arrow-Planes in 'Mariners of Space' may have had their origin in this association.
She worked as a personal assistant to MacDonald Hastings
when a journalist at Picture Post
and Bernard Weatherill
's father.
In later life, poetry formed the majority of her work and she had many verses published both in local group publications and in her own right. She was also keen to help others and gave much advice to budding poets and writers as well as working occasionally as a sub-editor.
Erroll Collins and her work is mentioned in "Tristram Hooleys Visions Of A New Jerusalem:Predictive Fiction In The Second World War"
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
for boys.
Background
Collins was born Ellen Edith Hannah Redknap in Shadwell, London, the eldest of four children and daughter of Frederick Redknap (1887–1950), a master-plumber. As a child she set such a good example to her younger siblings, she was called "Goody Two Shoes" and as such by many in the family she was known and addressed as Auntie Goody. As a child she had been an excellent pianist, but never played again after the death of her mother in 1934. She did however continue to paint in watercolours occasionally. She was a keen breeder of terrapins and would often have one in her apron as she went about the housework. She had a very broad general knowledge and read a great deal, after she died one room was almost impossible to enter due to there being more than two thousand books packed floor to ceiling.Collins never married. Instead she took on the role of looking after her younger siblings and father, after her mother died and then later she looked after her brother Earnest. He had had a notable war record enlisting in the army in 1939 and becoming a commando, taking part in the 1940 raid on the Lofoten Islands. Later he became a glider and small plane pilot in the Glider Pilot Regiment
Glider Pilot Regiment
The Glider Pilot Regiment was a British airborne forces unit of the Second World War which was responsible for crewing the British Army's military gliders and saw action in the European Theatre of World War II in support of Allied airborne operations...
being discharged after the war with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He then worked in research for the Paint Research Association. He died in 1979 and his sister lived on until 1991 dying alone in her home in Isleworth
Isleworth
Isleworth is a small town of Saxon origin sited within the London Borough of Hounslow in west London, England. It lies immediately east of the town of Hounslow and west of the River Thames and its tributary the River Crane. Isleworth's original area of settlement, alongside the Thames, is known as...
on the 11th of March.
Writing
Ellen Redknap wrote under several names, mainly Erroll Collins. One book by her was published under the name Greame Grant Hawkins ( to celebrate her nephew's birth ) and possibly she also wrote under the name Clyde Marfax.Her 1944 Mariners of Space is for its time a very advanced piece of science fiction. It envisages a future world where there were populations on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
and Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
as well as Earth flying around the solar system, and, inevitably, getting into wars. As it was serialised in the then popular Boy's Own Paper
Boy's Own Paper
The Boy's Own Paper was a British story paper aimed at young and teenage boys, published from 1879 to 1967.-Publishing history:The idea for the publication was first raised in 1878 by the Religious Tract Society as a means to encourage younger children to read and also instil Christian morals...
it was read widely and must have influenced many boys of that generation to take an interest in the possibility of space travel
Human spaceflight
Human spaceflight is spaceflight with humans on the spacecraft. When a spacecraft is manned, it can be piloted directly, as opposed to machine or robotic space probes and remotely-controlled satellites....
. To some extent it anticipates the later work of Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
, though it is clearly just aimed at boys. It was published by Lutterworth Press in hardback in 1949.
Mariners of Space also anticipates a number of political realignments, some of which have actually come true. The book predicts a 'United States of Europe' not dissimilar to the EU, although the British Empire and the USA have merged to become the 'British-American Empire'! Nonetheless, Collins correctly anticipates that the world's major trouble-spots at the millennium would be in the Middle East (she posits a dispute between Europe and Asia over the territorial rights to the Caspian Sea). In the Interplanetary War which forms the climax to the story, Earth is victorious largely due to the population uniting against their common enemies from Mars and Venus.
Other books include Submarine City, The Black Dwarf of Mongolia,Outlaw Squadron, The Hawk of Aurania, Volcanic Treasure
Rebel Wings, The Secret of Rosmerstrand and The Sea Falcon.
During the Second World War one of her books was refused printing permission by the Censors on the grounds of National Security, perhaps the fiction was a little to close to reality of things being secretly developed.
It appears that she was possibly an acquaintance of Barnes Wallis
Barnes Wallis
Sir Barnes Neville Wallis, CBE FRS, RDI, FRAeS , was an English scientist, engineer and inventor. He is best known for inventing the bouncing bomb used by the RAF in Operation Chastise to attack the dams of the Ruhr Valley during World War II...
- the use of swing-wing Arrow-Planes in 'Mariners of Space' may have had their origin in this association.
She worked as a personal assistant to MacDonald Hastings
Macdonald Hastings
Douglas Edward Macdonald Hastings was a British journalist, author and war correspondent.Macdonald Hastings was born in London, and educated at Stonyhurst College, a Roman Catholic Jesuit school in Lancashire. He became war correspondent for Picture Post during the Second World War, sending...
when a journalist at Picture Post
Picture Post
Picture Post was a prominent photojournalistic magazine published in the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1957. It is considered a pioneering example of photojournalism and was an immediate success, selling 1,700,000 copies a week after only two months...
and Bernard Weatherill
Bernard Weatherill
Bruce Bernard Weatherill, Baron Weatherill, PC, DL, KStJ was a British Conservative Party politician who became Speaker of the House of Commons.-Tailor:...
's father.
In later life, poetry formed the majority of her work and she had many verses published both in local group publications and in her own right. She was also keen to help others and gave much advice to budding poets and writers as well as working occasionally as a sub-editor.
See also
Photos and other information can be found {http://www.wkins.co.uk/about/genealogy/ellen-edith-hannah-redknap here]Erroll Collins and her work is mentioned in "Tristram Hooleys Visions Of A New Jerusalem:Predictive Fiction In The Second World War"