John Collins of Hatch Beauchamp

Husband of Jane Langford and posthumous son-in-law of Jonas Langford of Antigua (q.v.). Local histories attribute part of John Collins' wealth to inheritance through his wife, and under the will of Jonas Langford proved in 1758, Langford had left £10,000 each to younger daughters Jane, Mary, Barbara, Isabella and Grace, while the estates and enslaved people passing to Langford's grandson Peter Langford Brooke (q.v.). Consistent with this, John Collins' own will is silent on West India property, although two of his executors were James Langford Nibbs and Thomas Oliver, both with strong Antiguan connections. John Collins had built the Palladian manor Hatch Court in 1755 before his marriage to Jane Langford in 1769.

For local histories online, see e.g. http://www.hatchbeauchamp.com/about/history/; http://www.weavo.co.uk/hatch/hatch.htm [both accessed 14/12/2015].