Collings, Jesse., 1831-1920

Biography

Jesse Collings (1831-1920) was a native of Devonshire, though he lived most of his life in Birmingham. He started out with the mercantile firm of Booth & Co. before moving into politics, serving as mayor of Birmingham before representing Ipswich (1880-1886) and Bordesley (1886-1918) in Parliament. Collings is best known for authoring an important land reform bill, the Small Holdings and Allotments Bill, often referred to as the "three acres and a cow" policy. Collings served as Under-Secretary for the Home Office from 1896-1902. One of the reasons he undertook the journey to North America was an invitation to witness the America's Cup yacht race, but his letters show that his interest in the race was minimal. Instead, he used his time to explore Canada and the United States. Colllings wrote several books on land and education reform and other issues that he saw as central to Britain; his publications include "The land question from the labourer's point of view" (1885), "The colonization of rural Britain; a complete scheme for the regeneration of British rural life" (1914), and "The great war: its lessons and its warnings" (1915).