Wife or Widow?

[goodfellow01]

I've been searching for births for any of the Collins girls or a marriage for Richard but no luck. 
As suggested they could be under the mothers name and she and Richard never married.
There's also quite a gap between Emily and Catherine where one or more children could have been born.

Definitely not just you but at least we have some census entries for them.

I can't find the parents in later census but Catherine may have died in 1893. 

Wish I could find daughter Catherine and the little boy in 1911 but I can't 

I have that death certificate on order although the age looks to be out by a little. There was an alternative in 1891 but that turned out to be a different Catherine.

[Milliepede]

Do let us know when you get it.

I can't see how they could have got away without registering births for all those daughters so it has to be under another name for some reason.

Catherine the "wife" is the key if only we could find her surname. 
I wonder if we could find any likely candidates in 1871 for her.  Richard is still unattached then. 

[Milliepede]

Trying a different tack - suppose there was another child or two born between 1877 - 1884 and they died I wonder if their death(s) were registered under Collins.

There is an Isabella Collins Sep 1882 age 0

As a later child was called Bella - long shot I know and probably won't help anyway but determined to leave no stone unturned!

[jonw65]

I don't know if there's anything in this, but a couple of baptisms on FamilySearch caught my eye
All Saints Newcastle
13 January 1873, Margaret Morell (born 10 December 1872)
23 March 1875, Sarah Morrell (born 4 March 1875)
Parents Richard and Catherine

There is a marriage, June qtr 1871, Newcastle
Richard Morrell, possible spouse Catherine Dowey

A birth reg, Sep 1877, Newcastle T.
Morrell, Emily
mother Dowey

But where are the Morrells on the census?

back to 1881

Richard Collins 31 tea dealer
Catherine 26
Margeret 8
Sarah 6
Emily 4

All born Newcastle

[Milliepede]

Wow that looks interesting 

[Milliepede]

Checking the birth registrations there is one for Catherine Morrell Sep 1883 mothers name Dowey
bravo!

Possibly this baptism 7 Nov 1883
St Mary's Clayton St Newcastle
Catherina Morrell
parents Ric. Morrell & Catherinae Donay

[Milliepede]

There is a Catherine Dowey age 8 in 1861 daughter of Samuel and Margaret. 

With sisters called Emily, Mary, Margaret - all names she used for her own children.
And again all girls.

Possible birth Catherine Dowie Jun 1852 mothers name Hollands
Sister Mary is under Douay Dec 1850 mothers name Hollins
Sister Emily is Dowie Mar 1845 Berwick mothers name Holland

Both Margarets born Scotland, Samuel born Ireland, I knew there was an Irish link somewhere!

[goodfellow01]

The Margaret / Sarah / Emily & Catherine dates tie up, although I'm not seeing any Bella or Elizabeth Mor(r)ell births.

But I wonder where the Morrell name would have come from, assuming this could be our man? It's not one I've come across for any of Richard's ancestors (Collins & Amour), so there's no earlier family connection.

[jonw65]

If this is him in Newcastle in 1871
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5BB-WMZ

16 Bells Court
Sarah Collins Head Wid 37 ? Shop, born Scotland
Richard Collins Son Unm 21 Labourer
John Collins Son 9
William Collins Son 5
Elizabeth Collins daur 11
Isabell Collins daur 3

Children all born Newcastle
Richard's youngest sibling - possible birth reg?
March 1868 Newcastle T. 10b 99
Collins, Isabella
mother Morrel