Alice Louise Collard was born in 1865 in Hackney, the daughter of Charles Stone Collard (1838-1923) and Caroline Sophia Collard née Roberts (1842-1872). She was baptised in the parish of West Hackney on 3 May 1865, the baptismal registers showing the family living in Church Road, Hackney and that her father was a mercantile clerk.
The 1871 census shows her living at 5 Brighton Villas, Tottenham, with her parents, her paternal uncle Robert Frederick Collard (1848-1928) and a female general servant. In the 1881 census she is shown as a scholar living at 81 Evering Road, Hackney, with her widowed father, a paternal aunt Mary Emma Collard (1848-1910) who acted as her father's housekeeper, together with a female general domestic servant and the same three family members were shown on the 1891 census with a female general servant at 182 Evering Road, Hackney.
On the night of the 1901 census she was recorded as a visitor at the family home of William James Baird Odhams (1859-1942) at 50 North Hill, Highgate. She married Julius Salter Elias (1873-1946). and their marriage is recorded in the 4th quarter of 1906 in the St. Marylebone registration district. Electoral registers for 1907 show her husband residing at Harpley House, Queen's Road, Finsbury Park, but these registers and local directories from 1908 to at least 1920 show his address as 'Fairlight', 38 Wood Lane, Highgate. On the night of 1911 census she is recorded as living at 38 Wood Lane, Highgate, with her husband, her father who was a visitor, together with a cook and a parlour-maid.
Local directories and electoral registers from 1925 show her home to have been Southwood Court, 74 Southwood Lane, Highgate. On 11 June 1937 her husband was created Baron Southwood of Fernhurst in the County of Sussex.
The 1939 England and Wales Register records her as Lady Alice Southwood living at 74 Southwood Lane, Highgate, with her husband, an Alice Stogdon née Frost (1855-1950), together with a cook, a lady's maid, a parlour-maid, a housemaid and a chauffeur. Also there was the chauffeur's wife and their three sons and three daughter.
In 1944 her husband was appointed as the Labour Party Chief Whip in the House of Lords, a post he held for one year and on 25 January 1946 he was created Viscount Southwood, of Fernhurst in the County of Sussex.
Her husband died of a heart attack, aged 73 years, on 10 April 1946 at their Highgate home. She died on 7 March 1951 and probate records confirm that her address was Southwood Court, London, N6. When probate was granted on 3 May 1951 to her executors: Alfred Charles Duncan company chairman and William Surrey Dane company director, her effects totalled £78,018-10s-1d. She was cremated and her ashes were buried along with those of her husband at St James's Churchyard, Piccadilly, Westminster.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
