NOTE
... a message from Terry informed me the name I had as Swny should read Sweeney. A number of entries in NZBDM have spelt it Swny but I have changed the spelling as Terry is a direct descendent
... another message from Terry (28 Feb 2016) reads: you have William COLLETT born in Epping Forest, London on 31 January 1851. What is your evidence for this? It does not agree with what you have further down that he died on 24 April 1929 aged 69 (I have verified this)
... and yet another message from Terry (16 Nov 2016) reads: you have James Leach Collett 1899 - 1993 and died 8 October 1953 aged 87 neither of those death dates makes him 87. The government BDM (1993/32638) has born 28 July 1899 and died 9/1/1993, making him 93. This is the only James Leach Collett listed. I propose these are the correct dates: could you check your sources?
... and yet another message from Terry (15 Dec 2017) reads: Re James Leach Collett. You have him buried at Purewa Cemetery. There is no record of him in their online database. You will find him at the Papakura Cemetery

William COLLETT (1851-1929)
was born in Whitely, a village in the civil parish of Melksham Without, Wiltshire, England on 31 January 1851. He arrived into Auckland 5 July 1874 on the barque James Wishart

Esther Ellen SWEENEY (1864-1906)
was born in Hunua, (near Papakura), Auckland on 30 September 1864
- a daughter of Peter SWEENEY (1829-1884) & Esther Ellen LEACH (1839-1905)
OF NOTE the known siblings of Esther were:
* 1862 - 1916 Emily Janet Sweeney
- married Samuel Burge & had 11 children
* 1864 - 1906 Esther Ellen Sweeney
- married William Collett & had 14 children (as featured here)
* 1867 - 1941 Harriet Rosalie Sweeney
- married Edwin Doran Vowsey & had 11 children
* 1869 - 1948 Peter Alexander Sweeney
- married Ellen Spearing Jackson & had 4 children
* 1871 - ? William James Sweeney
- married Clara Agnes Johnson
- he married Olive Hume
* 1874 - 1950 Eliza Sweeney
- married William James Mulgrew & had 4 children
* 1876 - 1948 John Thomas Sweeney
- married Kathleen Agnes Abbott & had 3 children

William COLLETT married Esther Ellen SWEENEY on 6 Feb 1881 in Hamilton, Waikato
- their 14 known children:
... 1
1881 - 1941 Sarah Ann Collett
born 22 May 1881 in Karangahake, Auckland
- Sarah married Charles McKENZIE in 1899
their known children:
* 1899 - 1900 William Joseph McKenzie
* 1902 - 1976 Gladys Ettie McKenzie
- Sarah & Charles divorced in June 1920
- she next married William Joseph SIMPSON in Nov 1920
SARAH died in Auckland 17 Aug 1941 aged 60

... 2
1883 - 1969 Catherine Collett
born 21 October 1883 in Karangahake, Auckland
- Catherine married Samuel Henry ROULSTON (1880-1967) in 1906
their known children:
* 1907 - 1907 Leah Dulcie (10 months)
* 1908 - 1994 Rhona Dulcie Roulston
* 1910 - 1910 Henry Algie Roulston (1 day)
* 1912 - 1993 Reynold Roulston
* 1914 - 1945 Albert Ivor Roulston
* 1915 - 1993 Victor Owen Roulston
SAMUEL died 12 Nov 1967
CATHERINE died 28 July 1969
- they are buried Old Te Puke cemetery

... 3
1885 - 1928 Albert George William Collett
born 22 August 1885 in Karangahake, Auckland
- Albert married Helen THOMLINSON (1881-1944) 4 July 1914 in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales
ALBERT died 25 July 1928 aged 53 in Pelaw Main, NSW
- he is buried at Kurri Kurri

... 4
1887 - 1962 Rose Jubilee Collett
born 1 August 1887 at Waitoa
- Rose married Reginald Ivens ROBERTS (1878-1964) in 1908
- Reginald was born in Coromandel and was a Builder
their known children:
* 1909 - 1983 Leonard Ivens Roberts
* 1911 - 2005 Reginald William Roberts
ROSE died 15 December 1962 aged 75
REGINALD died 18 June 1964 aged 86
- they are buried Lots 4 & 6, Block P, PRO at Pukerimu, Paeroa

... 5
1888 - 1959 John Henry Collett
born 2 July 1888 in Karangahake, Auckland
- John married Sarah RADFORD (1888-1959) 12 Sep 1912
their known children:
* 1913 - 1974 Estella Frances Maude Collett
* 1914 - 1980 Ivan Joseph John Collett
* 1915 - 1915 born still twin sons
* 1918 - 1987 Dulcie Collett
* 1921 - 1923 Freda Viola Collett
* 1922 - 2006 Leslie Laurence Collett (twin)
* 1922 - 1971 Reginald Leonard Collett (twin)
* 1923 - 2002 Veita Viola Collett
* 1925 - 1987 Edna May Collett
* 1928 - 2009 Eileen Phillis Collett
* 1929 - 2013 Horace Albert Collett
JOHN died 3 March 1959 in Hamilton
SARAH died 3 weeks after John
- they are buried Hamilton Park cemetery, Newstead

... 6
1891 - 1906 Annie Maria Collett
born 13 September in Karangahake, Auckland
ANNIE died 29 May 1906 in Paeroa aged 15 (17 days after her mother)
- she is buried at Pukerimu Lawn Cemetery, Paeroa

... 7
1893 - 1963 William Ivan Collett
born 16 October 1893 in Karangahake, Auckland
- William married Thelma Gladys ARDERN (1903-1972) in 1924
daughter of William Edward Ardern & Ann Moorcraft
WILLIAM died 21 July 1963 aged 69
- he was cremated at Waikumete, Auckland
THELMA died 18 October 1972 aged 69 in Auckland
- her ashes were scattered from Waikumete

... 8
1895 - 1974 Mary Jane Collett
born 3 November 1895 in Karangahake, Auckland
- Mary married Walter Harold LLEWELYN (1892-1960) in 1916
- 3rd of 8 children of Charles Vaughan LLEWELYN & Annie Elizabeth REDGATE. He served in WWI as Private 56443
their known children:
* 1917 - 1935 Cecil Roy Lleweleyn
* 1920 - 1975 Allan Charles Llewelyn
* 1932 - 1998 Bruce William Llewelyn
WALTER died 26 December 1960 aged 68
MARY JANE died 17 September 1974 aged 78

... 9
1897 - 1972 Esther Ellen 'Nellie' Collett
born 29 October 1897 in Karangahake, Auckland
- Esther married Eugene HOGAN (1892-1974) in 1916
their known children:
* 1916 - 1977 Mervyn Gilbert Hogan
* 1918 - 1982 Eugene Dennis Hogan
* 1920 - 1985 Thomas Edward Hogan
* 1921 - 2007 William John Hogan
* 1923 - 1982 Owen Patrick Hogan
* 1927 - 2001 Mavis Catherine Hogan
* 1929 - 1955 Norman Ivan Hogan
ESTHER died 13 September 1972 in Acukland aged 74
EUGENE died 12 August 1974 in Auckland aged 81
- they were cremated at Waikumete

... 10
1899 - 1993 James Leach 'Jim' Collett
born 28 July 1899 in Karangahake, Auckland
- James married Mary Margaretta KARL (1901-1976) in 1926
Mary was born 21 Oct 21 1902 in Ohaupo, Auckland
their known children:
* 1928 - 2002 Sylvia Noelyn Collett
* 1937 - 2003 Ngaire Margaretta Collett
JAMES died 9 Jan 1993 aged 93 in Papakura, Auckland
- buried Plot Plwn-U-078 at Papakura

... 11
1900 - ? Thomas Collett
born 1 September 1900 in Karangahake, Auckland
- Thomas married Alice Mabel McENTEE (1899-1980) in 1918
daughter of Laurence Henry McEntee and Eliza Tickelpenny
their known children:
* 1924 - 1992 Trevor Collett
* 1926 - 1984 Ivan Thomas Collett

... 12
1902 - 1990 Lucy Collett
born 8 February 1902 in Karangahake, Auckland
- Lucy married Christopher HOOLE (1895-1929) in 1922
their known children:
* 1922 - 2010 Frank Christopher Hoole
LUCY died 12 July 1990
- her ashes buried at North Shore

... 12
1904 - 1980 Ivy Myrtle Collett
born 16 June 1904 in Karangahake, Auckland
- Ivy married William Edward POTTER (1902-1986) in 1924
born Omahu, Thames to Charles Harold Potter (1875-1966) from Birmingham & Gertrude Mary Durbin (1880-1062) from Somerset
their known children:
* 1934 - 2014 Wilma Joan Potter
IVY died 13 March 1980 aged 75 in Auckland
- her ashes were returned from Purewa

... 14
1905 - 1997 Violet May Collett
born 12 October 1905 in Karangahake, Auckland
- Violet married Percy Edward WOODMAN (1905-1963) in 1930
their known children:
* 1940 - 1984 Peter Collett Woodman
* 1945 - 2009 Kerry Renold Woodman
PERCY died 17 Nov 1963 in Whangarei aged 58
- he is buried Plot 433, Block 10 RSA at Maunu cemetery
VIOLET died 28 June 1997 in Whangarei aged 91
- ashes buried Plot 193, Block A at Maunu cemetery

Esther Ellen Collett died 12 May 1906 aged 42
William COLLETT died 24 April 1929
- they are buried Lot 1, Block C, PRO at Pukerimu cemetery

NOTES
On May 12th 1906 Esther Ellen, wife of William Collett, and mother of Mrs C. McKenzie and Mrs Sam Roulston, after a short illness; aged 42 years. The funeral will leave her late residence, Thames Road, Paeroa, at 2p.m. on Tuesday, May 15th

FLOODING in PAEROA & districts has been a regular problem for hundreds of years
* 1896 - * 1898 below - * 1907 - * 1936 - * 1981 - I was there for that one, the one they call 'the flood of floods' when a huge torrent of water literally picked up the whole Waikino business district and many homes and washed them downstream through the Karangahake Gorge. The Waikino Hotel stood - and still stands :)
see the Hotel, defiant as always). All the shops opposite the hotel are no longer
* 2006 - * 2012

PHOTO
PAEROA under flood during Jan-Feb 1898 from Alexander Turnbull Library
* note Peter Keller's General Store on right which means this was Normanby Road. He moved into this building in 1896 which was previously occupied by J. Phillips & Son (also General Store). He moved his business into the Masonic Buildings in Dec 1900. Peter Keller (1837-1917) was born in Germany & arrived in Otago in 1862.
He was a member of the Paeroa Borough Council and was twice Mayor there