American phycologist and businessman who, despite having no university education and working in a non-scientific sector, became a prominent figure in the field of algal research in North America. Frank Shipley Collins, from Boston Massachusetts, suffered from ill health as a youngster and so had an interrupted education, often receiving schooling from his aunts who were teachers in the local girl's seminary. He did, however, graduate from the local high school in 1863 and on the advice of his grandfather entered into commercial pursuits. After several unsuccessful attempts at starting a trading business he married Anna Holmes and took up the study of music, travelling to Europe to attend concerts and visit centres of importance in the field. On returning he was employed as a bookkeeper by the Malden Rubber Shoe Company and was highly successful in this post, rising to manager and remaining there until his retirement (1913).

It is said that Collins' interest in algae developed suddenly when his wife showed him postcards of marine algae ("sea moss") specimens in Magnolia, Massachusetts. Recognising that the labels were incorrect, he took it upon himself to identify them correctly, and from that time on entered into the study of wild species in local pools. When he started out there was very little literature available, but over the years Collins became acquainted with the marine algae of the entire Atlantic coast. Collecting tirelessly in New England he spent his spare time trekking to remote locations whatever the conditions and even took several longer excursions to Bermuda, collecting not only algae but flowering plants too. Maintaining correspondence with other phycologists around the country he successfully utilised exchanges to acquire a great knowledge of Pacific species and enrich his personal herbarium.

With the publication of his Green Algae of North America in 1909 Collins became a national expert and later conducted important research into the life history of this group. He also authored or co-authored publications on the marine algae of Jamaica, Bermuda and Vancouver Island and later in life turned his attention from solely marine forms to freshwater and even aerial species. Although Collins' phycological collection was acquired by Nathaniel Britton and therefore housed in the New York Botanical Garden, he was responsible for organising the algal herbariums of the Farlow herbarium, the Boston Society of Natural History and Missouri Botanical Garden. Survived by two sons, the genus Collinsiella Setchell and Gardener was named in honour of his vast contributions to the field in North America.

Sources:
H.B. Humphrey, 1961, The Makers of North American Botany: 55-56
W.A. Setchell, 1925, "Frank Shipley Collins", American Journal of Botany, 12(1): 54-62.