{{Short description|British accountant and politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Sir Christopher Collett | honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GBE|JP}} | image = Mansion House London.jpg | alt = | caption = Mansion House, London,<br> Lord Mayor Collett's official residence | office = | term_start = 1988 | term_end = 1989 | birth_name = | birth_date = 10 June 1931 | birth_place = Bromley, Kent | death_date = 2 December 2012 | death_place = Petworth, Sussex | other_names = | occupation = Chartered accountant | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = | order = 661st Lord Mayor of London | preceded = Sir Greville Spratt | succeeded = Sir Hugh Bidwell }} '''Sir Christopher Collett''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=90%|sep=,|GBE|JP|FCA}} (10 June 1931 – 2 December 2012), was a founding partner in Ernst & Young, who served as Lord Mayor of London for 1988/89.<ref>[https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/about-the-city-of-london-corporation/lord-mayor/lord-mayor-mayor-of-london www.cityoflondon.gov.uk]</ref>

== Background == The younger son of Sir Henry Collett and Ruth ''née'' Hatch, he was educated at Harrow before going up to Emmanuel College, Cambridge (MA 1960).

Commissioned into the Royal Artillery for National Service, Collett then served in the Territorial Army being promoted Captain, and later on the City of London TAVR Committee (1980-92).

== Career == Articled with Cassleton Elliott & Co. in 1954, qualifying ACA in 1958 (elected {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|FCA}} 1969), in 1963 Collett was made a partner of Arthur Young, becoming Ernst & Young.<ref>[https://www.icaew.com/library/historical-resources/guide-to-historical-resources/firm-histories/whats-in-a-name/arthur-young www.icaew.com]</ref>

Elected as Common Councilman for Broad Street Ward (1973–79), then Alderman (1979–2001) and appointed a JP, Collett served as Aldermanic Sheriff of London for 1985/86 and one of HM Lieutenants for the City of London, 1988–2001.<ref>[https://www.londonremembers.com/subjects/sir-christopher-collett?memorial_id=6581 www.londonremembers.com]</ref>

Master Glover for 1981/82, Sir Christopher was also Third Warden (then Honorary Assistant) of the Haberdashers' Company,<ref>[https://haberdashers.co.uk/company www.haberdashers.co.uk]</ref> and an Assistant to the Chartered Accountants in England and Wales’ Co.

==Family== In remainder to the family baronetcy<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Mosley | first1 = Charles | title = Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, 107th edn | page = 855 (COLLETT, Bt) | date = 2003 | publisher = Burke's Peerage & Gentry | isbn = 0-9711966-2-1}}</ref> created for his grandfather, Lord Mayor of London for 1933/34, his elder brother David Collett (1924–62) married Sheila Scott (later Lady Miskin), having a son and a daughter, of whom Sir Ian Collett <small>FIIMS</small> (born 1953), succeeded as the 3rd and present baronet,<ref>[https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21738077.flashback-royal-anniversary-remembered-southwold/ www.eadt.co.uk]</ref> upon the death of their father, Sir Henry Collett, 2nd Baronet (1893–1971).

Married in 1959 to Anne Griffiths (sister of John Calvert Griffiths <small>CMG KC</small><ref>[https://app.legco.gov.hk/member_front/english/library/member_detail.aspx?id=623 www.legco.gov.hk]</ref>), Sir Christopher and Lady Collett had two sons and a daughter: * Alastair Collett (born 1961), LLB (Londin), Master Glover (2024/25),<ref>[https://www.thegloverscompany.org/our-heritage/past-masters-of-the-company-new www.thegloverscompany.org]</ref> married 1992 Tiana Peck, having two sons. * Angus Collett (born 1964), MA (Cantab), {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=90%|sep=,|FCA}}, married 2005 Rachel Beale. * Alexandra Collett (born 1972), married 2003 Simon Bailey.<ref>[https://debretts.com/peerage-and-baronetage/ www.debretts.com]</ref>

== Honours == * 40px Knight Grand Cross, Order of the British Empire, 1988 * 40px Knight of Justice, Order of St John of Jerusalem, 1988 * 40px Order of Merit (cl. II), Qatar, 1985 * 40px Order of Civil Merit (cl. II), Spain, 1986 * 40px Commander, Order of Merit, Germany, 1986 * 40px Commander, Order of the Niger, 1989

===Arms=== {{Infobox COA wide |name = Sir Christopher Collett |image = |escutcheon = Azure on a Chevron couped Or between three Hinds trippant Proper collared of the Second an Arch Sable between two open Books also Proper |crest = A Demi-Hind Proper collared Or resting the sinister foot on an Escutcheon Or charged with a Maul Sable |helm = That of a Knight <br>30px |supporters = |motto = ''Keep Straight On'' |orders = The Badge of St John behind the Shield, surrounded by the Circlet of the Order of the British Empire: <br/>40px; 50px |other_elements = As Lord Mayor, Collett could impale the City of London arms (''dexter'') with his family arms (''sinister''), and likewise as Master Glover, he impaled the Glovers' arms (''dexter'')}}

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== * ''Who Was Who'' * ''Burke's Peerage & Baronetage''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collett, Christopher}} Category:1931 births Category:2012 deaths Category:People educated at Harrow School Category:Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge Category:British accountants Category:Surrey Yeomanry officers Category:Royal Artillery officers Category:20th-century lord mayors of London Category:20th-century British businesspeople Category:Knights of Justice of the Order of St John Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Category:Order of Civil Merit members Category:Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Category:Commanders of the Order of the Niger Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods