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William Jefferies Collins became a speculative builder, with a very shrewd business sense, making a fortune out of  buying up land adjacent to recently opened railway lines, on which he built houses for the growing middle classes in the suburbs of North London.

In 1911 W.J. Collins moved to Southampton later occupying "The Wilderness" house and estate on the corner of Church Hill and West End Road until 1939. Around 1922 Herbert and his wife Anne also moved to West End and for a few months occupied the gate lodge to "The Wilderness".

An interesting partnership developed over the years in the Collins family; "W.J." frequently provided the funding, whilst Herbert designed the houses and the building work was carried out by Ralph - an early version of "keep it in the family". Throughout his time in West End he generously contributed to many local charities and deserving cases, making the grounds of "The Wilderness" available to many local events and taking a particular interest in the development of The Boys' Brigade and the Girls' Life Brigade. In 1922 for instance he donated £10,000 for the new Brigade headquarters in Cranbury Terrace, Southampton. He was a generous supporter of the Royal South Hants and Southampton Hospital and was made a vice-president of the institution and a member of the Management Committee from 1927 until 1937. He also gave generously to the Children's Hospital of which he was a vice-president as he also did for the YMCA among countless other good works.

He served as a Parish Councillor for Westend, was a valued member of the Rotary Club of Southampton and one of the oldest members of the Southampton Chamber of Commerce. He served for a time on the Southampton Town Council and was a member of the Court of Governors of Southampton University College (as it was then known). In 1929 Mr and Mrs Collins celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. William Jefferies Collins died in May 1939 aged 84 years old. It was said of him, ".acts of generosity and kindly thought for those less fortunate than himself in whose welfare he always took a practical interest". A fitting epitaph for a very kind, generous man.