A reader posed this question earlier in the week. Joseph James Collcutt is not in my direct line, and although I have researched many of the collateral lines in the Collcutt family, I had not followed this particular branch forward. Still, I love a mystery! Here’s what my initial research has turned up:
Joseph James Collcutt was the son of William Collcutt and Anne Hemmins, who were married by license at the church of St Peter in the East, Oxford, on 9 July 1844. The entry in the parish register describes bachelor William as a college servant of that parish, son of William, yeoman; and spinster Anne, of St Clements parish, daughter of Thomas, yeoman. Witnesses were Catharine Collcutt, Julia Churchill Price, and John Lucas.[1] The couple baptized daughter Emily Ann at St Peter [2] while living on Long Wall Street, but then settled on High Street.
William and Ann baptized five children at St. Clements Church:
William Thomas Collcutt, 11 July 1847, s. William & Anne, college servant, High St.[3]
Joseph James Calcutt (changed to Collcutt), 23 July 1848, s. William & Anne, College servant High St. [note in margin reads Ann Collcutt says that the name "Calcutt" should read "Collcutt" W.S. Hore, Rector. July 26, 1853. [4]
Francis Edwin Collcutt, 24 July 1853, s. William & Ann, college servant. [5] He was buried at St Clements on 19 October 1857. [6]
Ellen Maria Collcutt, 8 Jun 1855, d. William & Ann, college servant High St.—privately.[7]
Rosa Jane Collcutt, 30 October 1859, d. William & Ann, college servant High St—privately. [8] Buried at St Clement at age 6 weeks, on 14 Dec 1859.[9]
William and Ann’s family was enumerated in Oxford St Clements on the 1851 UK census, at which point William’s widowed mother–in–law Mary Hemmings was living with them.[10] According to the census, William was 34 years old and his birth place was reportedly Oxford St Aldates. A search of that parish’s register reveals one William Collcutt baptized in that parish around that time: William Collcutt, son of William, wagoner, and Jane, was baptized at St Aldates on 27 April 1816.[11] 
William (let’s call him Junior) was the child the wagoner William Collcutt’s (let’s call him Senior) second marriage to Jane Evans, which took place at Sandford on Thames on 2 July 1812, [12] not too long after the death of his first wife, Sarah Evans. I suspect the two Evans wives were sisters, however I haven’t researched this branch thoroughly to test that hypothesis.
William Sr. was the son of Southhampton carrier James Collcutt and Mary Eaton (you can read more about them here) and he is mentioned in the wills of his mother Mary, and his Aunt Sarah Collcutt. His story is one of the most colorful of all the Collcutts, so much so that he deserves his own post! William Sr. and his three marriages produced 16 children, and it was William Sr. and Jane’s eldest son James who fathered renowned architect Thomas Edward Collcutt, but that again is a story worthy of its own post.
With all these juicy stories to tell, I really need to spend more time sharing the tales of the Collcutts! Stay tuned 
[1] Colin G. Harris, transcriber, St Peter in the East Marriages, 1837–1965, cd-rom ed., pdf format, part of the Oxford City Transcripts, Vol. 4 (Oxfordshire: Oxfordshire Family History Society, 2006); citing St Peter in the East (Oxford) Marriages, typescript, marriage of William Collcutt and Anne Hemmins, 9 Jul 1844, p. 5.
[2] Colin G. Harris, transcriber, St Peter in the East Baptisms, 1559–1856, cd-rom ed., pdf format, part of the Oxford City Transcripts, Vol. 4 (Oxfordshire: Oxfordshire Family History Society, 2006); citing St Peter in the East (Oxford) Baptisms, typescript, baptism of Emily , Ann Collcutt, 1 Jun , p. 38.
[3] Colin G. Harris, transcriber, St Clements Burials, 1665–1865 cd-rom ed., pdf format, part of the Oxford City Transcripts, Vol. 1 (Oxfordshire: Oxfordshire Family History Society, 2006); citing St Clements (Oxford) Baptisms, typescript, baptism of William Thomas Collcutt, 1847 , p. 38.
[4] Ibid., 86.
[5] Ibid., 97
[6] Colin G. Harris, transcriber, St Clements Baptisms, 1643–1883 cd-rom ed., pdf format, part of the Oxford City Transcripts, Vol. 1 (Oxfordshire: Oxfordshire Family History Society, 2006); citing St Clements (Oxford) Burials, typescript, baptism of William Thomas Collcutt, 19 Oct 1857, n.p.
[7] Harris, St Clements Burials, 1665–1865 cd-rom ed., baptism of Ellen Maria Collcutt, 8 Jun 1855, 101.
[8] Ibid., 113.
[9] Harris, St Clements Burials, 1665–1865 cd-rom ed., burial of Rosa Jane, 30 Oct 1859, n.p.
[10] “1851 UK census,” digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 April 2012), entry for William Collcutt, Oxford St Clements, Oxfordshire; citing TNA microfilm HO107, piece 1727, folio 311, page 8, household 39, High Street.
[11] Colin G. Harris, transcriber, St Aldates Baptisms, 1813–1900, cd-rom ed., pdf format, part of the Oxford City Transcripts, Vol. 1 (Oxfordshire: Oxfordshire Family History Society, 2006); citing St Aldates (Oxford) Baptisms, typescript, baptism of William Collcutt, 27 Apr 1816.
[12] Beryl Schumer, “Calcutt Families of Oxfordshire,” 19; typescript, copy in possession of C. Butler [Address for private use], was obtained via an email from B. Schumer, [Address for private use], to C. Butler, dated 16 January 2012.
Hello,
I am writing a biography of Thomas Edward Collcutt ( 1840-1924). He was an important architect in the late 19th cen. I know his father was James Collcutt, a college servant at St Johns College. Do you have any information about the parents or family of Thomas? I know they lived in Jericho in Oxford, but any information would be gratefully received.
Best Wishes,
Martin O’Rourke
Hi Martin,
I do have some information on Thomas and James; and I am available for more research on this part of the family if you’d like to contact me through the blog’s contact form or via my research services website at lanterngenealogy.com
I also have a lot of information about the Collcutt family and would be happy to share it with you Martin. I have the one name study on the family completed by Beryl Schumer which takes the family back to Samuel Collcutt b.1660, d.1729 in Oxford.
Thank you for replying to my question -sorry to be so slow in replying. I am particularly interested in Thomas Edward Colcutt thearchitect (1840-1924) I understand that his family were very much Oxford based and many seem to have been college servants, particularly at St Johns. I would like to understand how Thomas rose from such relatively humble origins to being something of a star architect.
Do you know where in Jericho Thomas was born or any other revealing family information.
Best Regards,
Martin