Hi Tony
Thank you very much for this. You are right. The James Collinge who is Mayor and Alderman in the 1851 census is not the James Collinge who is my Great Great Great grandfather.

But there is something odd here. Please be patient with me a moment.

In the 1851 census my ancestor is living in Moor Hey, Oldham Above Town with his wife, Isabella and Their children including Edward - my gg grandfather.
I can see my James and his family in the 1841, 51, 61, 71 and 81 census records In the 81 census he is a widow living on a farm in Hale, Cheshire with his daughter, Annie. He dies on March 21st 1895 and is interred with Isabella and several other Collinges under a large monument in Greenacres Cemetery, Oldham. All of this I am sure of.

Now here is the odd bit. Page 249 of the book Oldham Brave Oldham reads "James Collinge, mayor of the town in 1850-1851 had left the town for pastoral Cheshire where he died in 1895." But the James who died in Cheshire in 1895 is my ancestor, not the one you identify. Has the book got it wrong do you think.

All the Best

Martin