Charles John Symms

1. Charles John¹ Symms was born in Skibbereen, Co. Cork, Ireland 18/07/1847. Charles died 5/11/1923 in London, at 76 years of age.

He married Martha Northover in Union Hall Church, Co. Cork, Ireland, 30/08/1875. Martha was born in Bundoran, Co. Donegal, Ireland 23/05/1857. Martha died 15/08/1922 in London, at 65 years of age. She was listed as a resident in the census report in 1 Coast Guard Cottages, Hastings, Sussex, 1881. She was listed as a resident in the census report in 78 Wellington Street, Bromley, 1891. She was listed as a resident in the census report in 78 Wellington Street, Bromley, 1901.

He was listed as head of household in the 1881 census in 1 Coast Guard Cottages, Hastings, Sussex. He was listed as head of household in the 1891 census in 78 Wellington Street, Bromley. He was listed as head of household in the 1901 census in 78 Wellington Street, Bromley. Wine and Spirit Merchant in 1897. Messenger in 1901 Census.

Charles John Symms Sr. was with the Irish Coast Guard then the British Coast Guard until his retirement. He worked as a guard at the Greenwich Observatory (astronomy) until his sight failed. His youngest son Stanley worked at the same Observatory as a human computer. It is possible that the father got the son the job. The computers did all the time consuming math and computations necessary for astronomy. I found his personal observatory code (SYM) on the internet which leads me to believe he was eventually promoted to astronomer. During the bombing of England he was moved to a different Observatory in Scotland where he worked until retirement.

Charles John Symms Sr. oldest son was Charles John Symms Jr. He was in the British Army and served for 20 years. During his service Charles Jr. saw action in Africa. I believe this was the Boer War. After he retired from the Military he worked 20 years in as a postal clerk. After retiring from civil service he purchased and ran a Grog shop. Much of the aforementioned information is from correspondence between Charles Jr. or Harry Humphries (Thurza's husband) and my Grandmother. I have a letter postmarked 1965 from Charles Jr.; however, as he is almost 90 his handwriting is somewhat diminished and is for the most part unintelligible. I plan to spend some time learning his script in an attempt to decode what is perhaps his last letter.

Taken from an email received 05/02/2003 from Lynne Symms Logan

Charles John Symms and Martha Northover had the following children:

Charles John Symms Jr.

2 i. Charles John² Symms was born in Ireland 04/09/1876. He was listed as a resident in the census report in 1 Coast Guard Cottages, Hastings, Sussex, 1881. He was listed as a resident in the census report in 78 Wellington Street, Bromley, 1891. Was a telegraph messenger in 1891 census.

Married to Hilda.

The data regarding the "Grog shop" is not so much hard evidence but several letters between my grandmother Gertrude James and her brother-in-law Charles Symms Jr., the last being in 1965. My Grandmother lost most of her British records in a fire when she lived in Porterville, CA. I think these records were copies of records that Charles Jr. made and forwarded to her. The fire was sometime during the 1960s. It is entirely possible that Gertrude confused the two. In the 1972 letter she mentions that Charles's mother was the Post Mistress for the town during the 1890s "that I'm sure of". This reference was just below her citation of Charles John Symms b. Skibbereen, Co Cork. I have no idea which Charles she was referring to. I would lean toward Mary Elizabeth's Marriage certificate.

I think there was some contact (phone?) between Gertrude and Harry Humphries. I am not sure about the spelling of his last name, but I believe that he was a London policeman who was married to Thurza. The information he forwarded to my grandmother about the UK Symms could have added to the confusion. My mother and her two sisters still want to believe that Stanley's son is or was an Idaho Senator. Some things are hard to change...

Taken from an email rececived 06/02/2003 from Lynne Symms Logan

Mary Elizabeth Symms

3 ii. Mary Elizabeth Symms was born in Pett, Sussex 30/07/1878. She married Percy William Henry Smith in Bromley St. Leonard Parish Chu, 27/12/1897. Percy was born in London Limehouse c1878. Percy was the son of William Henry Smith. He was listed as head of household in the 1901 census in 9 Gwendoline Avenue, Upton Park, West Ham, London. (See Percy William Henry Smith for the continuation of this line.)

She was listed as a resident in the census report in 1 Coast Guard Cottages, Hastings, Sussex, 1881. She was listed as a resident in the census report in 78 Wellington Street, Bromley, 1891. She was listed as a resident in the census report in 9 Gwendoline Avenue, Upton Park, West Ham, London, 1901. Siblings - Thurza, Stanley (worked at the Royal Observatory), Edward, William and Richard.

4 iii. Horace Symms was born in Pett, Sussex 1880. Horace died 1909 at 29 years of age. He was listed as a resident in the census report in 1 Coast Guard Cottages, Hastings, Sussex, 1881. He was listed as a resident in the census report in 78 Wellington Street, Bromley, 1891.

+ 5 iv. William Symms was born 19/11/1881.

+ 6 v. Richard Thomas Symms was born 1884.

+ 7 vi. Edward George Symms was born 10/11/1889.

Jane Thurza Northover Symms

8 vii. Jane Thurza Northover Symms was born in Bow 05/10/1893. She married Harry Humphries c1915.

She was listed as a resident in the census report in 78 Wellington Street, Bromley, 1901.

Leonard Stanley Theodore Symms

9 viii. Leonard Stanley Theodore Symms was born in Bow, London 23/02/1898. He was listed as a resident in the census report in 78 Wellington Street, Bromley, 1901. Worked at the Royal Observatory

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