The Symes Family
Frank Symes - the saddler
Frank
Symes was born in Thornbury in 1863. He was the
youngest of William and Matilda Symes's nine children.
The 1881 census shows that Frank had become a saddler, living at home with his parents in St John Street (Pullins Green). The Thornbury Trade Directory of 1889 suggests that Frank tried his hand as running 'refreshment rooms', however this seemed a short-lived enterprise as he was soon back operating as a saddler.
Frank married Augusta Hill in Thornbury in 1889. He is shown as being a saddler at this time. Augusta was aged 26, a cook, the daughter of Edward James Hill, a bailiff from Stapleford in Wiltshire.
Frank had a saddler's shop at 18 High Street. In 1891 he was there living with Augusta. They had had a baby boy, Claude Frank, born in August 1890 but Claude died in January 1891.
In the 1890's Frank extended his business interests becoming Secretary to the Rational Sick and Burial Association in addition to his work as saddler. A notice of sale for 22 High Street in 1900 shows that Frank was also renting part of that property, previously occupied by Charles Fry. He had vacated that property by 1905.
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In
1901 Frank was shown as a saddler and harness maker. By this time they
had had three more children: Maud Augusta born on 24th July 1891,
Frank Gilbert born on 23rd December 1893 and Archibald Harold born on 25th
September 1895. The photograph shown above is of Frank outside his
shop and is believed to have been taken about 1916. We have another
photograph on right taken from an advertisement for the business, presumably
with Frank Symes and his staff outside. The image is a thumbnail one,
please click on it for a larger image.
The shop must have been very successful. At about this time Frank's young assistant, Herbert Henry Allen, applied for an exemption from fighting in the First World War. The reason given for applying for the exemption was that the shop was so busy maintaining 100 farmers and 300 horses. The application was granted in that Herbert's call up was delayed until December 1917.
The South Gloucestershire Chronicle of July 28th 1916 carried a report of the Thornbury and District Traders' Association which indicates just why Frank Symes did so well as a trader. He certainly believed that he and his employees should work hard. The Association was discussing whether the shops in Thornbury should close for the Bank Holiday. The motion in favour of closing was carried but Frank Symes was recorded as vigorously opposing the motion as it was inappropriate to have a holiday "when the country was struggling for its very existence."
On October 13th 1916 the South Gloucestershire Chronicle had an advertisement for Frank Symes saying that he paid "top prices for apples, blackberries, mushrooms and walnuts." This would appear to be more of the War Effort as at that time civilians were encouraged to collect wild produce to help feed the country.
When Frank retired in 1926, his assistant, Mr William
Lawrence Roach
took over the business. On the left we have a thumbnail image of the
shop at that time. It is just possible to see that the sign says 'Roach late
Symes.' Please click on the image for a larger photograph. Augusta died
on 16th February 1926 aged 63 years and Frank
on 21st October 1931 aged 68 years.
Of Frank and Augusta's children:
Maud - started at the National School in March 1896. She left in 1904 to go to a private school. We believe she married at St Saviours Church, Redland in Bristol on 8th December 1928. Her husband was Harold Sherborne Hopkins who was a commercial traveller.
Frank Gilbert - started at the National School in 1898 and after 7 years he moved to the Grammar School on 14th January 1908. He left at the end of the same year to become a saddler like his father. Frank married Lilian B. Sims in Thornbury in 1922. In 1931 he was a saddler in Berkeley.
Archibald Harold - click here to read more
Click here if you wish to read more about the early history of the Symes family
This page was last updated: 09/01/2012