The Symes Family
Gilbert Symes - the blacksmith and ironmonger
No. 1 St John Street
No. 1A St John Street
No. 3 St John Street
No. 5 St John Street
No. 7 St John Street
No. 9 St John Street
No. 11 St John Street
No. 13 St John Street
No. 15 St John Street
No. 17 St John Street
No. 19 St John Street
No. 21 St John Street
No. 23 St John Street
No. 2 St John Street
No. 4 St John Street
No. 6 St John Street
No. 8 St John Street
Gilbert was born in Shepton Mallett in Thornbury about 1851. He was the third child of William and Matilda's nine children. He moved to Thornbury with his parents in the early 1850's.
By 1871 Gilbert was an apprentice blacksmith living with his parents in St John Street (in a house which would now be in Pullins Green). In 1878 he married Eliza Moon. In 1881 Gilbert and Eliza were living in St Mary Street with their two children: William George born in 1879 and Edith Annie born in 1881. Gilbert was a blacksmith.
In 1891 the family was still living at the bottom of St Mary Street. They now had three other children in addition to William and Edith: Amy Ethel born in 1883, Maurice Gilbert born in 1886 and Randolph Hector born in 1888.
By 1901, Gilbert had moved his business to The Plain, next to The Royal George. He was now shown as having an ironmonger's shop. He was living there with Eliza and their children: William who was now helping him in the shop, Edith described as 'mother's helper', Amy, a dressmaker, Maurice, an ironmonger's apprentice, Hector and Winnie, their youngest child, who was born in 1892. The above photograph shows Gilbert with his young assistant, Maurice outside the shop which is still recognizable as the shop next to The Royal George.
Gilbert had a smithy in a small building at the back of the shop. The property had a huge cellar which ran underneath both the shop and the smithy and this could be accessed from both front and back.
Gilbert died in 1923 aged 72 years. Eliza died in 1942 aged 86 years. They are buried together in Thornbury Cemetery.
Of their children:
William became Assistant Surveyor to the Rural District Council. He died in 1972 aged 93 years. His wife, Lois Hedgland Cooper died in 1936. They had two daughters: Cecily and Rhoda.
Amy married Fred Francis and had a daughter, Ruth.
Maurice took over the ironmongers on The Plain. He died in 1966 aged 80 years. His wife, Louisa (nee Ford) died in 1971 aged 84 years. We were told by Jack Pridham that Maurice was responsible for the black iron coils and spikes which still adorn the gates of Thornbury Cemetery..
Hector became a farmer living in Sibland. He married Annie Allen and they had one daughter, Mary. Hector died in 1959 and Annie in 1986.
Winifred married William Francis and they moved to Southampton where they had two children: Gilbert and Margaret.
Edith was baptised on February 6th 1881. At the moment we know nothing more about her.
Click here if you wish to read more about the early history of the Symes family
This page was last updated: 25/03/2008