Notes name: Thomas George /SYMONDS/
gender: Male
birth: 4 MAY 1906
Cross Green, Dullingham, Cambs [4]
baptism: 15 JUL 1906
Dullingham, Cambs [5]
death: 19 DEC 1953
91 High Street, Teversham, Cambs
burial: DEC 1953
All Saints Church Teversham, Cambs [6]
emigration: 19 JUL 1923
Canada [2]
emigration: 4 MAY 1932
London England [2]
Parents
father: George /SYMONDS/
mother: Mabel Lillie /HEATH/
Marriages (1)
spouse: Elsie Marion /ALDER/
marriage: 30 NOV 1932
The Register Office, Islington, London [7]
Submission
submitter: csymonds1089765
submission date: 10 May 2006
submission id: MM3W-GSH
person count: 185
Notes
Barnardo's GIVING CHILDREN BACK THEIR FUTUREACS/KF/B/RECNO: 1270512 April 2002 Mr. S T L Symonds16 Dunmowe Way Fulbourn CAMBRIDGESHIRE CBl 5HW Dear Mr. Symonds I have great pleasure in writing to you today in response to your request for information relating to your late father, Thomas George SYMONDS.I am delighted to inform you that your father's records have now been located and my research has been positively concluded. I am therefore able to send you the information you requested. Before doing so, however, I would like to offer my heartfelt apologies on behalf of the After Care Team for the upset and distress caused by its previous failure to identify your late father in the records. That this should have happened on three separate occasions is truly regrettable. Please accept my sincere apologies once again. Your father's background information is as follows: Thomas was born on 4 May 1906, and was admitted to Barnardo's from the Newmarket Union on 28 August 1920. The Newmarket Union was the local workhouse for the poor at Newmarket in Cambridgeshire. Under normal circumstances there would be no family background information to share with you because the Unions simply did not provide this kind of information on transfer. The admission of Thomas' brother Stanley James SYMONDS, born 28May 1910 at Dullingham, near Newmarket, and his sister Grace Laura SYMONDS, born 1 October 1912, to Barnardo's on 25November 1920, happily changed this and through their admission these particulars became available. The siblings were aged 10years6 months and 8 years 1 month on admission. Contd/....-2-Thomas' father (whose name was not recorded) worked for the Great Eastern Railway as a platelayer until his death at Newmarket on 8 October 1917. The cause of death was consumption. His mother (name also not recorded) died two years later on 21November 1919 from cancer. Thomas had two other sisters: Ellen Lily SYMONDS, aged 21 years, of 41 Tynmouth Road, Fortescue Green, East Finchley, who worked as a general servant; and Dorothy May SYMONDS, aged 19 years who had been in a training home at Maplestead in Essex for two years. He also had a half-sister, Annie Ellen HEATH, aged 27 years, of East Lodge, Downing College in Cambridge, who worked as a parlor-Maid. Stanley's Admission History states that Thomas, aged 14 years, was in Newmarket Infirmary at the time of his siblings' admission. This is incorrect. Thomas had by then been in Barnardo's care for three months. Following his admission, Thomas spent the first two months at the Receiving House in Stepney Causeway, East London, and from there entered the HM Hospital situated further along in Stepney Causeway on 27 October 1920, for reasons unknown. He was discharged from the hospital on 15 November 1920 and was immediately placed in the Stepney Home in Stepney Causeway. One month later on 14 December 1920, Thomas was transferred to another Barnardo's establishment at Felixstowe in Suffolk. On 11 January 1921 he returned to the Stepney Home and on 23October 1921 he again entered the HM Hospital for reasons unknown. Thomas was discharged from the hospital on 2 November1921 and like before was placed in the Stepney Home. He was then moved to a Barnardo's Home in Hertford, Hertfordshire on 19 April 1922 and nine months later was transferred to the Boys Garden City at Woodford Bridge in Essex. Contd/-.On 19 July 1923, Thomas left England's shores aboard the S S Minnedosa and sailed to a new life in Canada. He arrived in Quebec on 27 3uly 1923. His brother Stanley was already in New South Wales, Australia, by that time. He had been emigrated there by Barnardo's on 20 February 1923. His sister Grace remained in England. She went into service on 20 December 1926 as a domestic servant with a Mrs. S Godfrey at Hove in Sussex. In view of the fact that Stanley is deceased and had no direct descendants, I can also provide you with a copy of his records for your own and your family's interest. As previously stated, this provides you with important family background information not available in Thomas' records. Enclosed with this letter therefore is a copy of Stanley's Admission History which was compiled at the time and gives reasons for his admission to Barnardo's care, family circumstances that led to this and details of his parents and other family members. It is felt that you will be able to gain a better understanding of your family background from reading the original documentation. Given the confidential nature of this and other material enclosed directly related to both Thomas and Stanley, I would ask that it is not duplicated or published without Barnardo's consent. It is acknowledged that the wording used in the Admission Histories can sometimes appear to be very judgmental, and that the facts recorded may cause pain and distress on first reading. If you should find yourself in these circumstances after reading the enclosed information, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am delighted to enclose photographs of Thomas and Stanley, along with one of their sister Grace. I hope they bring you and your family unending joy. You will also find a copy of their record cards enclosed showing their dates of birth, admission date, the placements in England and the date of their emigration to Canada and Australia, plus photographs (where possible) of the Barnardo's establishments that housed them during this period. Contd/....-4-What transpired following Thomas' arrival in Canada and Stanley's arrival in New South Wales, can now be read first hand from the original notes that recorded their respective progress there in the early years. A copy is enclosed for your information. As certain abbreviations were used in such records, I have enclosed an abbreviation list to help with their interpretation. I have also included some additional reading material in the form of a leaflet focusing on Canadian emigration, a publication entitled Barnardo's Children and a reading list of recommended books. During the course of my research, I came across a few items of correspondence relating to Thomas and Stanley, and thought you might like to have copies. These are now enclosed with my pleasure.1 have also enclosed a copy of the Record Book entries for both Thomas and Stanley. Please disregard the entry for Thomas stating 'please see Restoration'. Thomas was not restored to his family, he was emigrated to Canada (as shown above).You may be interested to know what became of Grace during these early years. She married on 9 June 1935 and became Mrs. W H Corney. Sadly, a letter was received from her husband in March 1936 informing Barnardo's that Grace had passed away on 4 March 1936 from a cerebral embolism. His address at that time was 37 Dunston Street, Kingsland Road, London, E 8.It is my fervent hope that the enclosed information will help to answer a few of the many questions you undoubtedly have about your father's and uncle's early life, and 1 do appreciate how important it is for you to have this information. 1 would be most grateful therefore if you could kindly acknowledge its safe receipt. Finally, people frequently ask what fee is charged for the amount of work involved in researching each family record. There is no fee and this work is gladly undertaken on your behalf. With my warmest regards and very best wishes to you and your family. Yours sincerely Karen Fletcher After Care Officer Encls,
emigration: on board SS Minnedosa
emigration: Returned to London from Canada
Sources
1. School Records
2. Barnardo's
3. Marriage Certificate
4. Birth Certificate
5. Church Baptism
6. Church Burial Record
7. marriage certificate seen