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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Devon Lookup Requests => Devon => England => Devon Completed Lookup Requests => Topic started by: chithead on Sunday 31 March 13 11:29 BST (UK)
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William 53 years (Shoemaker) & wife Jane 47 years immigrated to Australia with their son William aged 11 yrs DOB 17/12/1842 on the vessel "John Banks" arriving Port Adelaide South Australia from Plymouth on the 16/02/1855. (Devon listed as point of origin)
Any help to find their marriage date or birth dates would be appreciated as I've run into a brick wall, not knowing which parish of Devon they originated from. :) chithead
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As you have their sons exact date of birth I assume you have his birth certifcate, ??? it would give his mothers maiden name and where he was born which should help narrow things down a bit.
Patrish
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chithead, in case you aren't familiar with birth registrations (you may have William Jr's dob from a death record or family records?) this is where to search:
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl
Unfortunately there were 1 William Symons whose birth was registered in the last quarter of 1842, in St Thomas registration district in Devon, and 3 William Symons-s whose births were registered in the first quarter of 1843 in Devon: in Barnstaple, Honiton and St Thomas registration districts. (A birth in late December would commonly have been registered early in the new year - but it's also possible that a birth that early wasn't registered.) They may not have actually been from Devon; almost all the other William Symons births registered in the two quarters in question were in Cornwall (with one in London). If he wasn't known to have the middle name Henry as three of the Cornwall births did, that would narrow it down some.
The 1851 census shows one WS the right age with parents William and Jane: born and living in Camborne, Cornwall -- which is in Redruth reg dist, making him likely the birth registered in Dec quarter 1842 in that place.
However, that household had a number of children:
William, 35, Sawyer (wrong occupation)
Jane, 39
Tryphena, 13, at home assistant
Absolom, 11, errand boy
Willliam, 8, wedge driver to father
Eliza, 5
Mary Jane, 3
Caroline, 10 months
- all born in Camborne
... No, that household is in the 1861 census as Simons, still in Camborne. So at least you can rule out the 1842 birth in Redruth reg dist. ;)
It could help find them in the 1851 census if you could confirm whether the couple had other children with them when they emigrated, and if you have any information about them. I'm not spotting another likely household in that census.
There's also the posibility that Jane was a second wife and William remarried between the 1851 census and the emigration in 1855.
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Thank you patrish & janey canuck unfortunately I don't have a death certificate I received that date from a distant cousin who has kindly sent me a book on my Great grandmother's side which has little information on my Great Grandfather, the William born 1842. The only other information I have at this time is the passenger list of the John Banks which gives William's parents name age & origin. Therefore I'm going to try and find date of their deaths thru the South Australian Library and then we may have more information to work on. Thanks again I will be in touch when I get that info. Warm appreciation chithead :)
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Although they left from Plymouth, Devon they were native to Cornwall, not Devon.
Have found them on 41/51 census - the latter faint and has been recorded on 2 different sites a bit oddly but amounts to this:
1851 Census, Pendarves Street, Camborne, Cornwall - ref. HO107 - 1916 - 254 - 1
William Symons 50 Shoe Makr employing 1 labourer b. Perran, Cornwall
Jane Symons 47 b. Camborne, Cornwall
Joseph Ivy (??) Rowe adopted son 22 Copper Miner ditto
Henry Symons 20 Copper Miner ditto
Jane Symons 18 ditto
Louisa Symons 16 Dress Maker ditto
William Symons 8 Scholar b. Phillack, Cornwall
Mark Odgers servant 22 Shoe Maker b. Kenwyn, Cornwall
1841 - Guilford, Phillack, Cornwall - ref. HO107 - 143 - 12 - 38 - 19
William Symons 40 Shoemaker
Jane Symons 35
Joseph Symons 12
Henry Symons 10
Jane Symons 8
Louisa Symons 6
There are 2 online trees with no detail re. parents of William and Jane but they do state that William senior d. 20/3/1856 Kapunda, South Australia and his wife Jane d.1886 Kapunda.
William Symons married Jane Hocking 24/10/1829 Camborne, Cornwall.
Would seem that the family were non-conformists - can only find baptisms for the 2 eldest Symons children:
Henry Simons b.19/8/1830, bp.3/12/1830 Wesleyan, Camborne Circuit, Cornwall
Jane Simon b.4/11/1832, bp.24/12/1832 ditto
This could be William seniors baptism:
William Simons bp25/1/1801 Perranuthnoe, Cornwall, son of Alexander and Jane.
Baptisms all on familysearch.
Annette
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Thank you Annette7, I'll check the "John Banks" passenger list for the other names though maybe the older siblings didn't travel out on the same ship or maybe on a earlier vessel or even later. More dectective work ahead. That was the case with another branch of my family the oldest son and his wife came out six months before his parents and 6 other younger siblings in 1847.
I thought maybe they (William and Jane) had married later in life or even a 2nd marriage for both as William 11 was the only child listed with them on the passenger list. My warm appreciation for your prompt reply chithead
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Bravo, Annette7, for finding them. I would bet that the older children, or at least some, were settled and stayed behind. For instance, there are Jane Symons marriages in Redruth reg dist in 1852 and 1853, and 1857. For the name Henry, there are two deaths and a marriage 1851-1855. It is always possible that a married son or daughter accompanied (or preceded or followed) the couple and William Jr to Australia.
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I found Henry's marriage (1852) and immigration with his wife Grace a year prior to his parents (1854), right Henry as William, Father, & Louisa witnessed wedding. Still haven't found anything on the two girls Jane & Louisa on Parish records checked right up to 1861 in case they show up in Census, Henry & Grace lost a son on their voyage out just 1 year old (Henry). Now to track them down in South Australia, phew another branch of the family. I've checked the passenger list on both vessels as often girls over 16 or sometimes as young as 12 where listed as single females but they are not there. More fun ahead. By way what did you use to find that info on a Jane Symons, Janet, as the otc base I used thru rootschat came up a blank? warm regards chithead
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You've been busy. ;)
By way what did you use to find that info on a Jane Symons, Janet, as the otc base I used thru rootschat came up a blank? warm regards chithead
Did you mean the possibilities I mentioned?
FreeBMD, the link I gave earlier:
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl
Transcription of the GRO index of births, marriages, deaths, from mid-1837 onward, pretty much complete for the 19th century, and up to some recent years, so far.
We'd all be nowhere without it. ;)
(Anc'y has the same index, provided by FreeBMD, up to 1915, then did its own transcribing after that.)
Parish records for Cornwall are incomplete at the OPC site, especially after 1837. I know, because I've had a batch of burials on hand for too long now that I haven't finished transcribing ...
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Thanks Janey I had forgot that site you mentioned previously, and did find marriage of a Louisa Symons in 1851 and several for a Jane Symons, 2 in Camborne parish, several in other parishes right time period, may just have to bite the bullet and get copies so I can see if any of them my Great Aunts. As the original just a listing of names not who married who or who were their witnesses, which is a great help in determining if have right party.
To think this all started because my older Brother interested in finding out about my Great Grandmother Bridget Clarke nee Doherty which led me to Rootschat and research deeluker carried out to find the Owner of a bible she had picked up at a garage sale. The bible belonged to a Uncle of mine and from there of gone from Clarke/Doherty to Clarke/Symons to Symons/Dunstan to Arbon/Bennier to Bennier/Chittleborough to Chittleborough/Fullwoods and so on as it goes back but these just the ones who came to South Australia as first settlers. But it is fun. Thanks for your help. warm regards chithead
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What an amazing find! -- both the bible itself and finding the person who found it. And once you're hooked, you're hooked. ;)
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Wanted to thank annette7 & Janey canuck for their help in the Devon lookup request on William & Jane Symons. Wasn't sure where should post this as look up complete. Thank you Chithead
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Hi, I am originally from South Australia and I am the GGG grandson of William Symons born Camborne 1801 and recently visited cornwall and sat in the church St Hilary and read the Bapt notice of Alexander Symons who was a twin 1755 his parents are Henry s born Nth hill 1721 + Jane Johns,I have traced the family back to 1540. All four of William and Jane hockings children migrated to S.A. and I have a birth cert for William born 1842 the first symons to have a birth cert, also have history of all his children . kevingb63
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hi, I believe that Louisa Symons is possibly my great great grandmother. I come from South Australia and believe that Louisa arrived on the Sir Thomas Gresham in Port Adelaide 19/3/1854. In the 1851 UK census Louisa is listed as 16 and a dressmaker. On the passenger list she is listed as 18 and a dressmaker from Cornwall.
I believe she married Tom Lane in 1855 who arrived on the Florentia at Port Adelaide with his family 20/6/1849.
I am interested in following your discoveries.
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Thanks for the reply about Louisa Symons. If you need any support looking up stuff re your Hawker/Craddock relatives do not hesitate as I am often in the vicinity.