George Sims (1838 - 1893)

Born 28 Aug 1838 in Wittersham, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Ann (Pilcher) Sims — married 6 Nov 1861 in Parish Of Elham, Kent, England

Descendants

Died 22 Jun 1893 at age 54 in Barham, Canterbury, Kent, England

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Ann Lamb [send private message] and Robert Anthony Grant [send private message]

Biography

Note: Written by Ethel Ried:

After George Sims and Elizabeth were married they set up home in "The Sportsman's Arms" in Barham near Canterbury in Kent. It was the Derringstone Hill a road which went up from the lower lying part of the village round the Nailborne Valley - water went up from the lower lying part of the village round the covered grass area known as the downs, which at Derringstone lay along one side of the Canterbury to Folkestone road. "The Sportsman's Arms" had previously been run by Elizabeth's uncle Thomas who's son, another Thomas is noted in the 1861 census as aged 23 a carpenter living in Derringstone with his wife Elizabeth aged 26 yrs and a son named Thomas aged 10 months.

In the yard between "The Sportsman's Arm's" and the Wesleyan Chapel next to it, where stables and a workshop. Perhaps Thomas Pilcher used the workshop for his carpentry, but later when George and Elizabeth Sims were there it was a Saddlers shop. Horses were brought there for harnesses and for treatment when it was needed, as a vet paid regular visits for this purpose. My mother as a little girl watched the horses being dosed with pills as big as gold balls and having medicine poured down there throats she would weep in sympathy for them.

The pub was owned by the brewers George Rigdem but was managed by the Sims family for 90 years. When I took my mother back to Barham in 1970 to give her a visit to her childhood home it was still a public house since then it have been converted into a private residence.

Beyond the yard, workshop and the stables was a long garden sloping down from the house with lawns, flowerbeds and a kitchen garden. As a child I spent every summer holiday at "The sportsman's Arms" and can still recall the fragrance of the sweet peas and the bright colouring of the nasturtiums and marigolds. In my childhood days there was also a cab on one of the lawns, which had belonged to Lord Kitchener who had lived at Broome Park one of Barham's estates. It was a great attraction for the visitors to the pub and I spent many happy hours playing in it entirely alone but in my imagination it became, any different things from Grand chariot to secret hiding place.

The Wesleyan Chapel although small in area was a tall building of dark grey Kentish Flintstone. It had been erected stone by stone by the Wesleyan Methodists not only to have their own place of worship but as a protest against the system of tithes exacted by the church at that time. The Sims family attended both the church and chapel only absenting themselves on Temperance Sunday. In fact they were not drinkers themselves and none of the boys were allowed in the bar. However I can recall being given a thimble full of hot peppermint or a little sherry brandy before going to church in very cold weather. George and Elizabeth both came from farming families in the Elam Valley the most fertile part of Kent - the garden of England. However had suffered an accident of some sort as a boy and it was considered he was not likely to be robust enough for farming.

As second best it was decided he should be educated and he became a pupil of Kings School Canterbury, an old foundation school in the precincts of the Cathedral and still held on high repute to this day.

My mother recalls him reading the newspaper to the customers in the bar and discussing events with them. When his mother was widowed he helped her with the finances of the farms and one family story often told was about her pocket being picked. She went on this occasion; to Barham by train, she remembered how a 'Kind gentleman' helped her onto the train' and upon arrival found that the whole pocket had been cleverly cut away.

A very sad event occurred on the 23rd November 1879. Elizabeth's brother George was driving home after visiting her at "The Sportsman's arms". It was late in the evening and the weather was bad, just about half a mile along the road by the downs the trap over turned and he was killed, the body was brought back to "The Sportsman's arms", he was only 28 yrs old.

One story told often was that of a naked man, the boys were playing outside one evening when they were approached by a stranger completely naked. They ran in and told their father, he brought the stranger in and provided him with a blanket and a drink and discovered his story. He was a patient at the Chatham Asylum near Canterbury about 5 miles away, the staff there had taken away his clothes to thwart his threat to run away. How he had walked all that way without being apprehended sooner was a mystery even though much of the way could have been across meadows.

Next-door "The Sportsman's Arms" was a very pretty little Flintstone cottage occupied by the Miss Cooper sisters of private means and very reclusive. One day George and Elizabeth heard moans a knocking, George decided to investigate and managed to gain entry by a ladder through the upstairs window. He found on sister lying on the flow having had a stroke and the other sister with limbs helplessly twisted and quite unable to move, she had fractures bones in an accident months earlier and not having any help the bones set themselves all askew. The other had looked after her sister till she died of a stroke. They had used bed linen from their ample storage. It the bedroom was neatly piled a load of used bed linen, which stood waist high.

George Sims died on the 22nd of June 1893 aged 54. He had taken part in a beat for one of the Gentry's shooting parties, caught a chill, which turned into pneumonia. His death occurred just days after my mothers 10th birthday and she recalls being woken up by her brother Frank and taken to join the rest of the family by the death bed and hearing the death rattle. His untimely death was one of the family's major upheavals, he died interstate, and probate and was granted to his widow. He was described on the probate form as Saddler and Harness maker, his estate amounted to 119 pounds and 5 shillings. This was a fair sum for the time and for the fact he was a man with the commitments of a large family.

Birth

Date: 1838

Place: Tenterden, Kent, England

Note: England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983 Record

Name:George Sims

Year of Registration:1838

Quarter of Registration:Oct-Nov-Dec

District:Tenterden

County:Kent

Volume:5

Page:389

Christening

Date: 4 Nov 1838

Place: Wittersham, Kent, England^[1]

Occupation

Occupation: Inn Keeper

Date: 1881^[2]

Occupation: Gamekeeper

Place: Barham, Kent^[3]

Occupation: Saddler And Harness Maker

Note: George was described on the probate form as a Saddler and Harness maker although in his later years he was an Inn Keeper and Game Keeper.^[4]

Death

Type: Death

Date: 1893

Place: Kent, England

Note: George Sims died on the 22nd June 1893 aged 54. he had taken part in a beat for one of the gentry's shooting parties, caught a chill which turned in Pneumonia.

His probate amounted to 119 pounds and 5 shillings, this was a fair sum for the time and for the fact that he was a man with the commitments of a large family.

Name:Sims, George

Record Type: Deaths

Age at death: 54

Quarter:June

Year:1893

District:Bridge

County:Kent

Volume:2a

Page:469

Burial

Name: George Sims

Gender: Male

Burial Date: 25 Jun 1893

Burial Place: Barham, Kent, England

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I00355-7

System Origin: England-EASy

Source Film Number: 1836199

Reference Number: item 1-4p. 9 # 69

Collection: England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991

Probate

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1861-1941 about George Sims Name:«tab»George Sims

Probate Date:«tab»10 Jul 1893

Death Date:«tab»22 Jun 1893

Death Place:«tab»Kent, England

Registry:«tab»Canterbury

Census

Date: 1861

Place: Elham, Kent, England

Note: Name:George Sims

Age:21

Estimated birth year:abt 1840

Relation:Visitor

Gender:Male

Where born:Wittersham, Kent, England

Civil parish:Elham

County/Island:Kent

Country:England

Street address: North Elham

Occupation: Saddler

Condition as to marriage: unmarried

Registration district:Elham

Sub-registration district:Elham

ED, institution, or vessel:2

Household schedule number:4

Name Age

Alfred Pilcher 7

Elgar Pilcher 20 (Carpenter journeyman)

Elizabeth Pilcher 19

Frank Pilcher 16 (Carpenter apprentice)

George Pilcher 9

Hannah Pilcher 45

John F Pilcher 47 (Carpenter master employer of 2 men)

George Sims 21 (Saddler)

Alfred Pilcher abt 1854 Elham, Kent, England Son Elham Kent

Elgar Pilcher abt 1841 Elham, Kent, England Son Elham Kent

Elizabeth Pilcher abt 1842 Elham, Kent, England Daughter Elham Kent

Frank Pilcher abt 1845 Elham, Kent, England Son Elham Kent

George Pilcher abt 1852 Elham, Kent, England Son Elham Kent

Hannah Pilcher abt 1816 Elham, Kent, England Wife Elham Kent

John F Pilcher abt 1814 Elham, Kent, England Head Elham Kent

George Sims abt 1840 Wittersham, Kent, England

Date: 1871

Place: Barham, Canterbury, Kent, England

Note: Name:George Sims

Age:32

Estimated birth year:abt 1839

Relation:Head

Spouse's name:Elizabeth

Gender:Male

Where born:Wittersham, Kent, England

Civil parish:Barham

Ecclesiastical parish:Bridge and Canterbury

Town:Derringstone

County/Island:Kent

Country:England

Street address: Derringstone Street (The Sportsmans Arms)

Occupation: Inn Keeper and Harness maker

Condition as to marriage: married

Registration district:Bridge

Sub-registration district:Barham

ED, institution, or vessel:7

Household schedule number:85

Household Members:

Name Age

John Barr 30 (Agr Laborer)

William Gilbertson 45 (Tailor)

Lucy Green 16 ( Domestic servant)

Elizabeth Sims 27

Elizabeth Sims 3

Frank Sims 2

George Sims 32

George Sims 8 months

Hannah Sims 8

William Gilbertson abt 1826 Richmond Hill, Isle of Man, Isle of Man Lodger Barham Kent

John Barr abt 1841 Barham, Kent, England Lodger Barham Kent

Lucy Green abt 1855 Wittersham, Kent, England Niece Barham Kent

Elizabeth Sims abt 1844 Elham, Kent, England Wife Barham Kent

Elizabeth Sims abt 1868 Barham, Kent, England Daughter Barham Kent

Frank Sims abt 1869 Barham, Kent, England Son Barham Kent

George Sims abt 1839 Barham, Kent, England Head Barham Kent

George Sims abt 1870 Barham, Kent, England Son Barham Kent

Hannah Sims abt 1863 Elham, Kent, England Daughter Barham Kent

Date: 1881

Place: Barham, Canterbury, Kent, England

Note: Name:George Sims

Age:40

Estimated birth year:abt 1841

Relation:Head

Spouse's name:Elizabeth A.

Gender:Male

Where born:Wittersham, Kent, England

Civil parish:Barham

County/Island:Kent

Country:England

Street address:Sportsman Arms

Condition as to marriage:Married

Employment status:

Occupation:Inn Keeper And Game Keeper

Registration district:Bridge

Sub-registration district:Barham

ED, institution, or vessel:7

Household Members:

Name Age

Henry Bailey 26 (M M Delivery Corp Middlesex)

Samuel Green 20 (Dealer)

Albert Sims 3

Alfred Sims 8

Elizabeth Sims 13 (Barmaid)

Elizabeth A. Sims 38

Ernest Sims

Frank Sims 12

George Sims 40

George Sims 10

Henry Sims 5

James Taylor 27 (M M Delivery Corp Houten?)

Henry Bailey abt 1855 London, Middlesex, England Boarder Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

Samuel Green abt 1861 Appledore, Kent, England Visitor Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

Albert Sims abt 1878 Barham, Kent, England Son Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

Alfred Sims abt 1873 Barham, Kent, England Son Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

Elizabeth Sims abt 1868 Barham, Kent, England Daughter Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

Elizabeth A. Sims abt 1843 Elham, Kent, England Wife Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

Ernest Sims abt 1881 Barham, Kent, England Son Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

Frank Sims abt 1869 Barham, Kent, England Son Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

George Sims abt 1841 Wittersham, Kent, England Head Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

George Sims abt 1871 Barham, Kent, England Son Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

Henry Sims abt 1876 Barham, Kent, England Son Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

James Taylor abt 1854 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England Boarder Sportsman Arms, Barham, Kent, England

Date: 1891

Place: Barham, Canterbury, Kent, England

Note: Name:George Sims

Age:51

Estimated birth year:abt 1840

Relation:Head

Spouse's name:Elizabeth

Gender:Male

Where born:Wittersham, Kent, England

Civil parish:Barham

Ecclesiastical parish:Barham

Town:Dessingstone

County/Island:Kent

Country:England

Street address: Derringstone Rd (The Sportsmans arms)

Occupation: Publican and Harness maker

Condition as to marriage: married

Registration district:Bridge

Sub-registration district:Barham

ED, institution, or vessel:7

Household Members:

Name Age

Henry Galm 34 (Farm Labourer agr)

Albert Sims 13 (Harness maker apprentice)

Edith Sims 7

Elizabeth Sims 47

Elizabeth Sims 23

Ernest Sims 10

George Sims 51 (Publican and Harness maker)

Percy Sims 14 (Engineer Fitter apprentice)

Sims, Albert abt 1878 Barham, Kent, England Son Barham Kent

Sims, Edith abt 1884 Barham, Kent, England Daughter Barham Kent

Sims, Elizabeth abt 1844 Elham, Kent, England Wife Barham Kent

Sims, Elizabeth abt 1868 Barham, Kent, England Daughter Barham Kent

Sims, Ernest abt 1881 Barham, Kent, England Son Barham Kent

Sims, George abt 1840 Wittersham, Kent, England Head Barham Kent

Sims, Percy abt 1877 Barham, Kent, England Son Barham Kent

Found this on the Barham Villiage site

SPORTSMAN'S ARMS George Sims Head 51 Male Wittersham, Kent - Inn Keeper

Elizabeth Sims Wife 47 Female Elham, Kent

Elizabeth Sims Daughter 23 Female Barham, Kent

Percy Sims Son 14 Male Barham, Kent - Engine Fitter Apprentice

Albert Sims Son 13 Male Barham, Kent - Engine Fitter Apprentice

Ernest Sims Son 10 Male Barham, Kent - Scholar

Edith Sims Daughter 7 Female Barham, Kent - Scholar

Henery Galm Lodger 34 Male Heathfield, Sussex - Agricultural Labourer

James W Muddle Head 26 Male Barham, Kent - Agricultural Labourer

Sophia Muddle Wife 23 Female Dargate, Kent Francis J Deal Head 33 Female Barham, Kent - Charwoman

William J Deal Son 10 Male Denton, Kent - Agricultural Labourer

Alfred A Deal Son 8 Male Denton, Kent - Scholar

Walter J Deal Son 7 Male Barham, Kent - Scholar

Will

Will:

Date: 10 Jul 1893

Place: Canterbury, Kent, England

Note: England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1861-1941

Name:«tab»George Sims

Probate Date:«tab»10 Jul 1893

Death Date:«tab»22 Jun 1893

Death Place:«tab»Kent, England

Registry:«tab»Canterbury

LICENSEE LIST for The Sportsmans Arms

PILCHER Thomas 1861+ (Beer shop and Carpenter)

SIMS George 1871-93

SIMS Elizabeth 1893-1902

SIMS Elizabeth (daughter) 1902 unlicensed

HALL Francis Charles 1902-1925

SIMS Elizabeth 1925-1934

WILES Charles Stephen 1934 Jan/1936

TAPP Mr W E Jan/1936-May/38

STEPHENS G E May/1938-39

MUNDAY Charles 1939-52+^[5]

Marriage

Husband: George Sims

Wife: Elizabeth Ann Sims

Child: Elizabeth Sims

Child: Frank Sims

Child: George Sims

Child: Alfred Sims

Child: Albert Sims

Child: Ernest Sims

Child: Hannah Lidia Sims

Child: Frederick Sims

Child: Percy Sims

Child: Fanny Lucy Sims

Child: Edith Mary Sims

Husband: Richard Sims

Wife: Jane Sims

Child: Mary Green

Child: George Sims

Child: Lucy Sims

Child: Ann Sims

Child: Richard Sims

Child: Jane Sims

Child: Thomas Sims

Child: Harriett Kitty Sims

Child: Elizabeth Sims

Child: Eliza Sims

Child: Lucy Sims

Marriage:

Date: 19 Apr 1835^[6]

Note: Family Addresses from UK Census

1841-1851 - Dobles or Bobles, Wittersham (in between Moons Green and Hunts Hill)

1861 - Hunts Hill, Wittersham

1871 - 3 Back Street, Wittersham

1875 - Richard died

1881 - 5 Back Street , Wittersham (Richard Sims jnr now head of family and Jane a widow)

1891 - 6 Back Street , Wittersham (Jane living with her brother Henry Brann, himself a widower)

1901 - Jane died

Children

1. Has No Children Eliza SIMS b: in Wittersham, Kent, England, UK

2. Has No Children Mary SIMS b: 05 FEB 1837 in Wittersham, Kent, England, UK

3. Has Children George SIMS b: 28 AUG 1838 in Wittersham, Kent, England, UK

4. Has No Children Lucy SIMS b: 06 DEC 1840 in Wittersham, Kent, England, UK

5. Has Children Ann SIMS b: 11 JUN 1842 in Wittersham, Kent, England, UK

6. Has Children Richard SIMS b: 1844 in Wittersham, Kent, England, UK

7. Has No Children Jane SIMS b: 02 AUG 1846 in Wittersham, Kent, England, UK

8. Has Children Thomas SIMS b: 03 SEP 1848 in Tenterden, Kent, England, UK

9. Has Children Harriet Kitty SIMS b: 08 AUG 1850 in Wittersham, Kent, England, UK

Objects

Title: Headstone of George Sims

Note: The inscription on the headstone reads: IN LOVING MEMORY OF GEORGE SIMS WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE JUNE 22nd 1895 AGED 54 YEARS. LEAVING BEHIND A WIDOW 6 SONS AND 3 DAUGHTERS. ALSO ELIZABETH ANN WIFE OF THE ABOVE DIED APRIL 3rd 1902 AGED 59 YEARS

Title: Church in Barham

Note: The church above is where Richard and Jane Brann would have married. It is also where Richard and Elizabeth are buried and where I found the head stone when I went to England in 2000

Title: "Sportsmans Arms" Barham Kent

Note: "Sportmans arms" home of George and Elizabeth Sims and thier children. On the death of Elizabeth in 1902, her daughter Elizabeth married Charles ( Chick ) Hall and continued there. (An unmarried woman could not hold tenancy, she brought the expertise) The pub was run by the Sims for more than 90 years. George Sims taking it on from an Uncle, upon his marriage to Elizabeth Ann Pilcher.

Chick Hall is standing outside the puib in the photogragh.

Date: 1904

Title: "Sportsmans arms" as a Private residence

Note: I (Ann Lamb) took this photogragh when I went to England in 2000, I so wish now that I had gone up to the door and seen if anyone was home. I would so have loved to look inside this pub / house. The arched window to the right of the picture is in place of a door which I gather would have been into the home part of the pub. Also if you zoom in on the picture you can see the original pattened glass in the lower windows. Also the porch over the front entrance has been removed

File: George,Eliz 1871 census.jpg

Title: Census

Note: Note Lucy GREEN is written as a Niece and in the 1881 census; (found in the events folder) has a Samual GREEN named as a visitor but I tend to think he is probably the brother of Lucy, the age gap between them is only 6 years and I think it would be too much of a coincidence for them to not be related.

Name: George Sims. ^[7]

Born 1839 Wittersham, Kent, England. ^[7]

Residence 1851 Wittersham, Kent, England. ^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S26
2. ↑ Source: #S11
3. ↑ Source: #S11
4. ↑ Info from Ann Lamb
5. ↑ PO Directory 1882/1891/1913 & Dover Express
6. ↑ Source: #S5
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Source: #S-1379919479 Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 1620; Folio: 132; Page: 14; GSU roll: 193521 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=uki1851&h=1594199&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt birth date: 1839 birth place: Wittersham, Kent, England residence date: 1851 residence place: Wittersham, Kent, England Name: George Sims Ancestry Record 8860 #1594199

• Info from Ann Lamb
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=rbarrows&id=I8213
• Source: S10 Repository: #REPO1 Title: 1871 England Census
• Repository: REPO1 Name: www.ancestry.co.uk
• Source: S11 Repository: #REPO1 Title: 1881 England Census
• Source: S16 Title: 1841 England Census
• Source: S17 Repository: #REPO1 Title: 1851 England Census
• Source: S18 Repository: #REPO1 Title: 1861 England Census
• Source: S26 Title: IGI
• Source: S5 Title: Needs Confirming!
• Source: S-1874826525 Repository: #R-1874854790 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=29651471&pid=196
• Repository: R-1874854790 Name: Ancestry.co.uk Address: http://www.Ancestry.co.uk Note:

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Sims-1023 created through the import of Armstrong Family Tree (1).ged on Sep 17, 2011 by Adam Armstrong.
• WikiTree profile Sims-1183 created through the import of Rob-Grant-pruned.ged on Dec 28, 2011 by Robert Grant.
• WikiTree profile Sims-458 created through the import of Ann Lambs feb 2011 gedcom.ged on May 27, 2011 by Ann Sims.
• Source: S-1379919479 1851 England Census Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.Original data - Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851. Data imaged from the National A Note: Record Collection 8860