Percy William Sims (1875 - 1957)

Born 26 Nov 1875 in Canterbury Kent England

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret Alice Owens — married Aug 1897 in West Derby Lancashire England

Descendants

Died 19 Mar 1957 at age 81 in Sydney Australia

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

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 Name: Percy William Sims Registration Year: 1876 Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar Registration district: Bridge Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District Inferred County: Kent Volume: 2a Page: 765

Event

Event: engineer in the Navy

Type: Occ & life history

Date: From 1875 to 1952

Place: England And Australia.

Note: Written by Ethel Ried

Like his elder brother Percy was apprenticed to Mr. Arter and qualified as an engineer; when he was nearly 19. the day after he finished his apprenticeship he started a diary which he continued thought out his life. he tells his own story of personal and working events. He joined the Navy, transferring to the Australian Navy in 1912 serving though out the war.

The first two diaries were jotted in pocket books, but later ones were stiff covered large exercise books and detailed day to day war events he experienced.

The entire collection filled a large shelf in a bookcase. After the deaths of his two daughters, his grand daughters offered them to a museum in Sydney where they are now available for students studying in the first world war.

After he retired in 1930 he bought his wife Maggie on a holiday to England. He had promised he would do so when they first went to Australia and she worked in Broome Park.

They married in August 1897 shortly before he was sent on a three year tour of duty to Australia. His mother had secretly hoped they would delay the marriage until his return. Whilst he was away Maggie stayed at "The Sport mans Arms" and gave birth to thier son Percy Robert (Bob's) in September 1898.

After his transfer to the Australian Navy, the family followed out and thier first home was in Melbourne, later they moved to Sydney which became their permanent home.

After Maggie's death Percy lived with his two daughters, neither of whom married. He had a workshop there and in conjunction with a friend invented and patented some sea going equipment. He was also active in local politics. he became very frail after a road accident and died in March 1957

Event:

Type: Marriage

Date: 1897

Place: West Derby Lancashire

Note: England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1983

Name:Percy William Sims

Year of Registration:1897

Quarter of Registration:Jul-Aug-Sep

District:West Derby

County:Lancashire

Volume:8b

Page:906

Margaret Alice Owens1897Jul-Aug-Sep West Derby Lancashire

Percy William Sims1897Jul-Aug-Sep West Derby Lancashire

Event:

Type: extract of Percy's Diary

Date: 1902

Note: My interpretation of an extract from Percy's Diary: Ann Lamb;

Feb 27: 1902

Percy received a letter saying his mother Elizabeth was ill with cancer.

March 01:

He went home where his brother Frank, George, Albert and Ernest were waiting for him, also his sister Annie, Elizabeth and Edith. Elizabeth was taken to St Thomas Hospital on the Sunday to undergo an operation in the hope of removing the cancer. Percy then returned to Portsmouth the following Monday.

March 08:

Percy received a telegram from Frank to say that Elizabeth had undergone the operation on Friday and so far all was satisfactory.

March 12:

He went to London and her health seemed much improved.

March 30:

Percy went to London and found Elizabeth was failing fast

April 03:

Elizabeth died at 8.30 in the evening in St Thomas Hospital.

April 05:

Percy was given leave and went to Barham meeting frank in London and staying over night with his Aunt (probably Percy's father's sister Ann nee: Sims Gale) returning to Barham the following Sunday morning.

April 08:

At 3 o'clock Elizabeth Sims was buried with her beloved George. Percy received a telegram the same day to say his wife Maggie had given birth to their daughter Gwen born at 5 o'clock.

April 12:

Lizzie married Charles (Chick) Hall and took on the running of "The Sportsman's Arms" with her husband. Lizzie needed to marry Chick very quickly to avoid becoming homeless, as an unmarried woman could not hold tenancy. One can presume Lizzie knew Charles well enough to decide marriage to him would be acceptable he gave her the security of being able to keep the home and she brought expertise to the running of the establishment. The pub had been run by the Sims family for more than 90 years, George Sims talking it from an Uncle upon his marriage to Elizabeth.

Footnotes:

On the 17th of July:

Frank Sims was in Kendal. In Percy's will dated 10th May 1905 he describes frank as Artisan warder HM prison service Liverpool.

On 21 July 1901:

George Sims was in Runcorn.

Percy was probably an engineer on HMS Sultan at the time of his mother's death and based at Portsmouth.

Event:

Type: general information

Note: Title

SIMS PERCY WILLIAM : Date of birth - 26 Nov 1874 : Place of birth - BARHAM ENGLAND : Place of enlistment - SYDNEY : Next of Kin - SIMS MARGARET

Barcode

5218584«tab»Series number

A6769«tab»Series accession number

2002/05135599

Control symbol

SIMS P W

Contents date range

1939 - 1948«tab»Extent«tab»Location

Canberra

Access status

Open«tab»Reason for restriction«tab»Date of decision

4 Feb 2004

Census

Census:

Date: 1911

Place: Hampshire, England

Note: Name Relation Condition/ Yrs married Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born«tab»

SIMS, Percy William Head Married M 35«tab»1876 Artificer Engineer Warrant Officer Kent Barham«tab»

SIMS, Margaret Alice Wife Married 13 years F 35 1876 Lancs Liverpool

SIMS, Percy Robert Son M 12 1899 School Kent Barham«tab»

SIMS, Gwendoline Elizabeth Daughter F«tab»8 1903«tab»Hants Portsmouth«tab»

SIMS, Edith Alice Daughter F 7 1904 Hants Portsmouth

SIMS, Frank Owen Son M 1 1910 Hants Portsmouth

RG number:

RG14«tab»Piece:

5505 «tab»Reference:

RG14PN5505 RD90 SD1 ED27 SN343«tab»

Registration District:

Portsmouth«tab»

Sub District: North End and Buckland«tab»

EnumerationDistrict: 27 «tab»

Parish: Portsmouth«tab»

Address: 16 Burlington Road North End Portsmouth

County:Hampshire