Ambulance driver, Medical Corps

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Sandy Ratcliffe, Jul 14, 2021.

  1. I am trying to trace details about a Tommy Symonds (spelling may not be correct). I have been told he was an ambulance driver ( so assuming Medical Corps) and that he died abroad WW2.
    He was a dance teacher and was known to be living in Great Yarmouth around 1933. It is possible he may have originally come from Kent.
    Thank you for any help
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Hello Sandy
    Where are you getting the details from?
    Symonds?
    Simmons?
    Simons
    Simmonds
    Have a look through Geoffs search engine using the variations
    regard
    Clive
     
  3. Hi Clive
    The information comes from his son, Kenneth Fish now 88, as told to him by his grandmother. Think spelling is Symonds as Kenneth saw solicitors letter. His mother wasn’t married to his Father.
    Would love to find out any information to be able to tell Ken but this is all we have. Have searched Ancestry websites with no luck.
    Sandy
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Hello Sandy
    There re 60 Symonds who come up on Geoffs search engine but none are RAMC also none have intital T for Thomas
    Is it possible there was an excuse by telling the story of his death to save family embarrassment and Kenneths father moved on with his life.

    regards
    Clive
     
  5. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Last edited: Jul 18, 2021
    AB64 and Historic Steve like this.
  6. Thank you Clive and dbf
    I understand the arrangement for the illegitimate baby ( Kenneth) in 1933 was £ 35 for Tommy to have no further responsibility for his son so doesn’t seem as if there was any reason to make up his death. Kenneth or his mother never had any contact with him so not sure how they knew of his death
    Sandy
     
  7. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    My suggestion would be to find out as much about Kenneth's mother as you can since she presumably knew or lived near Tommy in 1933. It's a long shot but what was her full name, dob and address at that time? Is Kenneth's middle initial T?
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2021
    BFBSM and CL1 like this.
  8. Hello Tony
    Thank you for your reply.
    The mother of Kenneth was Florence May Fish born 24 October 1913 in Great Yarmouth, her parents were William Fish and Florence Powles.
    After the birth of Kenneth she married Arthur Harry Bentley in 1937,he died in 1939 of TB.
    Kenneth was evacuated from the age of 5 to 12, so he hardly knew his mother.
    On his return to Great Yarmouth Kenneth lived with his mum, grandmother and uncle. Not sure of road.
    Tragically Florence ( his mum) was murdered by a boyfriend in the guest house where she worked in 1948.
    Yes his middle initial is T.
    Sandy
     
  9. Address could have been Albany Rd Great Yarmouth.
    At the time of his mother’s murder they lived in Runham Vauxhall Great Yarmouth
     
  10. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    Would Tommy have advertised his teaching service in the local papers or maybe he worked at Dance Hall who mention his name in their ads. If so the local paper may help.

    Is there any chance Kenneth remembers or knows the name of the of the solicitors or the families solicitors & if so maybe they still exist in the town.
     
  11. Thank you for your reply travers.
    From what Kenneth has told me I believe Tommy was a dance teacher in one of the local hotels. Not sure if he was a teacher in the sense we would think or was employed by one of the hotels to partner ladies on the dance floor? I’m guessing here but Florence was from a poor background and wouldn’t have been able to afford formal lessons. seeing photos of her and also according to Kenneth she was stunning and looked older than her years which makes me think Tommy would have been older than her.
    Kenneth did have the letter from the solicitor which set out the terms of the settlement around his birth but has misplaced it and doesn’t know which solicitor it was.
    Sandy
     
  12. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    I think you have it there, as Great Yarmouth was one of the main seaside resorts in the 1930's in does seem more possible he was employed by a local hotel to partner ladies on the dance floor.

    Although without the original doc the solicitor seems a closed lead, I wonder if the Fish family continued to use that solicitor they had trusted with such a delicate matter for all of their wills etc in later years.

    Travers
     
  13. Thank you Travers for your reply.
    That is a good call re the solicitor I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll ask Kenneth.
    Sandy
     

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