Person    | Male  Born 1840  Died 29/4/1924

Sydney Simmons

From Parish of Frien Barnet: "... born in Okehampton, Devon ... made a fortune from a patent carpet cleaning process. By 1891, Sydney and his wife Annie were living in Friern Barnet at their house Okehampton in Friern Park (its site now occupied by the flats of Okehampton Close). His generosity to the people of Friern Barnet in paying for the purchase of The Friary Estate to become a public park {Friary Park}, was matched by like generosity to the people of his birthplace. ... churchwarden of St James’s Church and, for a time, chairman of Friern Barnet Urban District Council, as well as being a Justice of the Peace. He was the founder and president of Friary Park bowling club and patron of the Scouts."

Founder of the Patent Steam Carpet Beating Company Ltd. Good friends with Sir William Treloar. Simmons' wife, Annie, died in 1935.

Our colleague Andrew Behan also writes that Sydney Simmons was born in 1840 in Okehampton, Devon, the youngest of the seven children of Thomas Simmons (1799-1848) and Elizabeth Simmons née Abbott (1800-1886). When the 1841 census was taken on 6 June 1841 he was shown as aged 8 months, living in Water Lane, Okehampton with his parents and his brother Thomas John Nicholas Simmons (1824-1870), together with two female domestic servants. His father was described as a printer. Two of his five other siblings had died before he was born: Sydney Simmons (1831-1837 and Ellen Simmons (1835-1837), whilst the other three were: Elizabeth Ann Abbott Simmons (1825-1908); Mary Ann Simmons (1827-1895) and Sophia Simmons (1829-1869).

In the 1851 census he is shown as a 10 year-old scholar, living in Church End, Friskney, Boston, Lincolnshire, with his married sister Elizabeth Ann Abbott Johnson, her husband William Joseph Johnson (1830-1893) who was the Master of the Parochial Church of England School, their son William Thomas Johnson (1850-1932), together with a female house servant. 

He was described as a draper's assistant in the 1861 census residing in Bedford Street, Plymouth, Devon, in a property with four other male draper's assistants, five male apprentices, two male draper's clerks, a male apprentice clerk, five female draper's assistants, one female millinery assistant and one female apprentice draper, together with a housekeeper, a cook and two housemaids.

On 18 March 1871 he married Martha Weatherall (1843-1875) in St John's Church, 18 Railway Street, Chatham, Kent. The 1871 census shows him as a carpet agent living at 267 Stanhope Street, St Pancras, London, with his wife and a male lodger. The death of his wife was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1875 in the Edmonton registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London).

He married Annie Goodridge (1859-1935) on 20 September 1879 in Holy Trinity Church, Haverstock Hill, Middlesex (now Greater London), where in the marriage register he is described as a widower and a steam carpet beater residing 59 Clarence Road, Haverstock Hill, whilst his wife was shown as a spinster living in Maitland Park, Haverstock Hill.

Both he and his wife are shown living at 86 St Augustine's Road, Kentish Town, Middlesex (now Greater London) in the 1881 census, together with a cook and a housemaid. He was described as a partner in a carpet beating works.

He was listed as a carpet cleaner in the 1891 census living in a house called 'Okehampton' in Friern Barnet, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his wife and two female domestic servants and in the 1901 census he continued to be described as a carpet cleaner, living in the same property with his wife, a cook and a parlour-maid.

When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as the managing director of the Patent Steam Carpet Beating Company Limited and that he was living in the eleven roomed property, Okehampton', Friern Park, North Finchley, London, N., together with his wife and two female domestic servants.

His death was registered, aged 83 years, in the 2nd quarter  of 1924 in the Barnet registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London) and probate records confirm that he died on 29 April 1924, that his address remained as  Okehampton', Friern Park, Friern Barnet, Middlesex. Probate was granted on 15 August 1924 jointly to: his widow; James Piper gentleman; Brendon Ball Newcombe retired Major H.M. army and Wallace Rice Harvey company secretary. His effects totalled £144,333-0s-3d.

His Wikipedia page and the Okehampton Town Council website give much information about this man who is also commemorated in All Saints Churchyard, Church Path, Okehampton, EX20 1LE.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Sydney Simmons

Commemorated ati

Friary House

Friary House Friary Park opened to the public on Saturday 7th May 1910 after ...

Read More

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Sydney Simmons

Creations i

Queen Victoria as Peace

An information panel was erected in front of the statue by the Mayor of Barne...

Read More

Other Subjects

Richard Rieser

Richard Rieser

From World of Inclusion: "Richard Rieser is the managing director of World of Inclusion Ltd and is an expert disabled international equality trainer, consultant, film maker and writer and teacher."...

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial
Queen Victoria's Kensington subjects

Queen Victoria's Kensington subjects

"... her loyal Kensington subjects" which probably means some of the wealthy people who lived in Kensington.

Group, Benefactor

1 memorial
John Wylde

John Wylde

Renter Warden of the Innholders, 1920 - 21.

Person, Benefactor, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Saracen's Head

Saracen's Head

EC1, Snow Hill, Police Station

This rather attractive building, designed as a Police Station by Sydney Perks, was erected in 1926. The foundation stone is to the right ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
William Pilkington

William Pilkington

Role on the lost expedition: Royal marine on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Steelyard, Stilliarde or Stalhof

Steelyard, Stilliarde or Stalhof

The Hanseatic League was a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and their market towns dominated trade along the coasts of Northern Europe, from the 13th to the 17th century. T...

Place, Commerce, Germany

2 memorials
Robert Seaward

Robert Seaward

NW3, Haverstock Hill, Belsize Park tube station

We can find no information about the "facilities" behind this green door. Can someone help?

1 subject commemorated
Edward Geoffrey Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby

Edward Geoffrey Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby

Tory politician. Born at Knowsley Park, Lancashire. Overcame his early boisterous jollity and three times became Prime Minister, each time a coalition caretaker between the giants: Peel and Gladsto...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

6 memorials