WILLIAM SYMINGTON 1802-1867

Born at Kinnaird 22 March 1802; died from erysipelas on 17 March 1867 at Bacchus Marsh.

Married Eliza Susannah Deas Cunningham [1] 22nd March 1836 at Saint Dunstan Church, Stepney, London.

Eliza died at the Hopetoun Brewery on 8 April 1886.

CHILDREN OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON AND ELIZA CUNNINGHAM

1.  MARY MILLER SYMINGTON  born London 30th December 1836; [2] died 16 February 1864 aged 27 at Bacchus Marsh. Single

2.  ELIZABETH "Eliza" BOWIE SYMINGTON born London 23rd May 1838; [3] died 2 November 1916 at Kingston, South Australia.

Married Thomas Pinkerton 6 August 1860 at Trinity Church, Bacchus Marsh. 

3.  WILLIAM SYMINGTON Brewer born Essex 1st January 1840; [4] died 28th October 1929 at Bacchus Marsh.

Married Annie Hampson Tanner 30 November 1871. [5]

4.  ISABELLA GRACE SYMINGTON born Essex 10th July 1842; [6] died 12 February 1903 at Princetown, Victoria.

Married William Henry Athorn 1866, Bacchus Marsh 

5.  ROBERT GEORGE SYMINGTON born Essex 16th October 1844; [7] died in London in 1847.

6.  MARGARET “Maggie” SYMINGTON [8] born Essex 9th May 1847; [9] died from cardiac disease on 11 December 1914 at the Hospital for the Insane, Beechworth, Victoria. She had been admitted to the Asylum on 12 July 1912 with senile dementia. [10]

Married James Dodemaide 1886 Fitzroy, Victoria. No issue.

OBITUARIES

Bacchus Marsh Express 2 November 1929 page 3

Mr. William Symington.

The oldest of the pioneers of Bacchus Marsh valley, in the person of Mr. William Symington, passed quietly away on Monday last at "Braeside," the home where he had resided for 71 years. Born on New Year's Day, 1840, in Brentwood, Essex, England, Mr. Symington was in his 90th year when he died. He was the only son of William Symington, a Civil Engineer, of London, and was the grandson of William Symington, famous in history for being the inventor of the first steamboat, which was launched on the River Clyde. A model of this historic vessel, and a bust of the inventor, were loaned some years ago to the Public Library or Museum, Melbourne, by the Mr. Symington who has just passed away. The late Mr. Symington accompanied his family to Australia in the year 1855, in the good ship, "John Bright," which was not really a passenger vessel, the family party being privileged to travel by it. Mr. Symington, who was then 15 years of age, landed at Melbourne, where he and his father spent three years, the latter engaged in making equipment for a big brewery at Fitzroy. The father and son then came to Hopetoun, in the eastern end of the Bacchus Marsh valley, where they established a brewery, close to the large flour mill (long since closed) which made the eastern end of the valley the business centre at that time. The Woolpack Inn, flourishing in those days, was also not far away. The brewery was built close beside the coach route, and became a landmark to travellers between Melbourne and the Ballarat goldfields, in fact, it is still a landmark on the Western Highway, though it ceased operations 35 years ago, after brewing for 34 years. Mr. Symington's home was close by. Local demand for the liquor kept the brewery busy, and its products were disposed of by local hotels, without it being necessary to send the brew further afield. In 1871, Mr. Symington married Miss Annie Tanner, 13 years his junior, who survives to mourn his loss. She was the eldest daughter of the late Mrs. Tanner, who used to keep the local Courthouse hotel in the coaching days. At Hopetoun, Mr. and Mrs. Symington raised a family of seven sons and three daughters, seven of whom survive, most of them living in the district. The late Mr. Symington, though never prominent in public affairs, took a keen interest in the doings of the day, including politics, right up to the time of his death. For the past year he had been confined to his bed. but, prior to that, he had enjoyed a life free from any serious illness. He was highly respected by all who knew him. The funeral took place at Maddingley Cemetery on Wednesday, when Rev. R. W. McLean, M.A., officiated at the graveside.

[1] Daughter of George Cunningham, shoemaker, and Mary Miller, christened 29.6.1814 at Moonzie. Died aged 72. Death Notice Bacchus Marsh Express April 10, 1886

[2] Birth registered in the Parish Church, Wapping

[3] Birth registered in the Parish of St. Botolph, Aldgate

[4] Birth registered in the Parish of Dagenham

[5] His sister in law, Margaret Elizabeth Tanner, married John Frederick Lovelock in 1894. He had been a coach driver for Cobb and Co. His first wife, Mary Louisa Parsons, had been the licensee of the Commercial Hotel at Bacchus Marsh.

[6] Birth registered in the Parish of South Weald

[7] Registered in the Parish of St. Georges East London

[8] Described by Nancy Symington as “the wayward one”

[9] Registered in the Parish of St. Johns Hackney

[10] Coroner's Inquest PROV VPRS 24/P0 1914/1036