Family Group Sheet

Notes: 1862-1873 Brickmaker; 1862-1866 lived Gas Works Lane, Errol village; 1868-1872 (probably until 1876) lived at Errol Brickworks; 1877 Manager of Errol Brickworks and tenant in Bowerview, High Street, Errol where lived until death in 1912; Flesher (Butcher) 1881, 1885; rents Tay salmon fishings 1885, 1886, 1887 & possibly 1891; acquired Bower View from landlord John Bruce 1887; Contractor 1891, 1900; Drainage Contractor 1901; Contractor 1911 when purchases property on Cowgate in public roup; Contractor at death in 1912.

Notes:  Domestic servant living in Errol UP Manse with minister John Lamb and his mother.

References: Census 1861, 1871, 1881

* On birth certificate first name of father ‘James’ scored out and ‘Peter’ written above

Updated 15 Nov 2008 and 13 Dec 2016.

Peter SYMON (9 December 1836 – 17 February 1912) : biographical summary

© 2009 Peter Symon (great-great grandson of the above)

1836    Born 9 December, fourth child (all sons) of David Symon, at that time a linen hand loom weaver, and Elizabeth Kelt. 

1837  Queen Victoria ascends throne; end of Hanoverian succession

1840  Numbers of handloom weavers in Scotland reaches peak of 84,560 from 45,000 around 1790 and will fall to 25,000 by 1850

1841-3 Depression; population of Scotland 2.6 millions has doubled since 1775

1843  Disruption; construction of Errol Free Church

1847  United Secession Church joins with Relief Synod under name of United Presbyterian Church, minister Mr. John Lamb

1848  Depression; political revolutions in continental Europe

1852 Formation of Errol Gaslight Company Limited for supply of coal gas to Village

1855  Sale of land at Fala, Inchcoonans, near Errol, to owner of brick and tile manufacture; Female Industrial School built in Errol Village and opened Feb 1856

1862    June 6, at Errol United Presbyterian church, aged 25 years, marries Margaret Watson BRUCE, born in Errol aged 23 years (born about 1839), daughter of Robert Bruce, weaver, and Janet Allan (deceased), Margaret is a domestic servant living in the 7-roomed U.P. manse in household of Reverend John Lamb, minister of Errol U.P. church, and his mother; Peter’s occupation is recorded on marriage certificate as “brickmaker” and his father David’s as “brick & tile maker foreman” ; Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) acts 1862 to 1868 introduces net and cobble net or sweep net systems of fishing

1863  Daughter born 2 April at Gas Works Lane, Errol; named Elizabeth Kelt Symon after her paternal grandmother, she will marry and move to Falkirk area; Peter’s occupation “brickmaker”

1865  Daughter born 11 July at Gas Works Lane; named Jane Lamb, probably after Reverend John Lamb, minister of Errol United Presbyterian church; her birth certificate records Peter’s occupation as “brickmaker”

1866  Son born 18 November at Gas Works Lane; named David Symon, after his paternal grandfather; Peter’s occupation “brickmaker”

1868  Second son born on 12 July at house at Errol Brickworks; named Peter Symon after his father, whose occupation is “brick maker”

1870  Retiral of Mr Lamb as minister of U.P. congregation

1871    James Scotland ordained minister of United Presbyterian congregation, Errol, 10 January; census records Peter Symon as “brickmaker” living at Errol Brickwork with wife Margret, aged 32, and daughters Elisabeth, aged 8 and Jane L., aged 5 (“scholars”)

1872  Third son born 21 March 1872 at house at Errol Brickworks where Peter is “brickmaker”; named James Simpson Scotland Symon after minister of U.P. church

1873  Son Peter Symon dies aged 4 years and 5 months on January 7 and is buried in Errol burying ground [N.B. headstone records age as 5½ years]; daughter Maggie Melville Goodall Symon born August 9, Peter’s occupation recorded as “brick maker”; first election of Errol School Board under Act of 1872 appoints successor to parochial schoolmaster (and registrar) James Will who retires on pension of £60 p.a.

1877  Valuation roll 1877-78 records Peter Symon, flesher, as tenant and occupier of house [“Bower View”] on north side of Errol High Street, owner John Bruce, 19 York Place, Perth; rent £7 p.a. and feu duty £1 10s payable to Errol Estate; previous years’ Rolls record same owner but various tenants and occupiers and rents under £4 p.a.; Seventh child, and fourth daughter, born 3 December in Errol village; named Jessie Allan Symon, after her maternal grandmother Janet Allen; Peter is described on Jessie’s birth certificate as “manager of Errol brickworks”

1881  Census records Peter Symon, aged 44, “flesher” living in house with 4 windowed rooms on High Street with wife Margaret aged 42 and children Jane (15 yrs), David (14 yrs), James (9 yrs), Margaret (7 yrs) (all of the aforementioned “scholars”) and Jessie (3 yrs); eldest child Elizabeth (aged 18) had probably moved away

1885    Flesher living on High Street, renting house worth £7 p.a. from John Bruce, 19 York Place, Perth, through factor T.R. Kinmont; December 4, with Andrew Strachan, Errol, rents the Scalp fishing for 1886 season, for £62 10s from George Dunn, Newburgh on Tay – in other words, is a Tacksman renting a Fishing; Reform Act

1886    January 10 pays £71 14s 6d (£75 10s less a reduction of 5 per cent) to George Wilson, boxmaster of Glover Incorporation for rent of Needle fishing shot (at east boundary of Errol Parish Fishings) for season 1886 – so in summer 1886 salmon fishing season, is Tacksman of Scalp (with Andrew Strachan) and Needle Fishings (solely)

1887 April 21 disposition of Bowerview by John Bruce, clothier, in favour of Peter Symon and Margaret Watson Bruce Symon; October 28, pays £155 to George Dunn for Scalp and Flisk Point fishings for 1888 season

1887 June 2, James (Scot) Symon and James Symon, son and brother respectively of Peter Symon, and John Logie, all of Errol, were charged in the Sheriff Court at Cupar before Sheriff Henderson with having contravened the Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act, "insofar as on Saturday, the 5th of April, they did fish with nets smaller than the size prescribed by the Act, and did take five whitlings [sic] in an illegal manner. All pled guilty, and Mr Chalmers, who prosecuted on behalf of the Tay Fishery Board, explained that the prisoners had previously fished in the Forth with the same nets, and were unaware that they were doing anything illegal.  He did not press for a heavy penalty.  The Sheriff imposed on each a fine of 1s, with 5s for each of the fish taken, and 35s of expenses, to be divided amongst the three, remarking at the same time that they left the Court without a great stain on their character" ("Poaching in the Tay", local press, 1887).   The nets were forfeited.  

1889  Death of mother Elizabeth Kelt on 11 May aged about 83 years and father David Symon on 17 June aged 85 years; marriage of son David Symon to Mary Knowles on 19 September in Larbert (they will have 8 children of whom 7 survive into adulthood including Peter who will be provost of Falkirk) 

1891  “Contractor” living in [“Bower View”]

1899  Son Scot, aged 27 years, marries Isabella (“Bella”) Bruce, aged 23 years, daughter of John Bruce and Elisabeth Taylor, at Inver Church of Scotland in the Parish of Little Dunkeld;

1900  Death of second oldest daughter Jane on 3 March, aged 34 years, in Errol; Peter, aged 63, is described as “contractor”; Tay Salmon Fishing Company, of Perth, enters fishing market 

1901  Census records “Draining contractor” as Peter Symon’s occupation; older brother James described as “drainer” (worker) aged 66 yrs married living alone lives next door in house with 4 rooms with windows; Peter living with wife Margaret in house on High St with 5 rooms with windows; son James S.S. Symon “drainer” (worker) living with wife Bella & 6 months-old son Peter elsewhere on High St in house with 3 rooms with windows; 3 houses away on High St from James Milne, “drainer” (worker) from Letham, Fife living in house with 2 rooms with windows; Peter’s 65^th birthday on 9 December; Electoral register has no voters with surname Symon in Errol Electoral Division

1910  Wife Margaret Bruce dies aged 71 years on 9 August and is buried in Errol burying ground

1912  February 17, dies aged 75 years, High Street, Errol and is buried in Errol burying ground;  headstone records occupation as “Contractor”; will registered March 22, daughter Jessie Symon given liferent of Bower View and son James Scotland Symon fee including small house or shed at back; Jessie’s dies aged 71 years in 1949; her death certificate records father Peter’s occupation as “Brickworks manager”; Peter leaves household furniture worth £25 (around £1,700 in 2006 prices) and other moveables worth £150 (around £10,200 in 2006 prices), and several houses in Errol village.  (Disposition and settlement by Peter Symon, dated 16th February 1911, reference SC49/32/12 pp 253-254; Inventory recorded 2 March 1912, reference SC49/31/217, pp 443, 445, 446; confirmation dated 5 March 1912, reference SC49/34/69).

The "Threipland's People" Papers in Perth & Kinross Council Archives (MS169) contain an offer dated 16 August 1900 by Peter Symon of £5 for cutting a water track for a water supply for Upper Mains of Kinnaird, at Fingask (MS169/3/2/5(23)):

"Errol 16th Augt. 1900

Mr Johnstone

Fingask

From Peter Symon, Contractor.

         I hereby make offer to cut and fill in water tract on Fingask Estate for the sum of 5d. per yard, 3/. per yard extra price for rock cutting. 

For digging two tanks, and levelling ground around same. £5.  "

The offer was accepted per a letter to Johnstone 11th & letter from him 19th October 1900.

One of Peter Symon's business activities was to take leases of various orchards in the Carse of Gowrie.  These orchards were let out each year by auction in an annual "sale" held in the Errol Arms Hotel (the present-day Dalgleish House).  Peter bid successfully for two orchards - Flatfield and Newfarm - at the "Annual Sale of Fruit" held by auction at Errol Hotel on Friday 11 August 1893 (Dundee Courier, Saturday, 12 August 1893, 7A).  In 1902 the sale was held on Thursday 21 August and reported in the Courier the following day.   In 1902 Peter had the lease of three orchards.  Two of these were small: Newfarm, and Croft, Errol (both "let privately" with no rent reported; the 1901 rent of Newfarm had been just £4).  Peter also had the lease of "the extensive orchard at Pitfour Castle".   There had been a "great fall in rents" compared with those achieved in 1901, the paper remarking that "It wil require a lot of sunshine to make the orchards pay even at the small rents".  The orchard at Monorgan was rented in 1902 for £15 compared with £61 in 1901.   Seaside orchard was let in 1902 for £102 compared with £121 in 1901.  Bogmill was down to £6 from £13, Flatfield down to £17 10s from £50 10s and Mr Galloway's orchard to £1 5s from £6.  There were no offers for Mrs Benvie's orchard.   Offers of £5 for Inchyra and £23 for Port Allen orchards were not accepted, having been let at £13 and £65 respectively in 1901. 

The orchard fruits (pears, apples, and some plums) would be picked by family members and women and children from the village and countryside, and transported by train from Errol Station to fruit markets in Dundee and Perth.  One of the fruit merchants with whom the family carried on business was James Crammond, Perth. 

Peter was a keen poultry breeder, a hobby he pursued while residing at the Errol Brick Works. He showed Spanish cocks and hens, enjoying a rivalry with Errol school master (and Registrar and Inspector of the Poor), James Will, taking first prize for a 13 months Spanish Cock while Will's 15 months Cock took second prize, in the Cupar show of the Scottish Midland Agricultural Association on Tuesday 12 July 1870.  Peter also took second prize for his 2 Spanish Hens (Perthshire Advertiser, 14 July 1870, 2C). 

Peter Symon was on the committee of the Errol Highland Games, held annually on Errol Race Day (the last Wednesday in July).  He is listed as a committee member in the report of the 1901 Games in the Courier (Thursday 25 July 1901, "Errol Highland Games", p.6), which had a "record attendance" of about 3,000 people, "due to the large number of Dundonians who attended the sports" during the Dundee trades holiday week.  The Games took place that year on a park granted by Mr Anderson, Errol Arms Hotel. 

Curling was a regular pasttime in winter.  Peter and his son Scot would both be members of Errol and Murie curling club, later renamed Errol curling club after the move to a new pond and bothy a few hundred yards out the "Plantin' Side" on the road to St Madoes.  Soon after opening the pond, a tarmac rink was created, which doubled as tennis courts in the summer months. 

The second daughter of Peter and Margaret Symon.  Went missing in February 1883, aged 17 years.  An advertisement was placed in the Public Notices column of the Evening Telegraph (Dundee), on Thursday, 15 February 1883, on the front page.  It read:

"JEANNIE LAMB SYMON left her Home on Monday Night ; aged about 17 years.  Dark Brown Hair ; Height, about 5 ft. 2 in. ; wearing Navy Blue Serge Dress, Striped Wincey Petticoat, Elastic-Sided Boots, and a Blue Boa.  She had nothing on her head.  Information will be thankfully received by Peter Symon, High Street, Errol."

Jeannie must have returned home or been found, but she never married and did not have any children.  She died at home in Bower View, High Street, Errol, on Saturday 3 March 1900, of gangrene, after a wound became infected, aged 34 years.  She was buried in Errol burial ground in the family lair on Tuesday 6 March 1900 (death notice, Courier, 5 March 1900, p.8).