Susannah Emma Sarkiss (nee Hobbs) (1871 - 1944)

The 1881 Census gives a name of "Susan E" but the 1907 Last Will and Testament of Thomas Hobbs refers to his daughter Susannah Emma Sarkiss. Susannah was born on 4th July 1872 in North Wharf Road, Paddington, London 

She married a ABRAHAM GEORGE SARKISS (born 1871) on 14th July 1898 in the Church of St Mathew, Hammersmith London  (see note 1) Susannah would have been 26 years old at the time of her marriage, a year younger than her husband. On the marriage certificate both are stated to be unmarried with the groom's address being given as 30 Sinclair Road London and his profession, Actor. Susannah's address is just St Mary Paddington London.

The family do appear on the 1901 UK Census but due to a transcription error the surname is given as LARKISS and not SARKISS. Abraham SARKISS age is given as 30 and his place of birth is given as Assonan, EGYPT. Next to the place of birth is the term "foreign subject" His occupation is given as Scavenging Contractors Forman and the residence Paddington, London. He worked for his father in law in the family business. I have been told that Abraham was the son of BOUTROS GEORGE SARKISS and that the family were part of The Christian Coptic Orthodox Church Of Egypt

ABRAHAM GEORGE SARKISS, always proved rather an elusive person when I first began my research but I am slowly piecing together parts of his life. Admittedly it is haphazard but in March 2008 I came across a reference in Reynolds's Newspaper (London, England), dated Sunday, January 10, 1897; Issue 2422 with regard to a court case that was tried at Marlborough Sreet Magistrates Court. The defendant was ABRAHAM GEORGE SARKISS.

Under the title

"A Cheap Supper and a False address"

In June 2009 I came across another fuller report in The Manchester Guardian newspaper dated 14th January 1897.

"AN EGYPTIANS EXPENSIVE DINNERS."

To say I'm puzzled is an understatement. On the evidence produced in Court there is no doubt of Abraham Sarkiss's guilt. It is a straight forward case of fraud and deception, but what is rather more puzzling is the false address he gave. The Hotel Cecil at the time was one of London's most modern and "grandest hotels" - it was obvious that he would be found out so why did he give a false address - was he trying to hide something else?

It did not augur well for the future.

Anyway as far as I can ascertain, there were six children from his marriage to Susannah

• LOUIS THOMAS WILLIAM SARKISS was born in the June 1900 quarter in the district of Paddington London (Created 1st January 1895 (out of Kensington district). Sub-districts : North West Paddington; Paddington Central; Paddington North; Paddington St. Mary; Paddington St. John; Paddington South. GRO volumes : 1a (1889-1930) Page 53). At the time of the 1901 Census he was ten months old

Later on in life he changed his name to THOMAS WILLIAM HOBBS by Deed Poll. I was told that the reason for this change was that Louis though that having a "non-English" surname may prove a hindrance in his career especially in time of war. From what I have been told Louis, Sydney and Gwendoline went to Boarding School in Henfield, Sussex, and that Louis eventually became a tutor at that school

• VICTOR JOHN LEOPOLD PETER SARKISS,  was born in the September 1901 quarter in the district of Paddington, London (GRO volumes : 1a (1889-1930) Page 61). Sadly Victor died two years later. There is an entry in the Paddington Register for December 1903 quarter showing the death of VICTOR ( GRO volumes : 1a Page29)

• EDWARD EVELYN J. SARKISS, was born in the September 1902 quarter in the district of Paddington, London (GRO volumes : 1a (1889-1930) Page 52). Sadly Edward died within a year of being born. There is an entry in the Paddington Register for the September 1903 quarter showing the death of EDWARD ( GRO volumes : 1a Page 9)

It looks as thought the two brothers must have died within months of one another - a common cause?

• GWENDOLINE GEORGINA SARKISS who was born 14th May 1904 in 16 Wharf, North Wharf Road, Paddington, London (GRO volumes : 1a (1889-1930) Page 54). Incidentally her father ABRAHAM SARKISS occupation is given as "Inspector of Works"

I found the following advertisement in TheTimes Classifieds dated Wednesday 11th September 1929. It was in the section "Domestic Help Required" under the heading "Helps and Nurses"

I was informed in September 2007 that the notice was placed in the paper by Gwen who was a Housekeeper/Governess all her life . She lived in the Cuckfield / Haywards Heath area of Sussex in her retirement. She never married and died in 1998.

• JOSEPH SYDNEY SARKISS (1905 - 1990) who was born in the March 1906 quarter but unlike his brothers and sisters he was born in Brighton Sussex. (see note 2 )

SYDNEY is shown in the "England and Wales Civil Registration Death Index : 1984 - 1992  -  SYDNEY died in October 1990 in Surrey Northern District Vol 17 Page 419 at 84 years of age. His date of birth is given as 16th December 1905. There is also an entry in November 1989 for an ANNIE SARKISS who died at the age of 86 (Vol 17 Page 486). Her date of birth is given as 23rd January 1903. In September 2007 I was contacted by a descendent of the couple who informed me that Annie's maiden name was WARREN and that she was born in Trealaw which is near Tonypandy in the Rhondda, South Wales. Annie was living in London at the time of her marriage to Sydney. In 1935 they moved to Feltham in Middlesex and remained in the town for the rest of their lives. Sydney at one time was a journalist on the Feltham Review. They had one daughter

• DAPHNE VIVIEN A SARKISS who was born in the December 1908 quarter in the district of Steyning Sussex  - it is adjacent to Brighton GRO volumes : VII (1837-51); 2b (1852-1930) Page 215. Very little is known about Daphne, but in July 2010 I was contacted by a family member who informed that there was an obituary for Daphne in the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph dated 21st November 2005. This would have made Daphne around 97 years of age when she died.

•  ABRAHAM ABDULLAH SARKISS - known as "Abbie". He was born in Brighton in 1907 but his life seems quite mysterious. The only other reference I have come across is a marriage in 1946 in Manchester, Lancashire. He married an ETHEL EDWARDS (born 10th December 1903 in Warrington, Cheshire). She died in Manchester in 1969, age 66

The obvious inference to draw from this is that at sometime between 1904 and 1906 the family moved to Brighton from Paddington. He had obviously changed occupation - he was no longer a Scavenging Contractors Forman but even I was unprepared for the following.  In  The Times, dated Friday, Sep 25, 1908; pg. 10; Issue 38761; col D reported "A Clairvoyant Fined"

I can find no trace of either Abraham or Susannah SARKISS iin the 1911 Census. However four of their children -  are listed in the census as being pupils in a private school in Henfield Sussex

Enumerator Information
Address Lucton House Henfield Sussex
Parish Henfield Town Henfield Sx
Type of Building Private House
Inhabited Yes
Reference RG14PN5231 RG78PN231 RD80 SD4 ED5 SN41
Administrative County Sussex Registration District Steyning Registration Sub District Steyning Enumeration District 5
Note
In 1870, Edwin Churcher established a private school in Croft Lane at Henfield House, also known as the Lucton School. (The classroom was in what is now Stable Cottage.)

A year later in 1912 Abraham SARKISS "surfaces" again with an appearance at Bow Street Magistrates Court. The Times, Saturday, Dec 14, 1912; pg. 4; Issue 40082; col C reported that ABRAHAM SARKISS was now also known as ABDUL MALAK 

The 1921 UK CENSUS has this entry for Susannah

Name Susannah Emma Sarkiss Gender Female
Nationality Ottoman 
Marital Status Married
Age 49 Years 11 Months
Relation to Head Head
Estimated Birth Year 1871 Birth Place Paddington, London, England
Residence Date 1921 Residence Street Address 28 Sutherland Av, Paddington Residence Place Paddington, London, Middlesex, England
Occupation Not Occupied For A Living Inhabited Y
Ward Harrow Road Parliamentary Division Paddington Pb, North Div.Registration district Paddington Registration District Number 1 Sub registration district Paddington North Sub Registration District Number 1 Enumeration District Name Paddington Mb Enumeration District 26 Schedule 364
Schedule Type Code E Household Members (Name) Age Relationship Susannah Emma Sarkiss 49 Years 11 Months Head

The first point to note is that she puts her nationality as "ottoman" when the fact of the matter is that she was born in Paddington London. The second point of note is that Emma still considers herself a married woman but above the entry she has put "separated by mutual agreement". 
I do not know much about the family after that date. In 1939 the National Register has Susannah living as a Cook at 19 Bristol Gardens London which has the indications of being a lodging house. She is deemed a "widower" The next piece of information is that SUSANNAH SARKISS died in Jan aged 71 years of age and is buried in Kensington and Chelsea, London. 

In June 2010 I did find a record in FREEBMD

Deaths Mar 1923 SARKISS Abraham G Age 62 Kensington Volume 1a page 110.

Further research by a family member revealed that he died at 44 Brunswick Gardens, Kensington, Greater London, London, Middlesex, England on 29th December 1922. Whilst it is definitely Abraham George SARKISS the age is nearly ten years out from the information that is recorded on the Census'. 

This is the probate record for Abraham Sarkiss dated 18th January 1923. His "effects" amounted to £160

Note 1: Created 1st April 1875 out of Kensington district). In Middlesex until 1889. Sub-districts : Fulham; Fulham North East; Fulham North West; Fulham South; Hammersmith; Hammersmith St. Peter; Hammersmith St. Paul; Hammersmith North; Hammersmith South - GRO volumes : 1a Page 613.

Note 2: Created 1st July 1837.Sub-districts : East Brighton; Kemptown; Palace; St. Peter; West Brighton GRO volumes : VII (1837-51); 2b (1852-1930) Page 191.   

Sources

Reynolds's Newspaper (London, England), dated Sunday, January 10, 1897; Issue 2422. 

The Manchester Guardian newspaper dated 14th January 1897

Wikipedia - Hotel Cecil

1901 and 1911 UK 

Census

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This page was last updated on 05/07/25 08:06