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 (1870  -   ) 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

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. Under the title "A Cheap Supper and a False address" The defendant was ABRAHAM GEORGE SARKISS.

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 L. P. 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 Paddington, London (GRO volumes : 1a (1889-1930) Page 54).

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.

•  ABRAHAM ABDULLAH SARKISS - known as "Abbie" but no further details known

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"

Four years later in 1912 Abraham is appearing in 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 

I do not know much about the family after that date beyond the fact that SUSANNAH SARKISS died in Jan/Feb 1944 aged 71 years of age. If anyone can add any further information please let me know

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This page was last updated on 20/03/08 15:07

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. 

Wikipedia - Hotel Cecil