Sinnett Smith's from Sheffield in Egypt

[mildura]

Hi Community

I was wondering if anybody could help me and point me in the right direction, as I am unfamiliar with tracing roots in the UK. I'm lookinf for information on the Sinnett Smiths. From what I could find out, the family started adding Sinnett to the Smith name in my great grandfather's generation. Sometimes Sinnett is used as a second name, sometimes part of the surname, written with and without a hyphen.

My great grandfather was Percy Sinnett Smith (about 1852 - late 1890s) , apparently born in Sheffield. My mom gave me his birth and death dates (no paper docs unfortunately). His birth certificate is missing and I can't find a trace of his birth in the BMDs. However, my grandfather's marriage certificate includes a remark, that his claim to citizanship is his father being born in Sheffield.

He emigrated to Alexandria, Egypt where he met Eugenie Jorelle, his wife. She was French. I can't find any records of their marriage however. The only thing I found on the internet was a Percy Sinnett Smith who "may" be married to a Stephanie Jorelle. I don't have any data on these two women and they are pretty elusive. I only know Eugenie/Stephanie was still alive when my mother was born (1924) and for a while thereafter. However my mother and her parents had no contact with my great grandmother Jorelle, due to a fight between her and my grandmother.

Percy and Eugenie had five children, all born in Alexandria, Egypt:
James, my grandfather (1887 - 1947)
Ethel m. to William A. Wright June 1920), lived and died young in England, children Enid (1822) and Ida (1925)
Henriette m. to a nameless Syrian, had a nameless daughter, b. on 23. March (around 1900)
James (d. 1946), m. with ?, died in Alexandria, Egypt
Arthur (1894 - 1959), married w. died in Hackney, England

James, my grandfather, m. to Elisabetta Maria de Mattia (I), children were Percy (1920), Daisy m. Keysell (19?), Dolly (1924).

Dolly is my mother, m. to Hermann Wechsler (A) (1925- 2008).

I also came accross two further Sinnett Smiths Elizabeth and Margaret, however don't know how or if they are connected to the family.

Thanks for any pointer in the right direction.

Mildura

[ShaunJ]

Might Percy be this Percy Alfred Sinnett Smith ?  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/MYYL-SS2/p1

[ShaunJ]

There was also a Captain William Richard Sinnett-Smith
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=7&CATID=-1951643&j=1

[mildura]

Thanks Shaun

It does help indeed. Capt. William Smith is indeed a brother of my grandfather. I made a mistake in listing the siblings of James Sinnett Smith. Percy Alfred could very well be my great grandfather, in particular if his father's name is William. We have Williams and James in every generation I've come across. The Percy's however died out with my uncle in 2004.

Thanks a lot for helping in the search. It didn't enter my mind looking his name up in Italy!

Take care
Mildura

[micla]

Hi!
I have been looking for Arthur Sinnett-Smith (Alexandria).
I haven't found a birth certificate (I was told the date of his birth was 1893 in Alexandria, he died in 1959), but only some information about his brothers William and James. I didn't know anything about other sisters and brothers.
I also found out about James children and some of his grand-children.

micla

[mildura]

Hi, I am James grandchild. He was married to Elizabeth de Mattia and my mother was their youngest child. According to my mother and research, this is what the family tree looks like:

Percy A. (?) Sinnett-Smith
   - Stefanie Jorelle
     ... Harriette or Henriette Sinnett-Smith, married, two daughters (Marie / Antionette)
     ... Ethel Sinnett-Smith, m. to William A. Wrigth, two daughters (Enid / Ida)
     ... Arthur Sinnett-Smith, m. to Elizabeth Veneziano
     ... William Sinnett-Smith, m. to Brenda Klingbeil
     ... James Sinnett-Smith, m. to Elizabeth Maria de Mattia, one son two daughters (Percy/two
         daughters still living)

Percy and Stefanie were married in Alexandria, Egypt. All five children were born in Alexandria. Stefanie was the daughter of a French diplomat, most probably Ange Jorelle (not confirmed).

Harriette married a wealthy Syrian, who squandered his inheritance and died impoverished. No information to the whereabouts of the wife and daughters.

Ethel married in 1920 and moved to England. She died young of blood poisoning after cutting herself, when opening a can.

William died at the end of WWII. No further information. He married his wife shortly before his death in Cairo.

Arthur left for England at a fairly young age. He married his wife in Alexandria, Egypt and left her in 1951.

James married Elizabeth. After a fight with her mother-in-law, James and Elizabeth cut the ties to the Sinnett-Smiths. My mother grew up without knowing her aunts/uncles or cousins, although they live in the vicinity. She met one of Harriette's/Henriette's daughters as a grown-up. The cousin was about 15-20 years older than she. So she says. James died suddenly in 1947. The rest of the family left Egypt for England in the late 1950's. Only my parents moved from country to country, never really settling down.

This is all I know. I would be happy, if you had some information to share, as I would really like to find out more about this part of my family.

Mildura

[micla]

Thank you for all the details, I found some information on the National Archives. I was wondering if you knew anything about Daisy's and Percy's children, your cousins (?).
I have been told only few things, some memories, but very confused. I can tell you though that Arthur married in Alexandria in 1919 with an Italian girl, from whom he divorced in 1938. They had a daughter, who is my grandmother. After he left Egypt my grandmother never heard from him again.
micla

[mildura]

Hi, I sent you a message via roots chat. I will be happy to help you further with your inquiries on a personal basis, as we are now talking about living persons.

Thanks for understanding,.
Mildura

[tisted]

Thank you for all the details, I found some information on the National Archives. I was wondering if you knew anything about Daisy's and Percy's children, your cousins (?).
I have been told only few things, some memories, but very confused. I can tell you though that Arthur married in Alexandria in 1919 with an Italian girl, from whom he divorced in 1938. They had a daughter, who is my grandmother. After he left Egypt my grandmother never heard from him again.
micla

HI
     We lived with Arthur-Sinnett- Smith from 1951 until his death in 1959,and have information which would be of interest to you

      Tisted