Simeon Henry ABRAHAM

1854 - 1913  (58 years)

• Name	Simeon Henry ABRAHAM
  Birth	20 Nov 1854	St Pancras, London, England   [1, 2]
  	Address: 32 Mornington Place, Hampstead Road, St Pancras
  Gender	Male
  Census	7 Apr 1861	Marylebone, London, England   [3]
  	Age: 6y
  	Relation to Head of House: Son As Braham
  Census	2 Apr 1871	Clerkenwell, London, England   [4]
  	Age: 17y
  	Address: 34 Claremont Square, St James, Clerkenwell
  	Relation to Head of House: Son Comm'l Clerk As Sydney H Braham
  Occupation	2 Apr 1871	Clerkenwell, London, England
  	Commercial Clerk
  	Age: 17y
  Court Case	28 Feb 1879	Morpeth, Northumberland, England   [5]
  	Sydney Henry charged with Assault on Morpeth Mayor
  Census	3 Apr 1881	Grantham, Lincolnshire, England   [6]
  	Age: 26y
  	Address: Mid Lent Fair
  	Relation to Head of House: Head Showman, Conjurer As Sydney Braham
  Court Case	17 Dec 1890	Burton-on-Trent, England   [7]
  	Sydney Henry, manager of Bostock's Menagerie, charged with cruelty to a horse.
  Newpspaper Entry	16 Feb 1891	Bristol, Somerset, England   [8]
  	Interviewed as part of an article on Van Dwellers. Manager of Bostock's No. 2 Menagerie at the time.
  Census	5 Apr 1891	Milverton, Somerset, England   [9]
  	Age: 36y
  	Address: Dulton Field, Milverton, Somerset
  	Relation to Head of House: Head Showman as Sidney Braham
  Occupation	5 Apr 1891	Milverton, Somerset, England
  	Showman
  	Age: 36y
  Miscellaneous	20 Feb 1896	Dalton Junction, County Durham, England   [10]
  	Present in a photograph taken at a menageries sale at Dalton Junction. From Hamlyn's Mangerie Magazine
  Court Case	6 Jul 1896	Edinburgh, Scotland   [11]
  	In court case regarding an incident which occured 29 Apr 1895. He was manager of E H Bostock's menagerie Case was against Bostocks and it involved an elephant and a horse. Case adjourned.
  Miscellaneous	25 Sep 1897	Westport, Mayo, Ireland   [12]
  	Tuam Herald Lion keeper in Braham's Menagerier injured
  Miscellaneous	27 Aug 1898	Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire, England   [13]
  	Note in 'The Showman World' column of the The Era
  Miscellaneous	9 Sep 1898	Meath, Ireland   [14]
  	Adverts for Braham's Great American Menagerie List of animals
  Miscellaneous	22 Nov 1898	Drumcondra, Ireland   [15]
  Miscellaneous	4 Nov 1899	Meath, Ireland   [16]
  	Advert for Braham's Menagerie
  Newpspaper Entry	30 Dec 1899	Belfast, Northern Ireland   [17]
  	Brief entry in 'The Era' saying that Sidney Brahams Mammoth Menagerie was at the Christmas Carnival
  Miscellaneous	21 May 1900	Dundee, Scotland   [18]
  	Address: Greenmarket
  	Comment about the menagerie, immediately followed by comment from residents regarding the wild beast show near where they lived.
  Newpspaper Entry	5 Jan 1901	Edinburgh, Scotland   [19]
  	Sydney Braham's premier menagerie
  Census	31 Mar 1901	Kirkmabreck, Scotland   [20]
  	Age: 46y
  	Address: Adamson Square
  	Menagerie Proprieter 6 labourers incl Ezra McKenzie
  Occupation	31 Mar 1901	Kirkmabreck, Scotland
  	Menagerie Manager
  	Age: 46y
  Court Case	29 Oct 1902	West Hartlepool, Durham, England   [21]
  	Address: Market Yard, Lynn Street
  	Bankruptcy Lists debts and assets
  Census	2 Apr 1911	Radcliffe Bridge, Lancashire, England   [22]
  	Age: 57y
  	Address: Wakes Ground
  	Showman
  Name	Sydney Henry Braham
  Reference Number	BR 0042aP
  Reference Number	BR-J
  Death	28 Aug 1913	Shanagary, Eire   [23, 24, 25]
  	Age: 58y
  Burial	30 Aug 1913	Cloyne, Eire   [26]
  	Age: 58y
  	Address: St. Colman's Cathedral
  Person ID	I209	Simpson
  Last Modified	15 Aug 2022

  
  

  Father	Lewis Michael ABRAHAM,   b. Abt 1828, Plymouth, Devon, England d. 27 Dec 1897, Walworth, London, England (Age 69 years)
  Mother	Hannah JACOBS,   b. Between 1823 and 1826, St James West, London, England d. 9 Jul 1870, Clerkenwell, London, England (Age 47 years)
  Marriage	18 Feb 1852	London, England   [27]
  	Address: New Synagogue
  	Married in the New Synagogue according to the rites and ceremonies of the German & Polish Jews Parish of Great St Helens, London Looked in Jewish Chronicle Feb 1852 for marriage of Lewis M Abraham and Hannah Jacobs, but no BMDs at this time.
  Family ID	F105	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth Ann MCKENZIE,   b. 3 Jan 1855, Hoyland, Yorkshire, England d. May 1944, Wallasey, Cheshire, England (Age 89 years)
  Marriage	17 Jul 1879	Glasgow, Scotland   [28]
  	Address: 62 Waterloo Street
  	He: 8 Broad St, Glasgow She: Vinegar Hill, Camlachie, Glasgow Marriage took place at 62 Waterloo St.
  Children	1. Herbert BRAHAM   2. Lewis de Francis BRAHAM,   b. 30 Jul 1880, Exhibition, Cattle Market, Kilmarnock, Scotland d. Abt 1881 (Age 0 years)   3. Sydney Henry BRAHAM,   b. 24 May 1881, Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, England d. 25 May 1881, Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, England (Age 0 years) + 4. Sydney Lewis BRAHAM,   b. 30 May 1882, Market Park, Kinross, Scotland d. 15 Jul 1961, Bridgend, Glamorgan, Wales (Age 79 years) + 5. Arthur Henry BRAHAM,   b. 16 Sep 1884, West Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire, England d. 21 May 1960, Wythenshawe, Manchester, Lancashire, England (Age 75 years)   6. George Albert BRAHAM,   b. 29 Oct 1886, Leicester Area, England d. 20 May 1954, Wallasey, Cheshire, England (Age 67 years) + 7. Annie BRAHAM,   b. 26 Jan 1888, Westoe, South Shields, England d. 6 Nov 1948, New Brighton, Wallasey, Cheshire, England (Age 60 years)   8. Edward Francis BRAHAM,   b. 11 Oct 1890, Dundee, Scotland d. Between Jan 1891 and Mar 1891, Norwich, Norfolk, England (Age 0 years)
  Family ID	F63	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	8 Mar 2020

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - Address: 32 Mornington Place, Hampstead Road, St Pancras - 20 Nov 1854 - St Pancras, London, England Census - Age: 6y - 7 Apr 1861 - Marylebone, London, England Census - Age: 17y,Address: 34 Claremont Square, St James, Clerkenwell - 2 Apr 1871 - Clerkenwell, London, England Occupation - Commercial Clerk,Age: 17y - 2 Apr 1871 - Clerkenwell, London, England Court Case - 28 Feb 1879 - Morpeth, Northumberland, England Marriage - Address: 62 Waterloo Street - 17 Jul 1879 - Glasgow, Scotland Census - Age: 26y,Address: Mid Lent Fair - 3 Apr 1881 - Grantham, Lincolnshire, England Court Case - 17 Dec 1890 - Burton-on-Trent, England Newpspaper Entry - 16 Feb 1891 - Bristol, Somerset, England Census - Age: 36y,Address: Dulton Field, Milverton, Somerset - 5 Apr 1891 - Milverton, Somerset, England Occupation - Showman,Age: 36y - 5 Apr 1891 - Milverton, Somerset, England Miscellaneous - 20 Feb 1896 - Dalton Junction, County Durham, England Court Case - 6 Jul 1896 - Edinburgh, Scotland Miscellaneous - 25 Sep 1897 - Westport, Mayo, Ireland Miscellaneous - 27 Aug 1898 - Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire, England Miscellaneous - 9 Sep 1898 - Meath, Ireland Miscellaneous - 22 Nov 1898 - Drumcondra, Ireland Miscellaneous - 4 Nov 1899 - Meath, Ireland Newpspaper Entry - 30 Dec 1899 - Belfast, Northern Ireland Miscellaneous - Address: Greenmarket - 21 May 1900 - Dundee, Scotland Newpspaper Entry - 5 Jan 1901 - Edinburgh, Scotland Census - Age: 46y,Address: Adamson Square - 31 Mar 1901 - Kirkmabreck, Scotland Occupation - Menagerie Manager,Age: 46y - 31 Mar 1901 - Kirkmabreck, Scotland Court Case - Address: Market Yard, Lynn Street - 29 Oct 1902 - West Hartlepool, Durham, England Census - Age: 57y,Address: Wakes Ground - 2 Apr 1911 - Radcliffe Bridge, Lancashire, England Death - Age: 58y - 28 Aug 1913 - Shanagary, Eire Burial - Age: 58y,Address: St. Colman's Cathedral - 30 Aug 1913 - Cloyne, Eire  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		HamlynsMenagerieMagazine This copy of the photograph is from The National Archives and is not for publication on the website. Reference: COPY 1/424/3 Description: 'Photograph entitled: 'Group of buyers at the sale of Bostock's Menagerie at Dalton Junction, 20th [February 1896]'. Copyright owner of work: James Worthington, 34 Lansdown Place, Lewes. Trading as A M Bliss…
  		Photo - Braham Family Group
  		Photo - Sydney Henry Obit (1913)

  
  

• Notes

  Born as Simeon Henry Abraham 1879 - Printer Compositor (Journeyman) - Marriage Certificate 1880 - Exhibitor - Lewis de Francis' Birth Certificate 1881 - Showman and Conjurer - Census 1882 - Travelling Exhibitor of Birds - Sidney Lewis' Birth Certificate 1890 - Menagerie Manager - Edward Francis' Birth Certificate 1897 - Believe he started own menagerie about this time - see 1902 Bankruptcy Age 24 at Marriage Was driving his wagon in Ireland when the shaft pin broke, he was thrown to the ground and the wagon went over him, killing him. His History On his marriage certificate: he gives his father as Lewis Braham, Clothier he names his mother as Annie Braham nee Stevens - deceased. In the censuses (1881, 1891, 1901) he is pretty consistent: DOB calculates out to 1855 Place of Birth: London (1881), London-Hampstead(1891), England (1901) I have never been able to find a birth for him - either as Sydney H Braham or Abraham. I can find no record of a Lewis (A)Braham marrying an Annie Stevens at the right time for his birth. This leaves me very few possibilities: 1. He lied on his marriage certificate 2. The marriage cert was mis-transcribed - unlikely because I saw the original at Edinburgh 3. He was adopted by Lewis Braham & Annie Stevens - still unlikely because I haven't found Lewis and Annie marrying. 4. There is another family of Brahams:- Lewis Michael Abraham married Hannah Jacobs in 1852 They had 4 children that I know of. Simeon Henry was born in November 1854 in London In 1871 Lewis Michael is now calling himself, and the children, Braham He is a widower, so Hannah Jacobs has died by this time. (Between 1860 and 1871) Simeon Henry is now listed as Sydney Henry It is possible that: a) Lewis remarried after Hannah's death, to Annie Stevens and Sydney adopted her as mother. However, Lewis Michael is still listed as Widower. b) Sydney Henry 'anglicised' his mother's maiden name According to my mother: The family name was changed from Abraham to Braham because Lewis married out of the faith. Hannah Jacobs sounds Jewish, Annie Stevens doesn't. [This now seems unlikely because when Hannah died she was called Braham, so the name change took place before July 1870]. [29] Burial He was buried on 30th August 1913 Cloyne Cemetary, Cloyne, Co Cork Reverend Mr Duncan, Rector of Ballycotton Marriage By Declaration =================== In Scotland Marriage by Declaration was once quite common and remained legal and valid until 1939. All that was required was that the couple declare their intentions before two witnesses. The problem with Marriage by Declaration was that occasionally there were misunderstandings and deceptions that proved messy. Issues of sobriety at the time of the declaration as well as possibility of misunderstandings about whether the declaration was of betrothal or actual marriage could put the relationship in doubt, lacking reliable witnesses. Since the transaction was informal and unrecorded it could be difficult to prove the legitimacy of offspring and rights of inheritance if either party abandoned the relationship. Eligibility to marry could be cast in doubt if a previous marriage was alleged but could not be proved. The old practice of English couples running off to Gretna Green at the Scottish boarder to be married by the blacksmith, under the more expedient Scottish law presents an exciting and romantic scenario. Gretna Green is still a very popular wedding destination but nowadays prior notice must be filed with the local registrar

  
  

• Sources

  [S142] Birth Cert - Abraham, Simeon Henry, 1 Jan 1980. [S3242] BMD - Birth Index, 20 Jan 2017, 1854 OND St. Pancras 1b 25. GRO Checked [S167] 1861 Census - RG 9/0068 F113 P10 - Abraham, Lewis Michael, 1 Jan 1980. [S86] 1871 Census - RG 10/0392 F012 P17 - Braham, Lewis, 1 Jan 1980. [S1162] Sydney Henry Braham - Charged with assault on Morpeth Mayor, 2 Feb 2013. [S50] 1881 Census - RG 11/3231 F024 P42 - Braham, Sydney Henry, 1 Jan 1980. [S1166] Newspaper Cutting - Braham, Sydney - Charged with cruelty to a horse, 2 Feb 2013. [S1352] The Bristol Mercury - Sydney H Braham, 1 Feb 2016. Article sent to me by Anthony Braham - Oct 2014 [S97] 1891 Census - RG 12/1870 F067 P19 - Braham, Sydney, 1 Jan 1980. [S1217] Menagerie Sale, 26 Oct 2014. Originbal information came from Anthony Braham [S1159] Court Case - Sydney Braham - Elephant, 2 Feb 2013. [S1160] Newspaper Cutting - Braham, Sydney - Lion Keeper injured, 2 Feb 2013. Cutting sent in by Anthony Braham [S1172] Braham's Menagerie - The Era 1898, 2 Feb 2013. [S1163] Braham's Menagerie advert 1898, 2 Feb 2013. Cutting sent in by Anthony Braham - 2013 [S1165] Freemans Journal Tuesday November 22 1898, 2 Feb 2013. Sent in by Anthony Braham [S1164] Braham's Menagerie Advert, 2 Feb 2013. Cutting from Anthony Braham [S1540] Braham's Menagerie Notice - 1899, 9 Apr 2016. [S1170] Braham's Menagerie - Dundee Courier, 2 Feb 2013. [S4875] Newspaper Cutting - Braham's Menagerie 1901, 15 Aug 2022. [S282] 1901 Census - RD 873 Enum 005 P020 -Braham, Sydney H, 1 Jan 1980. [S1169] Newspaper Cutting - Braham, Sydney - Bankruptcy, 2 Feb 2013. [S712] 1911 Census - RG 14/23531 SN213 - Braham Sydney H, 1 Jan 1980. [S129] Obituary - Braham, Arthur Henry - BR 008, 1 Jan 1980. [S128] Obituary - Braham, Sydney Henry - BR 042, 1 Jan 1980. [S368] Newspaper Cutting - Sydney Henry Braham - Dying, Bef Jan 2020. [S1208] Tombstone - Sydney Henry Braham, 22 Sep 2013. IN LOVING MEMORY OF SYDNEY HENRY BRAHAM AGED 53 WHO DIED AUG 28TH 1913 TO LIVE IN HEARTS WE LEAVE BEHIND IS NOT TO DIE Photos and details from Anthony & Peter Braham [S141] Marriage Cert - Braham, Lewis Michael, 18 Oct 2014, 1852 JFM London City 1c 212 YES. [S74] Marriage Cert - Braham, Sydney Henry - BR 042, 18 Oct 2014. Both aged 24 [S127] Braham's Menagerie Letterhead.