Charles was born in 1890 to William and Mary (nee Lillicrapp) Symons at Dunheved Road, Launceston. His father ran a watchmaking and jewellery business and was also a member of the town council. Charles served with the Devon Yeomanry (Service No. 260568) during the First World War having first joined up with the London Yeomanry, seeing active service in various theatres of the war. It was whilst serving in the Imperial Camel Corps as acting sergeant at the Battle of Jerusalem, that he was mentioned in despatches in January 1918, by General Sir Edmund Allenby. Charles was awarded the Meritorious Service Medals and Territorial Force Efficiency Medals.
Soon after demobilization he went to New Zealand where he remained for several years before returning to England in 1921. Back in England he set up farming at Trebartha Farm, near North Hill having married Lilian Ivy Pascoe at Truro. Their first child, Lilian Pascoe, was born the following year.
He became a member of North Hill Parish Council and from here he was co-opted onto the Launceston Rural District Council in April 1940, becoming its chairman in May, 1949. It was in his role as chairman of the Rural Council that he had the honour of meeting the then Princess Elizabeth in 1949, having shown the Princess around the new Cornish Unit Houses at Bray Shop (below). By virtue of his chairmanship of the Council, Charles was a county magistrate. He was a member of the Unionist party being the treasurer for the North Hill Unionist Association.
He was closely connected with the social life of North Hill and played a prominent role in the erection of the Victory Hall. He was also one of the originators of the Colin Park Club at Congdon Shop.
Charles died in January of 1954 and the funeral service, conducted by Rev. T. R. Willing, was held at North Hill Church with a private cremation held at Plymouth.
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