Born on 24 January 1821 at Lower St. Columb/Trevilly, Cornwall, England, the son of Mark Symons, yeoman farmer, and his wife Ann, nee Christian. Apprentice to a London draper. A founder of the YMCA in London in 1844. Arrived at Melbourne on 9 November 1846 per "Maitland" from London, England. Acted as religious instructor to convict exiles on the voyage out. Returned to England. He married on 6 July 1847 at the Wesleyan Chapel, Truro, Cornwall, England, to Matilda Hodgson, daughter of Joseph (or William) Hodgson and his wife Margaret, nee Hugo. Returned to Melbourne in January 1848 per "Marion" and again in February 1849 per "Eden" acting as religious instructor en route. Formally entered the ministry in 1849. Appointed to Kapunda, South Australia. Later at Adelaide, S.A. Returned to Victoria in 1852. Lived on the goldfields. Returned to Melbourne. Later at Beechworth; Geelong; Carisbrook; Maryborough; and Amherst. Visited England in 1881. Died on 14 February 1894 at Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, Victoria, and was buried on 16 February 1894 at the Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, Vic.

[marriage certificate; death certificate; Australian Dictionary of Biography (Vol. 6); Methodist Conference Minutes (1894)]

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