image courtesy of Andrew Simes
The Simes family coat. The Simes coat of arms has Scottish roots with signs of the Crusades. The black head above the crest is a ‘trophy’ given to those who killed moors during the Crusades. The family historically hail from Fraserburgh (also our clan homeland) near Aberdeen. Our original surname was Syme. However when our forefathers moved south of the border, they changed their name to Sime for it to sound more English. Eventually, they added an ‘s’, hence Simes, to differentiate from all the other Syme and Sime.
image courtesy of Andrew Simes
The flag of my fathers. Carried in the Napoleonic Wars, Opium War, Afghanistan, Crimean War, Zulu Wars, Boer Wars, World War I, World War II. The hole in the upper left corner is a bullet’s near miss to my flag bearing forefather in the Boer War. This flag was carried by Joseph Walker nee Simes (adopted by the Walker family) and sent back to the Simes family.
image courtesy of Andrew Simes
World War I souvenir.
image courtesy of Andrew Simes
Hillary Clinton was lucky enough to meet this man. Hillary Clinton arrived to Izmir with daughter Chelsea in 1999. As vice-president of the Meryem Ana foundation, grandpa toured them. Grandpa cheekily said to the first lady: ‘Chelsea is not very good looking is she?’!
image courtesy of Andrew Simes
Sand from the railways where Lawrence of Arabia blew up trains.
image courtesy of Andrew Simes
Grandpa in his 30s.
image courtesy of Andrew Simes
His ‘souvenir’ from when he retired from the tobacco firm - he just unscrewed one of the then giant light bulbs that hung above his head and went home. The lightbulb is from the British American Tobacco company. Still in existence today.
image courtesy of Andrew Simes
Flag of South Africa after the Boer War.
image courtesy of Andrew Simes
US Air Force in Izmir appreciation certificate.