Charles Tovey (1812-1888)
Born: 4 April 1812, Bristol
Christening: 1 January, 1813, St Peters, Bristol
Occupation: Wine Merchant, Bristol
Marriage: c. 1835
Wife: Mary Symons Sympson (1813- )
Death: 1 June 1888, Bristol
Burial: St Andrews, Clifton
Charles Tovey would become a successful merchant and writer of wines, also a Town Councillor. He was organist at the Unitarian church and an early member of the Bristol Madrigal Society1.
His writings show an early example of the satirical gene.
‘Men can get together sometimes without talking of women, without talking of horses, without talking of politics; but they cannot assemble to eat a meal together without talking of wine; and they cannot talk of wine without assuming to each one of themselves an absolute infallibility in connection with that single subject, which they would shrink from asserting in relation to any other topic under the sun.’ 2
His writings show an early example of the satirical gene.
‘Men can get together sometimes without talking of women, without talking of horses, without talking of politics; but they cannot assemble to eat a meal together without talking of wine; and they cannot talk of wine without assuming to each one of themselves an absolute infallibility in connection with that single subject, which they would shrink from asserting in relation to any other topic under the sun.’ 2
Children:
- Daughter -
still born (1836) - Charles Tovey (1837-
1892) Wine merchant - Symons Sympson Tovey (1839-
1841) - Joseph Dyer Tovey (1840-
) Minister - Duncan Crookes Tovey (1842-
1912) Minister - Mary Sympson Tovey (1843-
1879) Artist - Alice Maud Mary Tovey (1845-
1899) - Symons Sympson Tovey (1846-
1910) Minister - Reginald Samuel Tovey (1847-
1901) Medic - Edith Florence Tovey (1849-
) - Alfred Tovey (1850-
1883) - Helen Eliza Tovey (1852-
1907) - Gertrude Ann Tovey (1853-
)
