Bob Symes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Symes
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Bob Symes Vienna 2008
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| Born |
Robert Alexander Schutzmann
6 May 1924 |
| Died | 19 January 2015 (aged 90) Wales, U.K.
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| Other names | Robert Symes-Shutzmann, Bob Symes-Shutzmann |
| Occupation | inventor and television presenter |
Robert Alexander Schutzmann (born May 6, 1924 – died January 19, 2015) was an Austrian inventor and television presenter. Many people knew him as Bob Symes. Sometimes, he was also called Robert Symes-Shutzmann or Bob Symes-Shutzmann.
Bob Symes was famous for making science and technology easy to understand. He appeared on many TV shows, especially Tomorrow's World. He also loved railways and inventing new things.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to Safety
Bob Symes grew up in Vienna, Austria. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was a writer. Bob went to school in Vienna and also in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
During his school holidays, he spent time at his family's estate. There, he built a small narrow gauge railway. This railway helped transport timber, which is wood.
In 1937, Bob's father passed away. In March 1938, Nazi Germany took control of Austria. Because his family was Jewish, Bob's mother decided to move them to safety. They traveled to Trieste and then to Palestine.
His mother and younger sister later moved to the United States. Bob, however, contacted a British diplomat he knew from Vienna.
Career Highlights
Because Bob could speak German, French, Arabic, and English, he joined the Royal Navy. He became a Lieutenant and worked on Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs) in the Mediterranean Sea. These boats were fast and used for attacks.
He was based in Alexandria, Egypt. Bob quickly became the commander of his own boat. He even helped break through defenses during a raid on Tripoli, Libya.
He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He also helped protect the landings that led to the liberation of Crete.
Becoming a TV Star
After leaving the Royal Navy, Bob worked for the Dutch airline KLM in London. In 1953, he joined the BBC's Overseas Service for Germany. His language skills helped him a lot there.
From 1956, he spent two years in Nigeria as the head of broadcasting for the BBC's Eastern Region Colonial Office. Then, he returned to London as a producer.
Bob loved engineering and technology. This led him to join the TV show Tomorrow's World. For 30 years, he was a well-known face on British TV. He presented many shows about engineering, technology, and railways.
- Model World (1975) was a show about modelling hobbies.
- Making Tracks explored little-known railway lines, especially those with steam trains.
- In 1982, he presented a BBC Horizon program called "The Mysterious Mr. Tesla." It was about the electrical engineer Nikola Tesla.
- In the 1990s, Bob built an environmentally friendly house. This project became a TV series called The House that Bob Built.
Bob was also popular with German-speaking audiences. He presented "Bahnorama" films about railways in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Other Interests and Passions
Inventing and Engineering
Bob Symes was a talented inventor. He created new things in metal engineering and held special legal rights called patents for his plumbing inventions.
He helped start the Institute of Patentees and Inventors in 1989. He was the chairman of this group twice. In 1992, he launched "National Invent-A-Thing Week" to encourage inventing.
He also wrote several books about inventing and engineering:
- Powered Flight (1958)
- Crikey! It Works (1992)
- The Young Engineer’s Handbook (1993)
- Eureka! The Book of Inventing (1994, with Robin Bootle)
Love for Railways
Bob had a lifelong passion for railways. He helped set up private railways in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In 1969, he started The Border Union Railway Company. His goal was to bring back services on the Waverley Line between Edinburgh and Carlisle.
He also loved model railways. He had a 300-meter-long Gauge 1 model railway in his garden in Surrey. Later, he built a 101⁄4 inch railway. Every year, his family opened the railway to visitors to raise money for the BBC's Children in Need charity. Visitors could enjoy tea and cake and see his collection of old tractors. Bob was also the president of a model railway club called Astolat MRC in Guildford.
Involvement in Politics
Bob Symes ran for Parliament twice in 1974. He was a candidate for the Liberal Party in Mid Sussex. Later, he was chosen by the Conservative Party as a candidate for the European Parliament.
Awards and Recognition
Bob Symes received the Special Constabulary Long Service Medal for his work as a Special Constable. He was also made a companion of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
The President of Austria gave him the Knight's Cross (first class). This award recognized his efforts to improve relations between Britain and Austria.
Personal Life
In 1947, Bob met Monica Chapman at the BBC. She produced a radio show called Forces Prom. Bob had sent in music requests, and he wanted to thank her. Monica's mother gave Bob her ticket to a Beethoven concert that evening. Monica and Bob went together and got married six weeks later. They decided to use the surname Symes.
Monica later became a producer for famous BBC Radio 4 shows like Desert Island Discs. Bob and Monica had a daughter named Roberta.
Monica passed away in 1998. In 2007, Bob married Sheila Gunn. Sheila was the Works Manager at Boston Lodge on the Ffestiniog Railway.
In August 2014, Bob and his family moved from East Horsley to Wales. He passed away there from cancer on January 19, 2015.
