Sydney was born in 1885 to John Thomas and Eliza. He was living at 6 Crawley Green Road in 1911 with his mother, a straw hat machinist, four sisters, Olive, a milliner aged 19, Doris 12, Marjorie 10, Elsie 7 and his 4 year old brother Leslie. Sydney was working in the hat factory warehouse. He had attended Luton Grammar School & is remembered on the Roll Of Honour plaque found at Stockwood Park.