Graham Henry Symonds (21 March 1937 – 2 June 2006) was an English swimmer who competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Symonds was born in Coventry and studied at the Coventry Art School. He was first coached by his father Sid Symonds, a semi-professional football player. [citation needed]
At the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Symonds represented Great Britain in the 200 metres butterfly event but did not reach the finals.[1] He did however win a bronze medal in the 200 metres butterfly at the 1958 European Aquatics Championships.[2]
After retiring from swimming he worked at the technical publications department of the Armstrong Siddeley's aircraft division.[citation needed] He then designed tractors at Massey Ferguson, worked for Chrysler Rootes, and in 1967 joined Ford.[citation needed] In the 1980s–90s he worked in Dearborn, Michigan, US, designing medium and large trucks, such as Ford Transit.[citation needed] During that time he also competed in masters swimming. He returned to UK in 1998 to assume the post of assistant director of design of small and medium Ford vehicles at Dunton Wayletts, Essex. He retired in 2002 and died in 2006 in Essex, leaving wife Ina and children Heather, Brett and Andrea and brother Robert Bruce Symonds.[citation needed]
