Thank you to Lenka Cathersides for the following research.
George Harold Toon was born on the 8th of March 1881 in Etwall, Derbyshire to brewer’s clerk Edwin Toon and Ann Toon nee French.
At the time of the 1881 Census, the family lived at Blakeley Villa, 2 Egginton Road, Etwall, Derbyshire. Edwin was working as a Brewer’s clerk and Ann was looking after their son George Harold. The household further comprised of Ann’s parents: George French and Ann French.
On the 18th of April 1887 George Harold Toon was admitted into Etwall School in Derbyshire. At the time of his admission the family lived in Etwall.
At the time of the 1891 Census, the family lived at Spring Bank, Egginton Road, Etwall, two more children had been born, Frederick E. and Raymond.
At the time of the 1901 Census, the family lived at 1 Main Street, Stapenhill, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire. Edwin was working as a brewer’s accountant and Ann was at home. George was working as a brewer’s clerk and Raymond, Charles and Dorothy were scholars. The household further comprised of Edwin’s niece Minnie Irvine and a servant Sarah Banton.
George married Helen Beatrice Grinsted on the 19th of April 1907 at Little Coxwell parish church, Faringdon, Berkshire.
They had a son, Norman Arthur Roy Toon, who was born on the 14th of October 1908 in Faringdon, Berkshire.
At the time of the 1911 Census, the family lived at Hill View, Little Coxwell, Faringdon, Berkshire. George was working as a brewer’s clerk and Helen was looking after their son. The house had six rooms.
George Toon enlisted on the 11th of December 1915, in Faringdon, into the Royal Garrison Artillery for duration of the war. He was a gunner with regimental number 95662. At the time of his enlistment he lived at Brewery House, Faringdon and worked as a clerk in charge.
Before joining the Army, George had been for several years in the office of Messrs Phillips, brewers, of Southampton Street, Faringdon, and afterwards he worked as a branch manager of Hall’s Oxford Brewery Company.
George was on the home front from the 8th of June 1916 to the 29th of November 1916. On the 8th of August 1916 he became part of the 211 Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery. As part of the British Expeditionary Force he embarked on the 30th of November 1916 from Southampton to France. He disembarked on the 1st of December 1916 in Havre, France. On the 2nd of April 1917, George became part of the 146th Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery.
George Toon died of wounds on the 17th of May 1917 at the 43 Casualty Clearing Station in France. He was admitted into the hospital on the 15th of May 1917 having been severely wounded on his face, neck and back.
He is buried at the Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty, France. His grave reference number is: XI.A.12.
George Harold’s wife Helen Beatrice Toon received £2, 17s and 1d on the 7th of January 1918 and a further £3 on the 17th of November 1919 in Soldier’s Effects.
George Harold Toon was awarded the British War and Victory medals.
During 1919 Helen Beatrice Toon moved from Brewery House, Faringdon, Berkshire to 15 Little London, Chichester, Sussex. In 1921 she lived at ‘Pompas’, Old Ford Road in Shoreham by Sea, Sussex. According to 1922 Surrey, England, Electoral Register, Helen Beatrice Toon lived at ‘Ketleas[e]’ Villa, Beare Green, near Dorking, Surrey.
Toon Family History
George Harold’s father Edwin Toon was born in the 2nd quarter of 1853 in Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, to Thomas B. Toon, born about 1818 in Atherstone, Warwickshire, and Mary Ann Toon, born about 1818 in Houghton, Huntingdonshire.
George Harold’s mother Ann French was born in the 3rd quarter of 1858 in Rochdale, Lancashire to Inland Revenue officer George French, born about 1813 in Portugal, and Ann French, born about 1817 in Stafford, Staffordshire.
Edwin Toon and Ann French married, by Banns, on the 26th of May 1880 in Etwall, Derbyshire.
George Harold Toon had four siblings: Frederick E. Toon born about 1885 in Etwall, Derbyshire; Raymond Toon born about 1890 in Etwall, Derbysire; Charles H. Toon born about 1894 in Etwall, Derbyshire and Dorothy A. Toon born about 1898 in Etwall, Derbyshire.
At the time of the 1911 Census, George’s parents Edwin Toon and Ann Toon lived at Spring Bank, Etwall, Staffordshire. Edwin was working as a brewer’s assistant and Ann was at home. The household further comprised of a housekeeper Mary Elizabeth Handy. The house had nine rooms. Ann stated that she had given birth to five children of whom three were still alive.
Grinstead Family History
Helen Beatrice Grinsted was born in the 3rd quarter of 1886 in Ampthill, Bedfordshire to optical artist Alfred Edward Grinsted, born about 1861 in Brighton, Sussex and Fanny Sophia Grinsted, born about 1861 in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire. Helen Beatrice Grinsted was baptised on the 26th of December 1886 at All Saint’s church, Tufnell Park, Islington. At the time of the baptism the family lived at 222 Tufnell Park Road and Alfred Edward was working as an optical artist.
At the time of the 1901 Census, Helen Beatrice and her family lived in Egginton Road in Etwall. Helen’s father Alfred Edward Grinsted was working as a lantern slide artist.
| Born | Etwall, Derbyshire | |
| Lived | Faringdon, Berkshire | |
| Son of | Edwin and Ann (nee French) Toon | |
| Husband of | Helen Beatrice Toon (nee Grinstead) | |
| Regiment | Royal Garrison Artillery | |
| Number | 95662 | |
| Date of Death | 17th May 1917 | |
| Place of Death | France | |
| Cause of Death | Died of Wounds | |
| Age | 36 | |
| Cemetery | Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty, France |
