TOWNSEND, Maurice

✟ ≠  40538 Pte 6 Bn Northamptonshire Regt. Enlisted Buxton. (DT 25/8/1917; ‘wounded and had both legs amputated but died of his wounds 10/8/1917 age 25. It is understood he was with the Canadians’). Grave ref XVii.J.14; Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, near Ypres, Belgium. Awarded British & Victory medals. He is also mentioned on Bamford War Memorial.  Born 18/4/1892 Bretton Clough, Highlow. 1899 at Hathersage Roman Catholic School. 1901C at Oakes Farm Highlow, 1911C; a farm labourer at Cunnliffe House, then he worked for several years as farm man for Mrs Wallwork at the ‘Anglers Rest’, Bamford. Maurice married Collette Holmes at the Roman Catholic Chapel, Hathersage,  sister of Bernard Holmes (see above). They lived at The Hollow, Bamford, and had three children, the eldest then not four years old. Collette’s address was Croft Cottage, Bamford in 1917. She later married John Talbot of Bamford, and they had a son John Leslie Talbot who was killed in WW2 in the Royal Navy on 25 November 1941, when his ship HMS Barham was torpedoed.  Brother of Ellis and Geoffrey Townsend and Lottie, who married Willis Wilson of The Farm, bottom of Hathersage village Main Road. An older brother Joseph it would appear was not called up. up. Sons of Joseph & Fanny Townsend whose family had been at Bretton Clough for some 200 years, but recently (1917) of Coplow Dale Farm, Hazelbadge, Bradwell.

(Some information from Geoff Wilson, Grandson of Willis Wilson, who had ‘The Farm’ at the bottom of the Hathersage Village, now called Hathersage House and who had married Lottie Townsend, the sister).

TOWNSEND, Geoffrey

✟ ≠  27072 L/Cpl 9 Bn K O Y L I. Went to France in 1916.  (DT 27/10/1917, ‘received wounds to shoulder and thigh on 3 October and is in Canadian Hospital near Boulogne’). K.I.A. 26/4/1918. Remembered on Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

b 1894 as ‘Jeffrey’, Bretton Clough, Highlow, appears on 1901C as ‘Jeffory’ at Oakes Farm, Highlow.  Worked as a gardener in Sheffield, brother of Maurice and Ellis Townsend, and Lottie, who married Wllis Wilson of The Farm, bottom of Hathersage village Main Road. His older brother Joseph, it appears was not called up. Sons of Joseph & Fanny Townsend whose family had been at Bretton Clough for some 200 years, but recently (1917) of Coplow Dale Farm, Hazelbadge, Bradwell. (Information from Geoff Wilson, Grandson of Willis Wilson, who had ‘The Farm’ at the bottom of the Hathersage Village, now called Hathersage House and who had married Lottie Townsend, the sister).

Interestingly the incorrect story passed down from the Wilson/Townsend family was that Geoffrey was lost when his ship was torpedoed.

TOWNSEND, Ellis

21411 Pte 2 & 9 Bn Notts & Derbys, later 6588 Connaught Rangers. (DT 1/9/1917; ‘While in Connaught Rangers he was wounded in Mesopatamia on 3 August and was in Hospital in Amara. Previously wounded in Dardanelles (Gallipoli) in July 1915, then again in France May 1916’). Medals; WW1 Trio.

b 1896 Bretton Clough, Highlow. 1901C at Oakes Farm, Highlow, 1911C a farm labourer at Leam. Brother of Maurice and Geoffrey Townsend who were both killed, and Lottie who married Wllis Wilson of The Farm, bottom of Hathersage village Main Road. An older brother Joseph would  appear was not called up. Parents; Joseph & Fanny Townsend whose family had been at Bretton Clough for some 200 years, but recently (1917) at Coplow Dale Farm, Hazelbadge, Bradwell. After the conflict Ellis worked at Eyam View. He died in 1973.

TOWE, Walter Jarvis

Pioneer 378286 RE, Spr 3399 RE, b 1892. He was an electrician before the war. Brother to Arthur and Joseph Alfred above, all were born Pendleton and on 1911C were living in Didsbury, Manchester. Their parents were Alfred Towe and Emma Bocking (b 1863 Hathersage and by 1871C living at The Hill, Outseats). (Emma’s sister Fanny married her husband Alfred’s brother, Joseph Towe).

TOWE, Joseph Alfred

Pte 372916 ASC. MT. b 1887 became a commercial traveller. Brother to Arthur and Walter Jarvis, all were born Pendleton and on 1911C were living in Didsbury, Manchester. Their parents were Alfred Towe and Emma Bocking (b 1863 Hathersage and by 1871C living at The Hill, Outseats). (Emma’s sister Fanny married her husband Alfred’s brother, Joseph Towe). Also on the same Didsbury memorial as his uncle Arthur Towe above, is Joseph Alfred’s son; Flight Sgt Eric Towe, air gunner, shot down in WW2 over the Netherlands 26/6/1943

TOWE, Arthur

✟ ≠  Pte 39546 1st Manchester Regt, died 2/6/1917 of pneumonia after a very short illness, buried at Mesopotamia in Baghdad North Gate War Cemetery pt. 2. This is in a very sensitive area in the Waziriah Area of the Al-Russafa district of Baghdad. The main entrance to the cemetery is located opposite the College of Arts and the Institute of Administration in Baghdad University and adjacent to the Iraqi Cigarette Factory and the Press of Ministry of Defence. Also remembered on Didsbury War Memorial. (Notice; Man Evening News 23/6/1917). b1896, brother to Joseph Alfred and Walter Jarvis, all were born at Pendleton and 1911C were living in Didsbury, Manchester. Their parents were Alfred Towe and Emma Bocking (b 1863 Hathersage and by 1871C living at The Hill, Outseats). (Emma’s sister Fanny married her husband Alfred’s brother, Joseph Towe).

TOOGOOD, Cecil. DSO

b 31/3/1870 at Cheltenham, son of Captain A D Toogood, Bengal Fusiliers, and later Queen’s Bodyguard. He was gazetted, 29 October 1890, 2/Lt, Border Regiment. He became Lieutenant 21/12/1892. He served during the Waziristan Expedition, 1894-95; 26/5/1900 became Capt, Manchester Regiment. He served in the South African War, He married, in 1899, Mary Elizabeth, born Kirkee, India, eldest daughter of General Henry Pipon, CB, and Louisa Anne, (daughter of Admiral Sir William Edmonstone, 4th Baronet, CB, of Duntreath, Stirlingshire, Scotland).1899-1900 on the Staff, afterwards employed with the Mounted Infantry, was present at the Relief of Ladysmith; during the operations in the Transvaal October to December 1901, and February to April 1902. In the operations in Orange River Colony, December 1901 to February 1902 and during operations in Cape Colony, September to October 1901. He was mentioned in Despatches (Sir R H Buller, 30 March and November 1900 [London Gazette, 8 February 1901, and 25 April 1902). He received the Queen’s Medal with three clasps, and the King’s Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. [London Gazette, 19 April 1901: “Cecil Toogood, Captain, Manchester Regiment. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa”). The Insignia were sent to South Africa, and presented there by the Duke of Cornwall and York 14/8/1901. He was Adjutant, Volunteers, 3/1/1904 to 31/10/1907, and Regimental Staff Officer 13/12/1907. Promoted to Captain, Lincolnshire Regiment, 18/1/1908. Recruiting Staff Officer; Sheffield Recruiting Area, 3/12/1907 to 4/5/1911. 1911C living at Barnfield Villa, Hathersage, known locally as ‘Major’. Recruiting Staff Officer; Belfast Recruiting Area, 5/5/1911 to 31/3/1912. Promoted to Major 15/5/1914; Adjutant, Officers’ Training Corps, 23/5/1914 to 4/6/1914. He served in the European War from 1914 commanding the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment; –  “Shot by a sniper and left in a trench” at the battle of Le Cateau in August 1914, ‘Missing believed killed’. The Army found out he was alive only after his wife received a letter from the German doctor in Paderborn German Hospital, Westphalia who operated on him, informing her he was a P O W. (See article in SDT 22/9/1914 p8).

There is a footnote in the Regimental History that mentions he was wounded “whilst observing the Germans through his field glasses.” He was mentioned in Despatches, and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel 11/3/1918.

Post-WW1 he was OC 2 Lincs in Poona.

His eldest son Lt Alexander Cecil Henry b1900 was serving in the 1 Lincs in Ireland when he was captured and executed by the IRA in June 1921. (See the Lincolnshire Echo, 21/6/1921, for a detailed account of his son’s kidnap and murder).  A telegram was sent to Col Toogood who returned immediately. He resigned his Commission in January 1922 (maybe because of what happened to his son?) Cecil died 1958 in Australia.

There is quite lot of correspondence between Col Toogood and the War Office regarding his son, and about if there was any negligence by his son’s Commanding Officer in allowing him (and two fellow Officers) to leave base

The photo of his son is kept at the Lincolnshire Regt Archives along with several other documents relating to the Lincolnshire Regiment in Ireland, including this very sad letter: –

“My dear Col Wilson,

I am about to be shot in half an hour. I was captured by the I.R.A. when out for a walk with two gunner subalterns Bettridge and Glossop.

Our captives have been very kind to us and treat us with every consideration, as regards our comfort and food.

Would you give my best love and farewell to all the Officers and Mess of the Battalion with which I have had such an awfully good time during my short career in the Army.

Would you send the enclosed off to Mother and My brother. 

Goodbye Sir, Yours V sincerely Alex Toogood.

From the ‘Battalion Bugle’ of the day; The IMP magazine;

“The brutal and cowardly murder of 2/Lt A. C. H Toogood came as a tremendous shock to all ranks of the Battalion. This murder differs from the others, as Mr Toogood, together with two Royal Field Artillery officers, was out in mufti for recreational purposes and not on duty of any sort. The three officers left Fethard on Sunday afternoon, June 20th 1921 and failed to return to barracks. The first intimation that somethings was amiss was received at Tipperary Barracks about 10.30 am on Monday June 21st 1921, a report being received that three officers were missing and that search parties were out, but half an hour later, a message came through to say that they had been found shot dead.

Mr Toogood was a very popular officer with all ranks, enthusiastic on parade, on the playing field, always busy and smiling, he is sadly missed. There were mainly moist eyes in the barracks on that day.”

TOFT, George Henry

Sapper 7483 Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers. Discharged 4/9/1916 as unfit to carry out duties due to GSW to hand. b 1876 Youlgreave. 1911C at Reddish, Stockport, a stone mason, his daughter Ivy was  b Hathersage 1902.

TIPPER, Elsie Elizabeth

Possibly a nurse at Hathersage Red Cross VAD Hospital. b 1897 Bolsover, by 1911C living at the Police Station Hathersage. Father Arthur b 14/6/1864, was the local policeman.  He died 1911 (a full glowing obituary in D C 20/5/1911). Elsie and her mother Anne Elizabeth who died 28/4/1913 age 58(?), stayed in the village living at Main Road according to the probate records. Information quoted from a book “Tippers of Hollington” published privately by John L Wain, and supported by other records, she trained as a nurse at Sheffield General Infirmary. After qualifying she obtained a post at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary and lodged with family friends, a Mr & Mrs Leverette of Derby. They became victims of the 1918 Influenza epidemic, Elsie nursed them back to health, but became a victim herself and died age 21 years. There is a photo of her in nurse’s uniform on www.clanjackson.co.uk/genealogy/p36htm The family are remembered in Hathersage Churchyard.