Name
Harry Toms
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/07/1917
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private/Pioneer
142375
Royal Engineers
Hitchin Signal Depot
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HITCHIN CEMETERY
Plot N, Grave 807.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Post Office Memorial, Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary’s Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
His parents married 18 May 1975 at Holy Saviour, Hitchin. Tom possibly died 1886 in the Strand, London, district aged 36; Ellen died 1938 in the Hitchin district aged 87.
Harry was born 1875 in Newbury, Berks, and married 11 December 1916 in Hitchin; they had one child.
On the 1881 Census, aged 5 he lived in Speenhamland, Speen, Berks, with his parentsTom working as a paperhanger and painter. Harry had no siblings, but there were two lodgers Alfred J. Seward (17) and Alfred Brooks (17).
In 1891 Harry was a printer’s apprentice aged 15, living in Hitchin, with his maternal grandfather who was 70, a widower, and a builder at 37 Bancroft37 Bancroft.
In 1901 Harry was still at 37 Bancroft, Hitchin, now Ellen, his mother, but listed as wife, living on own means. Sas indicated above Tom, her husband may have died. Harry was now a hay merchant’s clerk aged 25, he still lived in Hitchin, with his mother and no siblings.
On the 1911 census, Harry was visiting the Aldous family in Green Street, Royston, Herts. He was recorded as a hay dealer’s clerk. There is a little room for doubt as to whether this is correct as there is a record of a Harry Toms being appointed to a position in the post office in December 1905 and later in his service record he was recorded as a post office clerk.
Harry attested on 4 January 1916 in Hitchin, giving his home address as 91 Ickleford Road, Hitchin. He was 37 years and 3 months old and working as a post office clerk.
Harry married Florence Beatrice Simpson on 11 December 1916 and later they had a child Vera, born in 31 January 1917.
Wartime Service
He was attached to the Royal Engineers Signal Depot in Hitchin with the Corps Number 142375.
There are medical records in his service record showing that was admitted to hospital on 26 June 1917 and received a lot of treatment.
He died at 1st Eastern Hospital, Cambridge, of cerebral spinal meningitis. He is buried in Grave N 807 in Hitchin Cemetery.
He appears to have not been issued with any medals.
Additional Information
After his death £1 16s 8d pay owing was authorised to go to his widow, Florence, on 6 December 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £7 was authorised to be paid to her on 1 January 1920.
His pension cards record Ellen Toms as his mother and dependant, living at 91 Ickleford Road, Hitchin and a pension of 10s 6d a week from 8 July 1919 to 4 August 1920. However a second card exists, this records Florence Beatrice Pugh(*1) (b 9/4/1884) at 5 Station Terrace, Hitchin, but this was later amended to Victoria Hotel, Victoria Road, Kensington, London W8. The indicates a that a grant of £5 was paid on 11 September 1917 and then a pension of 18s 9d from 21 January 1918.
*1 Florence had married again in 1919 and in one record she is given as the guardian of their child.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
