Lieutenant William Henry Toby
1st Grade Transport Officer, Mercantile Marine (Merchant Navy)
Date of Birth: Second quarter 1870
Place of Birth: Exeter, Devon
Date of Death: 20th October 1959
Buried: Teignmouth Old Cemetery, plot M100
Awarded the British War Medal, the Victory Medal, the Mercantile Marine Medal and the OBE
The Toby family were living at Poltimore Terrace, St. Davids, Exeter, Devon, in 1871. Father, John Henry Merrifield Toby, born 1840 at Exeter, Devon, an Accountant, mother, Honor Toby nee Southcott, born 1840 at Exeter, Devon. They had one daughter, Bessie Toby, born 1861 at Exeter, Devon, and three sons, Frederick J.S. Toby, born 1866 at Exeter, Devon, Ernest W. Toby, born 1868 at Exeter, Devon, and William H. Toby, born 1870 at Exeter, Devon.
In 1881, the Toby family had moved to 18, Victoria Road, Exeter, Devon. John Henry Merrifield Toby is a widower. Frederick J.S. Toby is an Accountant like his father. There is one new daughter, Frances M. Toby, born 1876 at Exeter, Devon, and two new son's, Edward Toby, born 1872 at Exeter, Devon, and Arthur G. Toby, born 1878 at Exeter, Devon.
William Henry Toby and Fanny Bidwell Ison marriage banns 1891 and 1892On the 21st of January 1892, William Henry Toby married Fanny Bidwell Ison at East Teignmouth, Devon. William Henry Toby was a 2nd Officer in the Mercantile Marine, later renamed to the Merchant Navy.
William was promoted to temporary Lieutenant, Transport Officer 1st Grade, Royal Naval Reserve, on the 16th of December 1912.
William Henry Toby Service Record WW1 - Awarded an OBE in 1919
William's service record show he was aboard 'The Viceroy' in 1916. In 1917, it mentions 'for service on staff of ... Archangel for duty at Romanoff as 1st Grade Transport Officer'. His home address is shown as St. Rumans, Reed Vale, Teignmouth, Devon.
William Henry Toby OBEAwarded OBE (M), Gazette 4/7/1919.
Invested with OBE (M) at Buckingham Palace on 26/11/1919.
The 1920 and 1930 Electoral Register show William still living at St. Rumans, Reed Vale, Teignmouth, Devon.
William Henry Toby OBE of Avondale House, South Brent, Devon, died on the 20th of October 1959 aged 89 years.
William Henry Toby and wife, Fanny (Shannie) Toby plus son Francis Henry Ison - headstone
