Friends of the Family Part IV
Lance Corporal Edgar Horace Reeve Toone 8th Battalion London Regiment Post Office Rifles
The Man Edgar Horace
Reeve Toone was born between January and February 1884 and was the illegitimate
son of Sarah Jane Toone, aged 19 and an unknown father. He lived with his mother, her brother and
sisters and grandparents, John and Mary at 11 Chesham Street in Leamington Spa. He was Baptised on 2nd March 1884 in Leamington Spa, and his Father listed at Robert Reeve Toone, although no trace can be found of this man elsewhere. Perhaps by way of covering up what would have been considered a taboo in that age and to allow the Baptism to proceed, it might have been her brother, also called Robert, and a similar age to Sarah. For the same reasons maybe Edgar was shown on the 1891 census as Horace Toone aged 7 and the son of John and Mary, his actual grandparents. Edgar’s mother married Henry Maxwell in May 1886 and they had two children, Edgar's step brother and sisters, Florence Ethel and David Henry. On 2nd April 1901 aged 17, he was appointed without competition as a Temporary Assistant Postman in Leamington Spa, still living with John and Mary but now correctly listed as their Grandson. On 16th February 1904 aged 20 he was appointed Postman in the London Gazette and during the third quarter of 1905 married Amelia Jane Wilson, living in Leamington at 12 Duke Street, together with Amelia’s mother, also called Amelia. Edgar and Amelia had two daughters, Florence Lillian (Toots) named after her aunt, and Norah Winifred born in 1905 and 1908 respectively. During World War 1 aged 30, Edgar enlisted into the 8th Battalion London Regiment Post Office Rifles, service numbers 4881 and later 372306. He was posted to the Western Front and tragically died of wounds on 24th January 1917, and buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West Flanders in Belgium. He is also commemorated on the Royal Leamington Spa War Memorial, together with is step nephew Horace Edgar Maxwell killed in World War II. Edgar was awarded the 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals and death plaque, the whereabouts of which are unknown. Amelia lived until 13th June 1948, aged 68, and left £385 8s 8d to her daughter Florence.
The Story For the full story see Henry Maxwell
Lijssenthoek Cemetery, Belgium
Royal Leamington Spa War Memorial
Page last updated 1 Sep 15