Private William Andrew Toyne
2342, 203561 Private Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment)
William Arthur Toyne was born in 1896 at Pye Hill, son of George Alfred Toyne a colliery horse keeper of Nottingham and his wife Emma (nee Smith) born Pinxton. William had elder brothers and sisters Mary Ann, Thomas Alfred, Samuel and George. The family moved to Pye Hill in the late 1880’s but had previously lived at Pinxton and Selston. In 1911 they were living at 52, Pye Hill with their widowed father George. Their mother Emma had died, aged 45, in 1901 and is buried at Westwood, St. Mary’s. There had been 7 children of the marriage but by 1911 only 5 had survived, eldest sister Mary Ann kept house for her father and brothers, Thomas being employed as a miner/hewer, Samuel as a brickyard labourer, George as a miner/hewer and William as a colliery banksman, above ground.
William attested at Eastwood on 11th Dec 1915 for the duration of the war. He was single at the time, gave his occupation as banksman and stated that he was not prepared to be vaccinated. He served at home in the UK until early 1917 and on 26th February 1917 embarked for France. On 26th September 1917 he sustained a gunshot wound to the chest which he was very fortunate to survive. He was discharged on 11th Jun 1918, no longer physically fit for war service. He was a recipient of Silver War Badge number 410818 and also of the British War and Victory Medals.
In 1932 William married Zillah Musson a Westwood girl but they do not seem to have had any children. William served on the committee of the Jacksdale Branch of the British Legion. Tragically, Zillah died in 1959, aged 63 collapsing suddenly at their Laverick Road home and is buried at St. Mary’s, Westwood. She had been a member of the Westwood, St. Mary’s Mothers’ Union and also a Sunday school teacher in her earlier years. Her obituary states that she was of a quiet and friendly disposition.
William’s brother Samuel also served and survived WW1 and is listed on the Jacksdale War Memorial. His brother Thomas did not marry but his other brother George married Elizabeth Riley, who was a member of the Providence Pye Hill Chapel Ladies Sewing Circle.
Photo: Lizzie Toyne, wife of George. Back row third from right.
Despite his war time injury William survived until age 78 and is buried at Westwood, St. Mary’s with his wife Zillah.