I walked past Chandler’s Ford war memorial this morning and saw this wreath:
In loving memory of my great great grandfather
Named on this memorial and buried in Godewaersvelde cemetery in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France.
GNR WJ Tosdevine – Royal Artillery
Died 9th August 1917 in the Great War WW1 aged 35.
Husband to Daisy Anne Sharpe, Father to my Nan Hilda Tosdevine.
I salute you, respectfully your great great granddaughter Sgt Nicola Field R.A.and your great great great grandson Maximus.
We will remember.
In the Love’s Greatest Gift – Remembrance book recently published by historian Margaret Doores, the details of Gunner William Joseph Tosdevine (51103) are mentioned on page 25.
“William was born in Otterbourne in 1881, the oldest child of the nice children born to William, a brick-maker, and Hannah (née) Tosdevine.”
In the 1911 census, William and his family were living at Fern Cottage, Fryern Hill.
According to the research by Margaret, William enlisted on 10th November 1915 at Southampton. He died of wounds on the 9th of August 1917, and is buried in Godewaersvelde British Cemetery, Nord, France.
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Hello Janet
THe surname Tostivine rings a bell with me. I have a photograph of my mother (aged about 8) walking on Southsea seafront with a gentleman and I was always told that he was Mr Tostevine.
I see from the documents here that he lived at Fern Cottages in Chandlers Ford. My grandparents lived t a cottage where Waitrose now stands. I always got the impression that he took my mother- the youngest of four) as a special treat. I know they were quite poor at that time. Maybe my grandmother cleaned for the family. Their surname was Diddams. It would have been in about 1930. Do you have any recollections on this please?
Thanks for your comment, Rosie. How fascinating! I am sorry I have no other information about this. I saw this note back in 2018 and I was rather curious.