Tovey, Hubert Curthoys

TOVEY,

HUBERT CURTHOYS

BORN 9 AUGUST 1883

Hubert Curthoys Tovey was

born on 9 August 1883 in Bristol, son of Charles Alfred Tovey (b 1857 in Breconshire, Wales), and Beatrice Maria Tovey (née Curthoys, b 1860 in Gloucestershire).

Charles and Beatrice married on 22 October 1882 in Bristol.

1891 census records Hubert living at Belmont Rod, St James and St Paul Out Parish, Barton Regis, Gloucestershire. He had two younger sisters, Gertrude Mary (b 1885) and Dorothy Curthoys (b 1888) and a younger brother Philip Maxwell (b 1887). All the children were born in Gloucestershire and Charles is recorded as the Manager of a Newspaper.

Hubert joined the school on 16 September 1897, aged 14, at which time he lived with his widowed mother at 8 Woodfield Road, Redland. His father Charles died earlier in 1897.

Hubert spent only a little over a year at school, leaving on 12 November 1898, aged 15.

The 1911 census shows mother Beatrice and 3 children, Gertrude, Philip and Dorothy living at 12 Woodfield Road Redland. Census records from 1939 show they were still living there.

His WWI service is described in some detail in the Indian Army lists accessed at the British Library. Appointed Lieutenant on 10 November 1915, he was serving by July 1917 as Lieutenant in Command on the steamer ship “Saraswati” (or Sarasvati) on Harbour and Coast Defence Duties.

In October 1917, he was listed as a temporary lieutenant in Royal Indian Marine (RIM) in Bombay. He moved to the ship named “Satranji” in January 1918 but died shortly after from colitis on 30 January 1918, aged 34.

He was buried on 31 January 1918 in the Sewri Cemetery, Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Later on the war graves from this cemetery were moved to Kirklee Cemetery, near Poona outside Mumbai.

On 10 August 1918 probate valued his effects at £181 7s 8d which were transferred to his mother Beatrice Tovey.

At present he does not have a Commonwealth War Graves Certificate or listing. We have contacted CWGC but have not, so far, fulfilled his conditions for his recognition.

Fifth Panel 69