George Voysey – War diaries

This is the diary of the 15th, which Pop served in. At some point during the Ypres conflict Pop was wounded badly in the leg and lost one finger. It is not known exactly when so this history is of the complete battalion to the end of the war.

The 15th (Service) Battalion (2nd Portsmouth) was raised at Portsmouth on 5 Apr 1915 by the Mayor and local committee. On 30 May 1915 it was taken over by the War Office and in Oct of that year was moved to Aldershot in 122nd Brigade of 41st Division in Marlborough Lines.

In early May 1916 the battalion embarked for France and Flanders. On the Somme campaign in 1916, the 15th Battalion, in its formations, arrived at Longpré from Balleiul on 24 Aug and from there marched to Villers-sous-Ailly. Entrained at Longpré for Méricourt on 5 Sep and from there marched to Dernancourt.

From November 1st 1916 to 31st March 1917 the battalion spent 40 days on the front line. In November 1916 the 15^th were in reserve at Dickesbusch where it rescued another battalion which was being heavily shelled. Casualties were low for November – only 4 and 9 in December.

January 1917. 2 platoons under heavy fire and had to wait until the following evening before being rescued.

27th February to 5th March 1917. On front line – 7 casualties.

17th to 22nd February 1917. On front line in dull and misty weather. No casualties.

14th March 1917. Act as a diversion for an attack by another battalion. They placed two Bangalore torpedoes in the wire to make it look like the 15th were making a raid. Everyone got back unhurt.

24th March 1917. Front line again for a week. 12 casualties and 3 killed.

20th April 1917. Front line St. Eloi fought an attack which tried to capture a mine shaft held by the 11th Royal West Kent. Captain Barber sent an SOS when a barrage of fire came from the Germans that were then returned to them!! The rifle and Lewis guns then took over. A few Germans got through but they were driven back. A second attempt was repelled. The battalion was commended for their gallantry and steadiness. It cost 30 casualties and 5 men killed.

22nd April 1917. They had a sharp bombing encounter with a larger German party.

23rd April to 20th May 1917. Out from the front line, 2 marches of 13 miles back to Tourneham, where they carried out training and resting. They then returned to the St Eloi sector and where in reserve either at Voormex or at Chippewn Camp until 31st May.

In total for the last 12 months in France, 15 officers and 190 rank and file killed. 19 officers and 536 rank and file wounded.

31st May 1917. Heavy gunfire and gas shelling fell on the 15th. They also had to make extensive repairs to the wire where it had been cut. 30 casualties.

5th June 1917. Back to middle camp for a rest before mounting up next evening to their assembly position.

3.10am 7th June 1917. The 15th were lying out in the open to avoid shell firing. The mines underneath them were exploded. The 41st brigade dashed forward meeting slight resistance until they got to Dammstrasse. After a struggle they had mastered it.

5 Am. The 15th were in the centre between 11th Royal West Kent and the 12th East Surrey and had Englebrier farm as an objective. They had 500 yards of flat ground to cross until the valley of the little Roosebeek.

7 Am. They had sharp fighting and eventually secured Englebrier farm along with Obley Reserve behind it. They captured many prisoners.

9 Am. They collected the last prisoners from dugouts and trenches.

10.15Am. Germans gathered to attack and advanced over ridge. Rifles and guns halted them. Other attempts also repulsed. Though sometimes the battalion was heavily bombarded.

In the afternoon another advance then the 24th Division came through and secured the final objective beyond Oostaverne. The 15th had 2 officers and 41 rank and file killed and 7 officers and 135 rank and file wounded.

8th to 11th June. In reserve.

12th to 15th June. Consolidate over new support line at White Chateau nearer the canal.

16th June. Took over the Optic Trench.

17th June. Repelled an attack.

20th June. 5 killed and 31 wounded.

21st to 23rd June. Out of trenches but took supplies to the shelled areas and other battalions.

23rd June. Took over as part of the St Eloi- Helleke sector from the 47th division. Enemy attacked with mustard gas.

31st July. Ready for an attack to take Hollebeke. 15th remained in support then they moved the Optic Trench and the Oblique Row forward. Heavy shelling caused 40 casualties. Constant rain filled trenches with mud and water.

3rd August. 15th in front line and were heavily shelled again.

5th August. In the morning Germans tried to recapture Hollebeke. They captured an outpost at Forret Farm. Then counter measures were made. Luckily the whole area was then covered in mist. Reinforcements were sent from the East Surrey Regiment to recapture the outpost (which it was). Major Avery and 10 men wounded and 20 killed. 3 Military cross’s awarded a dozen Military Medals.

9pm 5th August. Germans were observed massing for another attack, but our rifles and machines guns opened up as they crawled over. The next 4 days saw heavy shelling for the 15th.

10th August. Some parts advanced beyond Hollebeke. 30 prisoners captured. That evening the 15th was relieved. 28 men wounded and 6 killed since 5th August.

14th August. Resting at Fletre and inspected by the Corps Commander – Lieutenant General Morld.

3rd Ypres – Flanders.

          21st August. Marched to Nieppe and then to Acquin for 3 weeks. 120 reinforcements joined them.

14th September. Returned to front line in 3 marches and then back to Ridgewood. Their division was between 23rd and 39th divisions.

20th September. Big attack planned on Tower Trench on the Tower Hamlets Ridge. The ridge had natural strength (a flat tipped spur running south along Menin Road). They had to cross an open slope and the climb the spur. It rained whilst the men gathered.

5. 40 Am. 20th September. Attack starts in a mist, which soon clears. 15th held up at Java Avenue by blockhouses, which the barrage had missed. These were soon captured. The whole force when to capture Tower Hamlets – a mass of concrete dugouts and pillboxes, which were heavily fortified.

In the afternoon the 15th attempt to capture the main area. The captured 40 prisoners including a battalion commander, a field gun and 2 machine guns. They also repulsed several counter attacks.

21st September 1917. 10Am. Barrage sent to help capture the green line. Counter attack by enemy dispersed by machine guns.

22^nd September 1917. The men rearmed themselves with German rifles and bombs but they could not hold out any longer and retreated leaving anti-tank guns and machines guns. VC won by 2^nd Lt Moore. 15^th Battalion relived by the 14^th and then back to Ridgewood Camp. 6 officers and 83 men killed along with 251 wounded. They remain at Ridgewood until the 15^th October then they are moved to Bray Dunes then Coyyde Bains for a fortnight. They had reinforcements of 230 men. Major Murdoch took command after Lieutenant Colonel Bernard had been promoted.

11^th November 1917. Remained at St Pol. They were then dispatched to Italy to sop Caporetto collapsing. Travelling by Paris, Lyons and Marseilles to Cannes then to Rivera and Genoa and then over the Apennines to Modena.

17^th November 1917.  100 miles to final destination. Battalion started marching everyone carried 80 lbs each of equipment. Arrived at Mantua.

22^nd November 1917. Crossing the Adije and Brente 3 days later.

24^th November 1917. 2 days rest before going to Piare. 40 Miles between Brenta and Piare, covered by 3 marches.

8^th to 15^th December 1917. First turn on front line. Ridge covered with wood and vines which is very different to Flanders. In December only 1 man killed and 11 wounded.

17^th February to 25^th February 1918. Last turn on front line hardly any enemies. Snipers too far away. 25 days in total on front line. Conditions were good, nice and relaxing, with good wine and friendly people – pleasant interlude. They helped the local people stabilize the area.

1^st March 1918. Start to leave Italy.

5^th March 1918. 15^th reached Walercourt.

On 15^th March 1918 the battalion returned to France.

21^st March 1918. At Doulleus 25 Miles from the front.

25^th March 1918. 11Am. 15^th helped to support troops that had retreated to the Bihucourt-Gomiecourt line.

In the afternoon a tanks corps helped relive the situation.

5pm Orders to rest are issued. After dark 15^th withdrawn as the enemy attacked by machine gun.

26^th March 1918. 6Am. 15^th withdrawn whilst inflicting heavy casualties on enemy. They then reached Bucquay, warmly welcomed by the Brigade Major who had never expected to see them go.

27^th March 1918. Back to Gonmecourt.

1^st April 1918. 15^th relieved to Bucquay.

3^rd April 1918. Entrained to Flanders

4^th April 1918. Arrived at Popringhe. 3 days of camp, rest and refitting. Took over the trench from the 29^th division at the apex of the salient at 11.30am on the 7^th.

Conditions were dry but barren encountered no enemy and an advance by the Germans on the 10^th was easily beaten. Then withdrawn and back on the 11^th.

16^th April 1918. Withdrawal from the Salient front enemy did not interfere. 15^th went back to camp between Ypres and Vlameringhe and spent the next 10 days there in reserve. Bombing by German aeroplane at night was unpleasant. Withdrawal again of the line back to Ypres.

1^st May 1918. Still out of the line, working and training. Rest of May uneventful.

7^th to 17^th May 1918. Held the front. Last week of May were east of Goldfish Chateau – “All water and dugouts”. Number of small raids on the 9^th, 10^th and 13^th and then on the second turn had heavy gas shelling. Only 15 casualties that month.

5^th June to 24^th June 1918. Near Waton for training. Then 2 long marches of 15 miles back to Waton.

30^th June 1918. Relieved a French regiment at La Clytte which was in stalemate with the Germans. 15^th in front line from the 1^st July to the 5^th July and then 15^th to the 20^th July, then back on 30^th July to 2^nd August. At other times were astride the road to Reninghelst or back to Westautre line.

17^th July been sharp bombing all wounded brought back.

23^rd July – 2 platoon raided the enemy only 14 men killed and 1 officer, 54 men wounded.

9^th August 1918. 15^th chosen to straighten out trench near La Clytte, took on enemy and won. 8 men captured, 50 enemy killed. 39 men from the 15^th killed and 101 men wounded.

25^th August to 28^th August 1918. Had been in the front line after 4 days near Lumbres.

4^th September 1918. 4am. Ready for an attack NE of Kemmel. The barrage missed some of the German machine guns so they had to be overcome first. Colonel Murdoch was gassed in the attack. The battalion managed to reach the railway but the road beyond they could not reach.

7 Am. Germans counterattack and forced remaining men back. 220 men wounded or gassed. 90 men killed.

27^th September to 11^th November 1918. The 2^nd and 15^th Battalions take part in the Second Armys offensive in Flanders. 29^th Division part of the 2^nd corps attacking from Ypres itself astride the Menin Road Ridge.

28^th September 1918. Attacked early and successful clearing the Hooge then on by Polderhoek towards Gheluvelt. They reached Tower Hamlets by 9.40am. Casualties light under 40. Shot down 2 planes and over 1000 prisoners. 5 miles captured in one day.

1^st October 1918. Under attack from Wervicq. Captain Goad took command. Dug ½ mile from German line.

2^nd October 1918. 5.30am.Under a good barrage got across the Gheluwe-Wervicq road, capturing a concrete dug out whilst under attack from machine gun fire. Casualties heavy – 33 men and 8 officers killed and 120 wounded but captured lots of prisoners.

14^th October 1918. Flanders advance resumed. Attacking full 1 hour before sunrise a thick mist caused some loss of direction and mixture of units. 80 wounded and 12 killed – capturing pill boxes, but they had 4 times as many prisoners.

16^th October 1918. Moved to Heute on outskirts of Courtrai – 30 casualties from one shell on Gulleghan- Henke road.

20^th October 1918. 6 Am. Last battle across the Courtrai- Harlebeke railway over difficult country. Enemy retreat in disorder not fighting apart from one point north of Stacegham. 30 men killed or taken.

9am. Escher on Courtrai- Bossaingt Canal and consolidated with other battalions.

1pm. Reached St Louis. Germans rallied at Wolfsberg and a counter attack stopped by the Brits. They also helped the inhabitants when the advance was liberating them.

21^st October 1918. Advanced towards the Scheldt. Cross the Courtrai – Bosugt Canal but all bridges had been blown up. Crossed a ruined bridge at Knokke in single file. Advanced 600 yards before machine guns stopped them. Germans counter attacked during the night, which was repulsed, buy the 15^th.

22^nd October 1918. 7am. Another attack beaten off regained some ground.

9am. Reached assembly point and extended the line. Held up by machine gun. Reinforced by the 10^th Queens’ supported by a good barrage and made good ground before taking over the tunnel.

After dark Hampshires to withdraw to billets near Knokke. 100 casualties. Next 3 dayss join more ground clearing the Hoodmolen Ridge ad reaching a line from Hershrat to the outskirts of Ootegham.

25^th October 1918. Midday. Advance started under cover of machine guns. Got just short of scheldt then back to billets for 4 days rest.

11^th November 1918. Advance towards Dender below Grummoul. Halted at Nukerke needed overnight and did road repairs but the men wanted a break from everything. Transferred to the Rhine then moved to Wermelskirchen. Spent time on recreation and education but standards did not drop.

Seen more fighting than any other service battalion. Starting with the capture of Fles in September 1916 and a VC at Tower Hamlets in 1917.

It ended the war on Armistice Day still serving in 122nd Brigade of 41st Division in Belgium at Neukerke, south of Audenarde. After the war George Voysey became a milkman.

George Voysey – World War 1

George Voysey was a private 19836 in the Hants Regiment, 15th (Service) Battalion (2nd Portsmouth). His brother Albert also joined and achieved the rank of corporal.  George Voysey was also known as Pop. He enlisted on the 10th October 1916.

Started in the 4th Battalion Hampshire Regiment and then moved to the 15th Battalion.

Home from 9th October 1916 to 6th January 1917

• BEF from 7th January 1917 to 8th August 1917
• Home 9th August 1917
• BEF 13th March 1918 to 22nd September 1918
• Wounded 9th August 1918 – knee and thigh
• Listed as living at 45 Wilson Road
• Awarded the Kings Certificate with thanks on 23rd April 1919
• Awarded the War Badge on 12th May 1919

He was wounded in knee – ankylosis – stiffing of joint due to injury, and loss of ring finger. He was aged 21 on discharge.

The documents that follow are copies of George Voysey’s service record that survived the fire in the Second World War.

George and Annie Voysey

George Voysey

 George (1873-1937) was one of the sons of William and Charlotte. On 28^th June 1898 he married Annie Restell, aged 20, in St.James church, Milton. Annie was the daughter of James Henry Restell, a blacksmith working in the Navy, and Ann Elizabeth Pratt. Her ancestry can be traced back for some way on her father’s side, and to the seventeenth century on the Pratt side. On the Marriage Certificate George’s father was entered as not being deceased.  Henry Restell and Elizabeth Hatchard witnessed the ceremony. George was living at 67 Havant Road. In the main picture it is the three youngest children – Doris, Reg and Daisy.

Annie’s mother died while she was still young, and her father married again.  His new wife, Alice, was born in 1869, so was only a few years older than her stepdaughter Annie. Alice had a son, Henry, in 1900. By this time Annie had already had her first two children.

George and Annie spent the first few years of their married life in Havant Road, North End, but then moved to 45, Wilson Road, Stamshaw, a rented house which was to remain in the family for many years.  It was a small terraced house, with the usual outside toilet in the tiny back garden.

There was a small kitchen with a copper in which all the washing was done every Monday, a small living-room, and the front sitting-room, which was normally kept tidy for visitors and special occasions, but sometimes had to be used as a spare bedroom. There were three bedrooms upstairs.  The six girls slept in one, and the six boys in another.  None of the girls went into service, and they didn’t marry very young, so the house must have been very crowded when they were growing up.

The children went to Stamshaw School, where they had a reasonably good elementary education till they were 13 or 14.  When they left, some of the girls went to work in the local corset factory. Elsie worked in a lemonade factory, while Winnie remained at home to help her mother. Gradually they all got married, except for Fred, who remained at home. Winnie also remained there, with her husband and later two sons.

Several of the children settled near their old home, and at one time there were four Voysey households in Wilson Road, and another four within a short walk.

George (the son) with his daughter Iris (at the back), his mum Annie and Iris’ son Alan in front.

George died in 1937, but Annie lived on till 1953.  During the years after the war, up till her death, it was the custom to have a big family party at her house every Christmas Day, starting with tea for the children at about 4 o’clock, and going on till the early hours of Boxing Day.

George and Annie Voysey had 12 children 6 boys and 6 girls. – George  (1897 – 1982), Annie Elizabeth  (1899 – 1962), Elsie  (1900 – 1964), Albert Victor  (1901), Nelly  (1903 – 2001), John  (1906 -1989), Henry  (1906 – 1986), Winifred  (1908 – 1977), Frederick  (1909 – 1976), Doris  (1912 – 2004), Daisy W  (1914 – 1994), and Reginald H  (1916 – 1994). There should have been a thirteenth, but it died either during or just after birth.  Apparently Annie was alone in the house at the time, with no-one to help her.

George senior with his wife Annie and one of his daughters

 

The Voysey Family

The name derives from the French ‘L’envoisier’ – the playful one and dates way back to the Norman Conquest. There was a 14th Century Bishop of Exeter by that name. Another name is that of Charles Annesley Voysey, a designer and architect linked with William Morris.

The name occurs in many forms, including Vaizey, Vaisey, Vasey, Veasey, Veysey, Voisey, Voizey, Voysey, Foisey, Foizey, Phazey, and Pheazey.

It probably came to England around the time of the Norman Conquest, as it begins to appear soon after that. Some early examples are;

Robertus Invesiatus       1086

Robert Lenveiset           1131

Adam le Veyze               1270

Alice Vesey                   1296

Peter le Voyse               1327

William Veysey               1357

John Veysey, Vesey,

Voysye or Phesy             1512

Some Notable Voysey’s

It is unlikely that any of the following are directly connected to this family, but their stories are interesting.

John Voysey (or Veysey)   Bishop of Exeter

John Voysey was also known as John Harman or Harmon, and it is believed he may have taken the name of Voysey from his tutor. There is some doubt about his date of birth, some putting it as early as 1455, which means he would have been 100 years old when he died in 1555, while others think it was around 1462. In any case he lived a long life. He was the son of William Veysey, or Harman, and his wife Joan.

After a distinguished church career he was made Bishop of Exeter in 1519. He found favour with Henry V111, who appointed him tutor to his daughter Mary. He has been criticised for being too willing to go along with Henry’s wishes in such matters as his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. During the reign of Edward, in 1551, he was ordered to surrender his see, but when Mary came to the throne in 1553 she restored him to his office for the remainder of his life.

William Voisey the smuggler

In 1787 there was a “terrible affray” at a place called Ranscombe’s Gate in Devon, involving three excise officers and a party of smugglers. Two of the former were killed, and some of the smugglers badly hurt. A “Wanted” notice was issued for William Salter, Peter Salter, William Voisey, Thomas Godard and Daniel Gosling.

The smugglers were brought to trial and sentenced to death, but George Salter was reprieved and transported to Australia. William Salter and his son Peter and Daniel Gosling were all hanged, but it is not certain what happened to William Voisey or Thomas Godard. It is said that one of the smugglers died of his wounds, so it could have been either of the two.

The Revd. Charles Voysey

Charles Voysey came from a distinguished family. In a letter to the Times he wrote, “My grandmother’s grandmother was Susanna, sister to John Wesley. My aunt, Frances Martha Voysey, sat on John Wesley’s knee.”

John Wesley’s mother was also called Susanna. Her maiden name was Annesley, and this name is often used as a middle name in members of that branch of the Voysey family.

Charles Voysey became a Church of England priest, but was obviously a very controversial character. He published a book called “The Sling and the Stone” which was judged to be heretical, and he was tried in the ecclesiastical courts. The case attracted a great deal of publicity, and a fund was started to raise money for his defence. After being convicted of heresy he appealed, but the appeal was eventually dismissed and he was deprived of his benefice. He then set up his own church in London, known as the Theistic Church, and preached there regularly for many years.

Charles Francis Annesley Voysey

The Revd. Charles Voysey (see above) had a son born in 1857, Charles Francis Annesley Voysey, who was an architect and designer and became very well known. At first he concentrated on decorative work, including fabrics and wallpapers, but later he was responsible for various buildings including his own house, The Orchard at Chorley Wood. Like so many of the Voysey’s he lived a long life, eventually dying in 1941.

The Voysey’s of Hampshire

 This family of the Voysey’s probably started out from Devon although no records have been discovered that can prove this link.

The first Voysey who definitely belongs to our family was William Voysey, though his name was spelt Foisey in the church register at Wymering, where he was married on 24th December 1811. His bride was Jane Wilkes, and the witnesses were Robert Foster, Ann Maria Newman and Mary Stubbington. Since no parents were witnesses it is possible that William’s parents were dead or living elsewhere, but of course we cannot be certain of this. William’s occupation is given as “Labourer”, but in later documents it is “Gardener” and later still “Bookseller” so he had quite a varied career.

William and Jane had two sons baptised at Wymering, William on 9th October 1815, and John on 21st September 1817. For convenience we will call this William, William II. Later William and Jane moved to Buckland, Portsmouth, where they had four more sons and a daughter, all baptised at St.Mary’s church. These were: Thomas (1820), Richard (1822), George (1825), Henry (1827) and Jane (1829).

Their son was William Voysey, who became a shoemaker (also called cordwainer), a family business which continued for many years.

Richard, who was baptised in 1822, was married in 1842 to Frances Gardener, who was the sister of the Sophia Gardener who became the second wife of his brother William in 1841. November 14th 1842 Richard VOYSEY, full age, Bachelor, Cordwainer, Broad Street and Frances GARDENER, full age, Spinster, Broad Street, married in this church by banns, X signed their marks, fathers William VOYSEY, Gardener and William GARDENER, Sawyer, in the presence of Louisa HAYWARD and George VOYSEY. Confusingly, the father of Sophia and Frances was also called William, and William Voysey’s profession is given as gardener. (It is likely that he was dead by this time, though this is not stated.). Richard and Frances had a son, Richard William, in 1844. In the 1901 census Richard, now an old man, was one of the 1424 people in the Portsmouth Workhouse.

George Voysey was a witness at his brother Richard’s wedding, and he himself was married in 1850, to a Mary Ann Day. They had two sons, Thomas born 1853 and William born 1865. In the 1881 census George is shown living at Greenwich with his two sons, but Mary Ann is not with them. In fact she was in the Kent County Asylum at Maidstone.

Henry Voysey, who was born 1826 and baptised 1827, married Sarah Smith in 1845 at Alverstoke. Both were under 21. Oddly, Henry’s father’s occupation is given as boot maker, so it is possible he was the first to start the family business. However as he probably died a long time before this, it is likely that Henry was mistaken, perhaps confused because he and at least two of his brothers were already shoemakers.

Sarah died at the early age of 44 in 1870. The following year Henry married Harriet Hartfield. In the 1881 census Henry and Harriet are shown living in Portsmouth with four children, Henry, 21, Edwin, 18, Harriet, 19, and Annie, 15. These were all Henry’s children from his first marriage.

Edwin Voysey, Henry’s son, married Emily Wood, and they had a daughter, Dorothea Voysey, in 1897. A photo of Dorothea as a young woman shows that she has the typical dark hair and eyes of other Voysey girls. She was married in St.Mark’s church, Portsmouth in 1918, to Ernest Grindey, and lived until 1973. Her grandson, Stephen Robinson-Grindey, is researching his branch of the family, and has supplied some of this information.

On July 25 1835 at St. Mary’s William Voysey married Mary Ann Smith. They had at least three and possibly four children. The three certainties are William (1836), Jane and Sophia. The possibilities are John Thomas and Mary Ann as well. Sophia marries Joseph Paine in St. Mary’s on 3 April 1859 and they had eight children. In December 1839 Mary Ann Voysey passes away.

In the same year there is a birth recorded of John Thomas Voysey, son of William Voysey, cordwainer (no mother named), on 28th June 1839. This baby died on 15th September 1839, and it is probable that the child belonged to William and Mary Anne.

Two years later, on Christmas Day 1841, William remarried. His bride was Sophia Gardiner.  The entry in the church register (Parish of Portsea) shows that both bride and groom could write their names, though Sophia smudged hers a little. Witnesses were Frances Gardiner and Thomas Vaughan. So after losing his mother and his infant brother, young William was brought up by a stepmother.

William and Sophia had several more children, and lived at one time in an area of Portsmouth called Marylebone, near the Guildhall. On the 11^th August 1844 three of their children were baptised together at the Arundel Rd/ Daniel St. Wesleyan church.

These were George (aged 6 weeks), Jane (2) and Sophia (4). Sophia married Joseph Henry Paine at St.Mary’s, Portsea, on 3^rd April 1859.  He was a coal dealer at the time of the 1881 census, living with his wife and six children and also with his father-in-law, which suggests that William had again been widowed. One of the children of Joseph and Sophia, Laura, married an Edwin Feeney, and one of their descendants, Sally Roddom, is now living in Australia.

At the time of the 1881 Census William senior was living with his daughter Sophia and he eventually died during the first quarter of 1891 aged 74 at the Union House, Milton, cause of death being given as “senile decay”.

William was baptised at St. Mary’s on 28 October 1836. This William married Charlotte Caroline Coyde in Buckland Chapel according to the rites of the Baptist Church on 13 March 1856. He was married at the age of 19 to Charlotte Caroline Coyde, a young woman described as “of full age” on the marriage certificate, (i.e. over 21). He was a master cordwainer by trade and made shoes for the gentry. At the time of the marriage both participants was given as 68 Wish Street, Southsea. Charlotte’s sister, Harriet Elizabeth was one witness and Edward Levett was the other.

We know considerably more about Charlotte’s ancestry than we do about William’s. The Coyde (or Coyd) line has been traced back to the sixteenth century, and many other ancestors have also been traced.

The Coyde family also comes from Devon. Charlottes father William Coyde (born in 1807) was from Brixham and sometime before 1829 moved to Catherington, Hampshire. He worked for the dockyards and died in 1884 aged 77. The Coyde’s can be traced back to 1594 where Thomas Coyd lived in Brixham. Most of the Coyde’s were shipwrights and for 250 years lived around Brixham in Devon.

On part of the Coyde line there is a family called Dashper (William Coyde’s great great grandparents). His great great grandmother married his great great grandfather (Edward Salsbury and Dorothy Dashper) married in 7th April 1689. They were married in Churston Ferrers (4 miles from Brixham) as the Vicar of St Mary’s in Brixham supported the ‘wrong side’ in the Civil War (note in Parish Register). The Dashper’s lived in Brixham, there is still a road there named Dashper’s. The Priest was removed because he supported the Royalist cause. Edward and Dorothy could have supported either side – probably they only wanted to get married. Plymouth (35 miles away) was Royalist and was besieged by Puritan troops.

The Dashpers probably came from Belgium, as it is a Flemish name. One part of the family left Devon and went to Virginia, United States of America. Later they took part in the American Civil War.

In the 1861 census William Coyde and family are living in 22 Durham Street, Portsmouth. His occupation is listed as a shipwright at the dockyards. His age is given as 53 and birthplace is Brixham, Devon. His wife Harriet aged 57 came from Widley, Hampshire. In the house in 1861 is their daughter Charlotte Voysey aged 28 and her daughter Charlotte aged 3. Also Ann Coyde and William Coyde who are Charlotte’s siblings are also there. For some reason William Voysey has joined the Navy is working on the District Queen as a barber at the same time. Maybe this is reason why he disappears in later life.

William Voysey who was married to Sophia was living at 56 Grigg Street, Portsmouth in 1861. Living with him was Jane and Sophia his daughters. His occupation is shoemaker, which is the same as his Jane who was aged 15 at the time.

In 1871 William and Charlotte Voysey are living at 20 Stamshaw Lane, Portsmouth with their children. Their occupations are given as boot makers. William’s father and his stepmother are living at 3 Montague Place, Landport in Portsmouth. Occupation is also a shoemaker.

William’s family resides at 16 Twyford Road, Portsmouth, and Charlotte is listed as the head. Prior to 1889 the family move to 91 Havant Rd, Buckland. By 1901 they move to number 67 Havant Road. Charlotte passes away at this address in December 1902. Probably exhausted after years spent running the business and looking after her large family.

William and Charlotte moved to Bishops Waltham for a while, and some of their children were born there, but by 1878 they were back in Portsmouth, living in Twyford Road (now Avenue). They had eight children of their own, and there was also another child living with them, Alice Voysey. Most of the family was involved in the shoe-making business, making shoes for the gentry.

Unfortunately William showed some signs of instability, perhaps partly caused by the early loss of his mother. He was a lay preacher who used to travel around the countryside with a pony and trap. However he was adept at playing the accordion, and the villagers used to entice him into the pubs around Bishops Waltham for entertainment. Consequently he took to drink The story goes that some time after their return to Portsmouth , he went to the local butcher’s one day to get some lamb chops, and was never seen again by his family.

In 1912 a William Voysey, shoemaker, aged 75, died in Guildford Infirmary. The informant was the Master of the Union Workhouse, Guildford. Cause of death was once again “senile decay”, which seems to have been a convenient term when there was no other obvious cause. We cannot be certain that this was our William, but it seems probable.

They eventually had eight children and they were with the approximate dates of their birth: -Charlotte (1856-7), John (1862), Annie (1864), Henry (1866), Mary Ann (1870), George (1873), Walter (1874), Albert (1878) and Alice (1878)?

Alice Voysey

Alice Voysey is one of the family mysteries. On the Birth Certificate of Alice and her subsequent Marriage Certificate the mother’s name was given as Alice Voysey and no father.

On September 2^nd 1878 a 14-year-old girl called Alice Voysey gave birth to a daughter, also called Alice.  This took place at 45, Poole Terrace, Portsea, which was part of Twyford Road, and in fact was the home of William and Charlotte Voysey. It is probable that she was related to them, but the exact nature of the relationship has been unable to be established.