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Alliston Champion Toker KCB (1843 - 1936)

Sir Alliston Champion Toker KCB
Born in Hendon, Middlesex, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and
Brother of , and
Husband of — married 22 Jun 1868 in Bhaugulpore, Bengal, Indiamap
Husband of — married 23 Nov 1881 in Dinapore, Bengal, Indiamap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , , , , and
Died at about age 92 in Bedford, Bedfordshire, Englandmap
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Profile last modified | Created 22 Feb 2018
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Biography

Alliston Champion Toker was born on 10 December 1843 in Hendon, Middlesex, England.[1] Alliston was baptised on 9 January 1844 in Hendon.[2]

From the Brighton College Register Alliston Champion Toker was 9 when he entered the College in 1852, he left in 1854:

366. TOKER (ALLISTON CHAMPION), 9, brother of No. 350.) 1852-54.
Afterwards at Victoria College, Jersey. Bengal Infantry (Ensign,1860; Lieut., 1862); Bengal Staff Corps (1862; Captain, 1872; Major, 1880); Brev. Lieut.-Colonel, 1882. Cantonment Magistrate, North-West Provinces, and J.P., 1876-79. Assistant Secretary, Military Department, Government of India, 1879-80 and 1883-84. Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General, Indian Contingent, Egypt,1882. Officiating Secretary, Board of Examiners, and Assistant Secretary, Government of India Legislative Department,1882-83. Commandant, 18th Regiment Bengal Infantry, 1885. Bhootan Expedition, 1864-65:- Medal with Clasp. Egyptian Expedition,1882:-Battle of Tel-el-Kebir and subsequent pursuit to Zagazig. Despatches, London Gazette, November 2nd, 1882. Medal with Clasp; bronze star; Brev. of Lieut.-Colonel; 4th Class, Osmanieh. Passed in Oriental languages, Degree of Honor and Gold Medal in Persian and in Urdu; High Proficiency in Hindi and in Bengali; Higher Standard in Arabic and in Sanskrit; holds Certificates as Instructor of Musketry (Hythe Extra 1st Class), and in Army Signalling (Aldershot); and has completed a course of Military Surveying and Field Engineering at Chatham.[3]

Alliston attended Victoria College, Jersey, from 1857 to 1859.[2]

On 1 July 1859 Alliston Champion Toker was nominated as a cadet for the Bengal Infantry by Major General Sir Robert Vivian KCB.[2]

He attended Addiscombe.

From the Kentish Gazette ( Canterbury, Kent, England) of 14 February 1860:

Alliston Champion Toker, the youngest son of Philip Champion Toker, Esq., has passed his examination at Addiscombe for her Majesty's Indian army, Bengal presidency, at the nomination of his relation, Major-General, Sir Robert Vivian, K.C.B.[4]

In The new annual army list, militia list, yeomanry cavalry list, and Indian civil service list Bt. Lt. Colonel A. C. Toker, Staff Corps was with the 18th (The Alipore) Bengal Native Infantry (late Alipore Regt. — Raised 29 June 1795) Head Quarters at Dinapore. Uniform, Red. Facings, Black. He was a wing commander.[5] His career was summarised as being in the infantry for 23 years service:

  • 1860, 4 May ensign
  • 1862, 1 January lieutenant
  • 1872, 4 May captain
  • 1880, 4 May major
  • 1882, 18 November brevet lieutenant-colonel[6]

Alliston (24) married Katharine Annie Adams (~24) (~1843 - 1878) on 22 Jun 1868 in Bhaugulpore, Bengal, India. Their children were:

  1. Katie Josephine (Toker) Hennessy (1870 - 1955)
  2. Mary Champion Toker (1871 - ).

Alliston (37) married Laura Frances Hart (24) (1857 - 1925) on 23 Nov 1881 in Dinapore, Bengal.

From the Sydney Morning Herald 16 January 1882:

TOKER—HART.—November 23, 1881, at Dinapore, East Indies, by the Rev. A. G. A. Robarts, Major Alliston Champion Toker, Bengal Staff Corps, to Laura Frances, daughter of the late Captain W. H. Shiriff Hart, 105th Light Infantry, and stepdaughter of Major S. B. Home, Bengal Army.[7]

Their children were:

  1. Philippa Jeannette Champion (Toker) Hazledine (1882 - ~1970)
  2. Constance Vivian Toker (1883 - 1949)
  3. Frances Trent (Toker) Stubbs (1885 - 1978)
  4. Richard Edward Toker (1886 - 1952)
  5. Effield Branthwayt De Crespigny (Toker) Gordon (1888 - 1959)
  6. Annette Collen (Toker) Mirams (1890 - 1966).

Major A. C. Toker of the Bengal Staff Corps was awarded the Order of Osmanieh 4th class in 1882.[8]

He was Official Translator to the Government of India for 14 years and translated all military textbooks in use in the Indian Army into Urdu, Hindi and Gurmukhi (Punjabi). He was employed with the Indian Expeditionary Force in France in 1915-16 and within Postal Censorship in 1916 - 1919.[9]

In 1906 he was made Knight Commander of the Bath (K. C. B.). From the Jersey Independent and Daily Telegraph 7 July 1906:

Honour for an Old Victorian
The list of Birthday Honours issued yesterday, includes the following:- To be Knight Commander of the Bath (K.C.B.), Major-General Alliston Champion Toker, C.B., Indian Army.
General Toker entered Victoria College in January, 1857, and obtained an East India Cadetship in 1860. He was promoted Captain in the Bengal Staff Corps in 1872, having served in the Bhootan Expedition of 1864-5. From August, 1879, to March, 1880, he was Assistant-Secretary to the Military Department of the Goverment of India, and in 1880 obtained his Majority. He was D.A.A.G. [Deputy Assistant Adjutant General] to the Indian contingent at Tel-el-Kebir, and was mentioned in despatches, receiving the brevet of Lieut.-Colonel and the 4th class of the Order of Osmanieh. His C.B., was conferred for services in the Burmese Expedition. He was made Colonel in 1886 and from September 1887 to August 1892 was Departmental Secretary to the Military Department of the Government of India. He was promoted Major-General in 1897 and retired in 1902.[10]

The Cambridge review's war list: Past and Present Members of the University of Cambridge on Service, published by Cambridge University in 1917 recorded Sir A. C. Toker Head-Qrs, Major-General, under Gonville and Caius College.[11]

In the 1921 census Alliston (age 77), Major Central Indian Army Retired, was the married head of household at 16 Lansdowne Road, Bedford, 16, Lansdowne Road, Bedford, Bedford St Paul, Bedfordshire, England.[12]

Name Relation Sex Status Age Birth Place Occupation Employer
Alliston Champion Toker Head M Married 77 Hendon, Middlesex, England Major General Indian Army Retired
Laura Frances Toker Wife F 63 Cuttack, India Home Duties
Constance Vivian Toker Daughter F 37 Dinapore, India Home Duties
Philippa Champion Orine Toker Sister F 79 Hendon, Middlesex, England None
Eileen Muriel Mary Toker Daughter-in-law F 30 India None
Alliston Champion Toker Grandson M 7 Belgium
Doreen Eileen Toker Granddaughter F 6 Boscombe, Hampshire, England
Florence Edith Jeffries Servant F 20 Huntingdonshire, England Cook Private
Edith Elsie Bartram Servant F 18 Bedfordshire, England Parlour Maid Private
Elizabeth Allen Watson Servant F 25 Skipton, Yorkshire, England Maid Attendant Private


Sir Alliston Toker died age 92 on 11 April 1936 in Bedfordshire, England. His estate passed probate on 22 June 1936 in London, England.[13]

Obituary in the Yass Tribune-Courier (NSW, Australia), Monday 24 August 1936, page 6:

GENERAL WHO COULD NOT BE RETIRED
Sir A. C. Toker Dies Aged 92
UNDERGRADUATE IN HIS SEVENTIES
Ninety-two years of age, a general who could not be retired died the other day. He was Major General Sir Alliston Champion Toker, and his death occurred at his Bedford home.
A relative stated: "He was probably the oldest general in the Indian Army, and was on the active list the whole time. He could not be retired.
"Sir Alliston carried out a survey of the Chindwin district in Burmah in 1886-7. For that he received from the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Roberts, the honour that he could never be retired from the active list. It is a very uncommon honour, and I think probably only two others hold it.
"At the age of 72 he thought he would like to get his degree in Oriental languages and went to Cambridge as an undergraduate, only to find that the tutor was a man he had coached for the job!
"He had no special privileges at the university, except that he was allowed to sit at the dons' table.
"He was in France for 11 months during the war in 1915 until the Indian Division, to which he acted as interpreter, returned to India.
Bent For Languages .
"He was the first officer to translate any military text-books into Indian languages. He had a natural bent for languages, and spoke at least seven Oriental tongues, as well as five European.
"In effect, he retired 40 years ago, and after his retirement was awarded the K.B.E."
At the India Office it was stated that the official description of Sir Alliston's position was that he remained until his death on the unemployed supernumerary list of the Indian Army.
Sir Alliston was born at Hendon, Middlesex, and entered the Bengal Army in 1860. He became captain in 1872, major in 1880, brevet lieutenant-colonel two years later, colonel in 1886, and major-general in 1897.
Sir Alliston was twice married. His first wife died in 1878, and his second, in 1926.[14]


MAJ. GEN. SIR ALLISTON CHAMPION TOKER (Toker-14)

PARENTS. Philip Champion Toker & Eliza Jeanette (Branthwayt) Toker

BIRTH. 10 Dec 1843, Hendon, Middlesex, England

BIRTH. 1844
Name Alliston Champion Toker
Event Type Birth Registration
Registration Quarter Jan-Feb-Mar
Registration Year 1844
Registration District Hendon
County Middlesex
Event Place Hendon, Middlesex, England
Volume 3, Page 213, Line Number 20

MARRIAGE (1). 22 Jun 1868, Bhaugulpore, Bengal, India

MARRIAGE (1). 22 Jun 1868, Katharine Annie Adams, daughter of Thomas or James O'Brien Adams & ??

MARRIAGE (1). 22 Jun 1868
Name Aliston Champion Toker
Spouse's Name Katharine Annie Adams
Event Date 22 Jun 1868
Event Place Bhaugulpore, Bengal, India
Father's Name Philip Champion Toker
Spouse's Father's Name Thomas O'Brien Adams

Children:

(1) Katie Josephine Toker, b. 27 May 1870, d. 1955, m. 24 Sep 1891, John Patrick Cumberlege Hennessy, son of Alexander Cardew Hennessy & Mary Henrietta Fullerton (Cumberlege) Hennessy
(2) Mary Champion Toker, b. 5 Jun 1871

Death of Spouse (1): 1 Nov 1878, Ranikhet, Bengal, India

MARRIAGE (2). 23 Nov 1881, Dinapore, Bengal, India

MARRIAGE (2). 23 Nov 1881, Laura Frances Hart, daughter of William Hamilton Sherriff Hart & Mary Ann (de Mestre) Hart

MARRIAGE (2). 23 Nov 1881
Name Alliston Champion Toker
Birth Date 1844
Age 37
Spouse's Name Laura Frances Hart
Spouse's Birth Date 1860
Spouse's Age 21
Event Date 23 Nov 1881
Event Place Dinapore, Bengal, India
Father's Name Philip Champion Toker
Spouse's Father's Name William Hamilton Shiriff Hart
Marital Status Widowed
Spouse's Marital Status Single

Children:

(3) Philippa Jeannette Champion Toker, b. 19 Aug 1882, d. abt. 1970, m. 1905, Hugh St John Clough Hazledine, son of John Rowland Lovell Hazledine & Sarah Grace Boevey (Clough) Hazledine
(4) Constance Vivian Toker, b. 30 Nov 1883, d. 1949
(5) Frances Trent Toker, b. 14 Mar 1885, d. 1978, m. 1909, Rowland Stubbs, son of Reuben Stubbs & Annena (Sillitoe) Stubbs
(6) Richard Edward Toker, b. 1886, d. 9 Jul 1952, m. 18 Feb 1913, [[Williams-61352|Aileen/Eileen Muriel Williams, daughter of Peter Elwin Williams & Catherine Isabella Ann (??) Williams
(7) Effield Branthwayt De Crespigny Toker, b. 8 Apr 1888, d. 1959, m. 27 Sep 1913, Alexander Bruce Gordon, son of Robert William Gordon & Esther Smith (Gibson) Gordon
(8) Annette Collen Toker, b. 6 Feb 1890, d. 1966, m. 1916, Stanley Mirams, son of Arthur Mirams & Sarah (Nettleton) Mirams
England and Wales Census, 1901:
Name: Alliston C Toker
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 31 Mar 1901
Event Place: Bedford Eastern Ward St Paul, Bedfordshire, England
County: Bedfordshire
Civil Parish: Bedford Eastern Ward St Paul
Ecclesiastical Parish: Holy Trinity
Sub-District: Bedford And Kempston
Registration District: Bedford
Residence Note: Lansdowne Road
Gender: Male
Age: 57
Occupation: MAJOR GENERAL INDIAN STAFF CORPS
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Birth Year (Estimated): 1844
Birthplace: Hendon, Middlesex
Schedule Type: 235
Page Number: 39
HOUSEHOLD ROLE SEX AGE BIRTHPLACE
Alliston C Toker Head Male 57 Hendon, Middlesex
Laura F Toker Wife Female 43 India
Philippa J Toker Daughter Female 18 India
Constance V Toker Daughter Female 17 India
Frances T Toker Daughter Female 16 India
Richard E Toker Son Male 14 Folkestone, Kent
Effield B De C Toker Daughter Female 12 India
Annette C Toker Daughter Female 11 India
Florence Cousins Servant Female 22 Rilsly, Northamptonshire
Rose Mayes Servant Female 15 Great Staughton, Huntingdonshire
Caroline Newman Servant Female 50 Croydon, Cambridgeshire
Gertrude A Millard Servant Female 21 Cranfield, Bedfordshire
England and Wales Census, 1911:
Name: Alliston Champion Toker
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Event Place: Bedford, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
County: Bedfordshire
Parish: Bedford
Sub-District: Bedford And Cardington
Registration District: Bedford
Gender: Male
Age: 67
Marital Status (Original): MARRIED
Occupation: MAJOR GENERAL INDIAN ARMY
Birth Year (Estimated): 1844
Birthplace: Hendon, Middlesex
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Line: 1, Page: 1
HOUSEHOLD ROLE SEX AGE BIRTHPLACE
Alliston Champion Toker Head Male 67 Hendon, Middlesex
Laura Frances Toker Wife Female 53 India Madras Resident
Philippa Jeannette Champion Hazledine Daughter Female 28 India Bengal Resident
Constance Vivian Toker Daughter Female 27 India Bengal Resident
Effield Branthwayt De Crespigny Toker Daughter Female 22 India Bengal Resident
Annette Collen Toker Daughter Female 21 India Bengal Resident
Alliston Temple Clough Hazledine Grandson Male 3 Bedford, Bedfordshire
Mary Anne Hargreaves Servant Female 44 Maulden, Bedfordshire
Charles Richard King Ashman Servant Male 23 Ampthill, Bedfordshire

Death of Spouse (2): 1925, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England

DEATH. 1936, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England

DEATH. 1936
Name Alliston C Toker
Event Type Death
Registration Quarter Apr-May-Jun
Registration Year 1936
Registration District Bedford
County Bedfordshire
Event Place Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
Volume 3B, Page 310, Line Number 77

MARRIAGE OF HIS PARENTS: 17 Sep 1830, Old Church, Saint Pancras, London, England

MARRIAGE. 17 Sep 1830
Name Philip Champion Toker
Spouse's Name Eliza Jeannette Branthwayt
Event Date 17 Sep 1830
Event Place Old Church,Saint Pancras,London,England
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKPB-D32

MARRIAGE NOTICE. 1830.—On the 17th, at St. Pancras, Philip Champion, eldest son of Edward Toker, Esq., of the Oaks, near Ospringe, to Eliza Jeannette, only child of the late Captain Arthur Branthwayt. THE LADY'S MAGAZINE, p178: http://bit.ly/2oms8iW

MAJ.-GEN. SIR ALLISTON CHAMPION TOKER, K.C.B. [15]

TOKER (H. Coll.). Vert, on a bend engrailed argent, with plain cottises or, three hearts gules. Mantling vert and argent. Crest — On a wreath of the colours, a heart gules, encircled by a ducal coronet argent, between two branches of palm proper. Motta — "Providentia tutamen."

Son of Philip Champion Toker of The Oaks, Ospringe, Kent, Proctor of Doctors' Commons, b. 1802 ; d. 1883 ; m. 1830, Eliza Jeannette, d. of Arthur Branthwayt,

Capt. 2nd Dragoon Gds. : — Maj.-Gen. Sir Alliston Champion Toker, K.C.B. (1906), served in the Bhutan Campaign 1864-5 as Adj. left wing 18th Bengal Inf. (medal and clasp), as D.A.A.G. to the Indian Contingent in Egyptian Campaign 1882, present at Battle of Tel-el-Kebir and subsequent pursuit to Zagazig (desp., medal and clasp, 4th Osmanieh, Egyptian bronze star), comm. 18th Bengal Inf. and Chindwin Field Force in Burma Campaign 1886-7, present at occupation of Kindat and several minor affairs (desp., two clasps to India medal, and C.B.), Cantonment Magistrate and J. P. in N.W. Pro-vinces 1876-81, Hon. Col. 18th Infantry Bengal 191 4, served Great War, Asst. Censor Indian Mail in France from 1915, Censor in charge Liverpool 1918, Master of Ironmongers Co. 1904-5, holds degrees of honour (with gold medals) in Persian and Hindustani, and certificates of proficiency in Arabic, Sanskrit, Hindi, and Bengali, b. 1843

m - lst . 8867, Katharine Annie (d. 1878), d. of James O'Brien Adams ; 2nd, 1881, Laura (d. 1925), d. of late William Hamilton Shirriff Hart, Capt. 105th Regt. ; and has issue by 1st m. — Katie Josephine [m. 1891, Lt.-Col. Patrick Cumberlege Hennessy, C.M.G., Ind. Army] ; by 2nd m. Richard Edward Toker, Esq. , late Lieut. Ind. Army, b. 1886 [m. 1913, Eileen Muriel Mary, d. of P. E. Williams] ; Philippa Jeannette Champion [m. 1905, Hugh St. John Clough Hazeldine, 3rd Batt. Roy. Munster Fus.] ; Constance Vivian ; Frances Trent [m. 1908, Rowland Stubbs, Architect and Surveyor] ; Effield Branthwayt de Crespigny [m. 1913, Alexander Bruce Gordon, M.D., F.R.C.S.E.]; and Annette Collen [m. 1916, Stanley Mirams, M.C. , Capt. Middx. Regt.]. Res. — 10 Woburn Road, Bedford.

Sources

  1. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales Births 1837-2006"
    Volume: 3; Page: 213
    FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 13 March 2023)
    Alliston Champion Toker birth registered Jan-Feb-Mar 1844 in Hendon.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Baptism: "British India Office Births & Baptisms"
    Reference: L-MIL-9-250
    FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 13 March 2023)
    Alliston Champion Toker baptism on 9 Jan 1844 in Hendon, Middlesex, England.
  3. ↑ Brighton College Register: Part 1 Nos. 1-1000, with Brief Biographical Notices. 1847-1863. (1886). United Kingdom: J. Farncombe. Retrieved through Google Books
  4. ↑ British newspapers retrieved through FindMyPast
  5. ↑ The new annual army list, militia list, yeomanry cavalry list, and Indian civil service list, 1881, page 437 retrieved through archive.org
  6. ↑ The new annual army list, militia list, yeomanry cavalry list, and Indian civil service list, 1881, page 83 retrieved through archive.org and also page 418
  7. ↑ Family Notices (1882, January 16). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13503041
  8. ↑ The London Gazette Publication date: 17 November 1882 Issue: 25169 Page: 5169 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/25169/page/5169
  9. ↑ Walford, Edward. The county families of the United Kingdom; or, Royal manual of the titled and untitled aristocracy of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. 1860. page 1330 retrieved through Google Books
  10. ↑ British Newspaper Archive retrieved through FindMyPast
  11. ↑ "The Cambridge Review's War List." University of Cambridge, 1917, page 42 retrieved through archive.org
  12. ↑ 1921 Census: "1921 Census Of England & Wales"
    Archive: The National Archives; Series: RG 15; Piece number: 07916; District reference: RD 174 RS 3 ED 21
    FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 13 March 2023)
    Alliston Champion Toker (77), married, Major Central Indian Army Retired, head of household at 16, Lansdowne Road in Bedford registration district in Bedfordshire, England. Born in Hendon, Middlesex, England.
  13. ↑ Probate: "England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995"
    Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1904 #2528361 (accessed 14 March 2023)
    Alliston Champion Toker probate on 22 Jun 1936 in London, England. Died 11 Apr 1936 in Bedfordshire, England.
  14. ↑ GENERAL WHO COULD NOT BE RETIRED (1936, August 24). Yass Tribune-Courier (NSW : 1929 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249558442
  15. ↑ MAJ.-GEN. SIR ALLISTON CHAMPION TOKER, K.C.B. : Armorial families : a directory of gentlemen of coat-armour (Volume 2), by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies. online. (page 222 of 282): http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/arthur-charles-fox-davies/armorial-families--a-directory-of-gentlemen-of-coat-armour-volume-2-dxo/page-222-armorial-families--a-directory-of-gentlemen-of-coat-armour-volume-2-dxo.shtml




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Alliston is 17 degrees from Maria Mitchell, 26 degrees from Carl Sagan, 18 degrees from Tycho Brahe, 27 degrees from Nicholaus Copernicus, 23 degrees from Eise Eisinga, 15 degrees from Caroline Lucretia Herschel, 21 degrees from Thomas Maclear, 15 degrees from Simon Newcomb, 15 degrees from Isaac Newton, 19 degrees from Pierre Henri Puiseux, 14 degrees from Beatrice Tinsley and 17 degrees from Edith Woodward on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.

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