Hi

I have started this new post so that Martyn's original post would not become more complicated. Also it would be easier to separate this "hypothesis" (1) of mine should it be proved incorrect.
First thanks to Graham Davison for thinking "outside the box" and suggesting Earnest Parsloe. I wouldn't have thought of it.
In the following, in order to not get too bogged down, i have not shown my sources. These are available if anyone wants confirmation etc.
To summarise what we know
The 1901,1911 and 1921 Wales Census show a family group for William E. Tovey which is more or less constant.
Eric Frank Tovey,(Martyn's Grandfather) is part of this family) Eric's date and place of birth seem to support this view.

Now to Graham Davisons information.
Earnest Parsloe (born Gloucester in 1873, same as William E. Tovey) married Anne Matilda Knight in St Lukes, Gloucester. she was younger , as was Annie M Tovey. (Note given names and initials are the same). Date of Marriage 18th February 1895.

Next we have the birth/baptism of their daughter Violet Eleanor Parsloe on 26th December 1895 in St Lukes , Gloucester. ( These details also work with Violet Tovey from the Census Forms except that the initial "M" is introduced but can be explained in later records).)

After this we have the birth of Eric Frank Parsloe in Newport Wales in the last quarter of 1897.(This date matches Eric Frank Tovey in the Census)

Records for Violet Parsloe/Tovey can also be reconciled so close its spooky.

This means that the Parsloe family moved from Gloucester some time after 1895 but before the third quarter of 1897.

Their name changed from Parsloe to Tovey sometime after 1897 but before Census day in 1901.

Why ???

Back to Gloucester. There are BNA articles about a young Earnest Parsloe getting in to strife.
On the 12th June 1894 there is a criminal record for an Earnest Parsloe being charged with being a Militia deserter and being" handed over to escort".
It would be interesting to know what happened to him after that and how long he was incarcerated.
( There are also other Criminal records in Gloucester for a Earnest Parsloe who didn't provide for his children and didn't send them to school. I have discounted these since this Earnest was two inches shorter and the crimes were committed in the first decade of the 20th Century when the other Earnest was in Wales).
Bearing in mind the date of the marriage and the date of Violet's birth little time was wasted.
Any one of these events would have been enough for a young man to "leave town". It is to his credit that he took his new wife and daughter with him!

Regarding his "desertion", we will never know but he was young, with a new girlfriend and (I haven't checked this) maybe the 3rd & 4th Battalions of the Gloucester Regiment ( These were Militia Battalions) had been called up to participate in the upcoming Boer Wars. ( I cant criticise, my own Toomey Grandfather joined the Royal Navy in the 1890's in Wales as a boy sailor for a 12 year term but after a few years, the last entry on his service record states "run". Same result as Earnest's. On a side note, in Australia "doing a runner" is usually associated with ordering and eating a meal, often Chinese, in a restaurant then leaving in a hurry without paying).

After Earnests name change, records seem to indicate that he lived a long life, staying married until Annie passed away and his children appear to have been gainfully employed. I also haven't seen any newspaper reports of any criminal behaviour.

Could Earnest and William E. be the same person ??

(1) Please excuse the use of the word "Hypothesis". It is the only fancy word i know. I first heard it in a Chemistry class in year nine at school in 1959 and have remembered it and wanted to use it ever since. It is also sad that it is the only thing i have remembered from that subject at school.

Hope i haven't bored you.

Sid Toomey