Joseph's Story.
Joseph Lockley was born 1891 and was baptised on the 4th January 1891 at Hoole, in Chester., his parents Thomas & Ellen Lockley (nee Flanangan ) had, I believe, married at St. Peter’s Church, Plemsall, in 1881,( Cheshire West CE38/1/268).
Joseph first appears on a census in 1891, living with his family at 12, Charles Street, Chester. Head of the household was Thomas Lockley, 31, a Clerk who, like the rest of the family been born in Chester. Thomas’s wife Ellen was 28. Their children were Nelly, 8, Annie, 6 and Joseph age 4 months. There were 2 Boarders, Robert Latham and George Davies.
The 1891 census sees the family had moved to 8, Lyon Street, Chester., Cheshire. Thomas, 40, was now a Solicitor’s Clerk, Ellen was age 39. In the household was daughter Annie, single age 17, the Joseph, 10, Thomas, 8 and Williams, 7. Ellen’s mother Letitia Flanagan, , 68, had joined the household and was a widow. All had been born in Chester.
1911 shows another move for the family to 26, Louise St., Chester, Cheshire (5 Rooms). Thomas, 51, now a Seedsman’s Asssitant tell us that he and Ellen, 50, had been married 29 years and that 6 children had been born to them, but sadly 1 had died. Joseph, 20 and single was a Fruit Grower, Thomas, 17 and single was a Blacksmith, William, 16, was a Tan Smith. On this census Letitia Flanagan, 78 states she had been born in Nantwich, Cheshire.
I cannot find any Attestation Papers for Joseph Lockley in the UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 on Ancestry.co.uk, it confirms his place of birth and Enlistment was at Chester, this also states that he was formerly in the Cheshire Regiment, Regimental No. 61947. This also confirms his rank of Private.
Joseph Lockley in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929 tells us that the sole Legatee was his widow Caroline who was paid £2 7s 4d on the 18th December 1917 and his War Gratuity of £3 on the 5th December 1919.
Joseph Lockley in the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 tells us that he was awarded the Victory & British War Medals but does not tell us his first Theatre of War, nor when he entered it. This does state that he had also been in the Royal Engineers as 61947.
Joseph’s two younger brothers Thomas and William were also to die in this war, so Thomas and Ellen lost all their sons, leaving 2 daughters to help them in their grieving. Please click on the links to read the stories of the other two brothers. Thomas was to die first in 1915 and then a double tragedy when Joseph and William were to die in September and October, 1917.
Commonwrealth War Graves additional information:Son of Thomas and Ellen Lockley, of 26, Louise St., Chester; husband of Caroline M. Lockley, of 3, St. John's Terrace, Louise St., Chester. One of three brothers who fell.
Researched and compiled by Mavis Williams