Joseph's Story.
Private Joseph Booth 7503 died of typhoid on his voyage back to the UK, on 15th January 1902. He was 37 years old, and had been invalided home.
What do we know about Joseph?
Joseph was born on 27th November 1864, in Over, near Winsford. He was the third son of John and Frances Booth, and brother to Daniel, Thomas, Martha and Frank. He grew up in Over, and on 7 June 1893, aged 27, he married a local girl, 24-year-old Martha Burrows (1868–1949) at St John’s Church. His occupation, like his father and father-in-law, was salt-maker.
On 25th February, 1901, his regiment left Southampton for South Africa. Seven men from Winsford were in that detachment of the 3rd Cheshire Volunteers.
DEPARTURES FROM WINSFORD.
Much patriotism was displayed last evening at Winsford on the occasion of the departure of Privates BOOTH, HODGKINSON, GREEN, SUCH, HANCOCK, BAKER, and CARDEN, of the 3rd Cheshire Volunteers, for Chester, whence they leave on Sunday evening for Southampton en route to the front. The procession started from Over Board Schools, and was headed by the Volunteer band and accompanied by the chairman of the Council, Mr Prince Lewis, and a large crowd of people. As the train steamed out of the station the band struck “Auld Lang Syne”. (Manchester Courier, 23rd February 1901)
By late 1901, Joseph had been hospitalised in Klerksdorp with typhoid, and on December 29th he wrote to Martha to say that he was being invalided home. However, he died on the voyage aboard SS Dunera on January 15th. His death was reported in the Northwich Guardian.
As his life had been insured by the Winsford War Committee, his widow Martha received a payment of £100.
In March 1901, she was living with her father at 48 Geneva Road, Over, not far from her younger sister Frances and brother-in-law Walter Carter at Number 28. Martha and Joseph did not have any children. However, on 9th April 1904, she married her widowed brother-in-law Walter Carter (1869–1931), and they had an adopted daughter, her niece Minnie (born Minnie Percival 1907, the daughter of another sister Margaret Percival nee Burrows), as well as her step-children nephews John, Albert, Harry and Walter, and nieces Florence and Frances Carter. Martha died in 1949.
Researched by S. Lewington April 2025.
Joseph was born on 27th November 1864, in Over, near Winsford. He was the third son of John and Frances Booth, and brother to Daniel, Thomas, Martha and Frank. He grew up in Over, and on 7 June 1893, aged 27, he married a local girl, 24-year-old Martha Burrows (1868–1949) at St John’s Church. His occupation, like his father and father-in-law, was salt-maker.
On 25th February, 1901, his regiment left Southampton for South Africa. Seven men from Winsford were in that detachment of the 3rd Cheshire Volunteers.
DEPARTURES FROM WINSFORD.
Much patriotism was displayed last evening at Winsford on the occasion of the departure of Privates BOOTH, HODGKINSON, GREEN, SUCH, HANCOCK, BAKER, and CARDEN, of the 3rd Cheshire Volunteers, for Chester, whence they leave on Sunday evening for Southampton en route to the front. The procession started from Over Board Schools, and was headed by the Volunteer band and accompanied by the chairman of the Council, Mr Prince Lewis, and a large crowd of people. As the train steamed out of the station the band struck “Auld Lang Syne”. (Manchester Courier, 23rd February 1901)
By late 1901, Joseph had been hospitalised in Klerksdorp with typhoid, and on December 29th he wrote to Martha to say that he was being invalided home. However, he died on the voyage aboard SS Dunera on January 15th. His death was reported in the Northwich Guardian.
As his life had been insured by the Winsford War Committee, his widow Martha received a payment of £100.
In March 1901, she was living with her father at 48 Geneva Road, Over, not far from her younger sister Frances and brother-in-law Walter Carter at Number 28. Martha and Joseph did not have any children. However, on 9th April 1904, she married her widowed brother-in-law Walter Carter (1869–1931), and they had an adopted daughter, her niece Minnie (born Minnie Percival 1907, the daughter of another sister Margaret Percival nee Burrows), as well as her step-children nephews John, Albert, Harry and Walter, and nieces Florence and Frances Carter. Martha died in 1949.
Researched by S. Lewington April 2025.