Joseph Morton
He was a painter and decorator.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Joseph William Morton was born on 5th May 1891 at Beeston, he was baptised on 15th July 1891 at St John's Church, Beeston, he was the son of William Henry a painter and decorator and Sarah Morton née Fletcher and the brother of Horace, Harold, Benny, Richard, Elsie, Dorothy, Lilian May, Gladys, Eva, Miriam, Eric and Samuel Morton.
His father William Henry Morton was born in 1869 at Beeston, his mother Sarah Fletcher was born in 1873 also at Beeston, they were married on 24th January 1891 at St Johns Church Beeston, they went on to have 15children, sady 2 were to die in infancy or early childhood.
In the 1911 census the family lived at 6 The City Beeston Nottingham, William Henry 42 yrs is a painter and decorator, he is living with his wife Sarah 38 yrs and their 13 children including John William 20 yrs a painter and decorator.
Joseph William married Etel Amy Ranford (born 29th November 1889) in 1917 at Basford, Nottingham, they lived at 32 Derby Road, Beeston, she died in 1917 at Nottingham she was 28 yrs of age.
Private Joseph William Morton enlisted at Nottingham, he served with the 10th battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment, he died on 22nd October 1917, he is buried at Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium. Plot 6. Row D. Grave 40.
His brother Trooper Horace Horton he volunteered for war service11. he had been working as a collier. Though aged only 17, he declared that he as 19 and on 6 September 1914 at Nottingham he was duly accepted for service with the Hussars of the Line at Colchester. On 10 October 1914 he was posted with the 9th Reserve Regiment of Cavalry for training. Sadly, after almost nine months service, after being admitted to the hospital connected to the Shorncliffe Camp in Kent, he was found to be unfit for military service and was discharged on 28 May 1915. A subsequent medical examination records that he had an enlarged heart and that he had developed dizziness and shortness of breath after strenuous gymnastics. He was issued with the Silver War Badge on 8 November 1916.
But he was still keen to serve and, on 25 June 1917, he enlisted again maintaining his inflated age and stating that he had been working as a joiner's labourer at Chilwell. He was accepted and joined 80th Training Battalion, Sherwood Foresters at Newcastle but was discharged as physically unfit for service on 26 December 1917. On 25 June 1918, he was medically examined at the Military Hospital, Carrington, Nottingham where he was diagnosed with valvular disease of the heart (VDH) which had been aggravated by war service. as a result he was awarded a 40% Army Pension.
He died on 7th July 1918.
Above information is from his army service record and Beeston Roll of Honour Great War 1914-1918 website copyright David Hallam
additional research and information Peter Gillings
Photo of Joseph Morton
Mendingham Military Cemetery, Belgium