Joshua Meadows

Joshua Meadows was the son of John and Sarah Meadows (nee Hudson) He was born in Uppingham, Rutland, in 1861 (A/M/J Uppingham Rutland) and baptised in Uppingham parish church on 18 April 1862. In 1871 his parents were living at Ragman's Row, Uppingham, with their six children including Joshua (10). Joshua has not yet been traced on the 1881 Census. On the 1891 and subsequent census Joshua was listed as married to Lucy (b. Ilkeston/Cotmanhay) and in 1911 declared that they had been married for 27 years by which time they had had 16 children of whom only six were still living. However, Joshua and Lucy (nee Peberday) were not married until 11 January 1916 (J/F/M Nottingham, date confirmed on Army Pension Record). Only five children were named on the census between 1891 and 1911: Annie, Lydia, John Edward, George William and Arthur. Eleven children, though, have been traced on the registration of births, including a daughter who was born in 1913. All the records give the mother's maiden name as 'Peberday' and all but four were born in Nottingham: Annie b. Stapleford birth registered 1887 (J/F/M Shardlow Derbyshire), Lydia b.Stapleford birth registered 1890 (J/F/M Shardlow), John Edward b. Latchford Warrington 1891 (O/N/D Warrington Cheshire), George William b. 1899 (A/M/J Nottingham) d. 1904 (O/N/D Nottingham), Joseph b. 1900 (O/N/D Nottingham) d. 1900 (O/N/D Nottingham), Susan b. 1901 (O/N/D Nottingham) d. 1904 (O/N/D Nottingham), Arthur b. 1904 (J/A/S Nottingham), Walter b. 1905 (O/N/D Nottingham) d. 1906 (J/A/S Nottingham), Sarah birth registered 1908 (J/F/M Nottingham) d. 1908 (O/N/D Nottingham), Thomas b. 1909 (A/M/J Nottingham) d. 1909 (A/M/J Nottingham) and Esther b. Loughborough 24 March 1913 (A/M/J Loughborough). In 1891 Joshua (29), a tunnel miner, and Lucy were living on Lockett Street, Latchford, Warrington, Cheshire, with their two daughters Annie (4) and Lydia (1). John Edward was born later that year. By 1901 the family had moved to 8 Commercial Street, Nottingham, in the parish of Holy Trinity, Lenton. Joshua was working as a sewage labourer. He and Lucy had four chlldren: Annie (14) a cotton winder), Lydia (11), John (9) and George (2). George died in 1904. Joshua and Lucy had moved to Willoughby on the Wolds by 1911. Joshua was working as a general labourer for the County Council and Lucy was a lace hand. Only their son Arthur (6) was in the home on the night of the census. Their youngest child, Esther, was born two years later in March 1913. The family was living at 2 Hayden Place, Sneinton, when Joshua enlisted in August 1915. However, when he and Lucy married in January 1916 they were living at 27 Duke's Place, Barker Gate, Nottingham, and were still at the same address when Joshua was discharged from the Army later that year. The later CWGC record gives his widow's address as 67 Main Street, Carlton. Their son John Edward served in the South Notts Hussars (351 Lance Corporal) and died on 21 December 1915 aged 25. He is also buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. (See record on this ROH)