Joseph Ward

He was born about 1896, the son of William, a game keeper, and Ellen Ward. William and Ellen had eight children; Frances (b. abt 1892), Edith (b. 1893 A/M/J), Joseph, William (b. abt. 1898), Arthur (b. 1900 J/A/S), Harold (b. abt 1903), Frank (b. abt 1904) and Maurice (b. 1905 J/A/S). According to the 1901 Census, the five eldest children were born in Pleasley Vale, but the 1911 Census records all eight being born in Mansfield Woodhouse. In 1891 William and Ellen (b. abt 1864, Skelton in Cleveland, Yorkshire), who were newly married, were living at North Field Houses, Mansfield Woodhouse. William was a gamekeeper. Also living at North Field Houses - presumably in a separate house given the way the two households were listed separately in the census - was William's widowed father, Francis (56 b. abt 1835 Mansfield Woodhouse), also a gamekeeper, and Francis' unmarried daughter Mary Elizabeth who was a housekeeper. In 1901 William and Ellen were living at 14 Meadow Row, Pleasley Vale, with their five children; Frances (9), Edith (8), Joseph (5), William (3) and Arthur (9 months). Ten years later in 1911 they were living on Jenny Becketts Lane, Berry Hill, Mansfield. Only their seven youngest children were still living at home: Edith, Joseph, William, Arthur, Harold (8), Frank (7) and Maurice (5). Their eldest child, Frances (19), was living at the Manor House, Birkenhead, Cheshire, one of 11 servants in the household of widower Thomas Hughes Jackson (71) and his unmarried daughter, Winifred Barbara Jackson (40). William died on 24 April 1925 aged 63 years and Ellen on 6 May 1949 aged 86 years.