The 1891 census places Joseph E Jones in Rhes y Cae with his family. He was the eldest child  at 8 years old and a scholar. He lived with his parents  Joseph 36, a lead miner and his mother Margaret, 36. He had two little brothers Thomas 5 and William 10 months.

Ten years later in the 1901 census , the family is still the same size and still in Rhes y Cae. The father, now 46 is still a lead miner and Margaret his wife is also 46. Our man Joseph E is 18 and a railway worker. Thomas 13 and William 10 are both scholars.

We believe that by the 1911 census, Joseph was married and living in Bagillt. A Joseph E Jones who had been born in Rhes y Cae  lived in Bagillt with his wife Elizabeth and son (also Joseph E) who was 2 months old. He was 25 years old and was a ‘shunter’ in a colliery. This age is not quite right as Joseph would have been about 28. Nevertheless we think it is him.

Joseph met his death in an incident at sea. He was aboard the SS Transylvania which had been taken over as a troopship. It was sailing from Marseille to Alexandria in May 1917 with a full complement of troops when it was struck by a torpedo from a German U boat. Ten crew members, 29 army officers and 373 soldiers including Joseph Edward Jones, lost their lives.

Joseph Edward Jones is also named on the Bagillt memorial. Follow the link to read his story.