Joseph Lockley was born on the 1899. His parents were George & Eleanor (Ellen) Lockley (nee Roberts). I believe they married at St. Mary’s Church, Chester in 1886 Marriage Indexes (CE14/9/43).
The 1901 census records the family living at at Banks Row, Saltney, Saltney-cum-Lache.Hawarden, Part of Chester. Flintshire. George, 45 was a Furnace Man who had been born in Bretton, Flintshire. His wife Ellen, 42 had been born in Denbighshire. Their listed children were William Edward 14 who had been born in Saltney, daughter Martha Ann, 12 and son George, 10 had both been born in America, so the family had obviously moved to the United States of America between 1887, when William was born and daughter Jane Elizabeth being born in 1896. Daughter Jane Elizabeth, 4 and son Joseph, 1 had both been born in Saltney, Flintshire.
The children’s baptisms were recorded at Holy Epiphany Church, Saltney-cum-Lache. William Edward was born on the 4th May 1886 he was baptized on the 9th March 1887, address 35, Curzon Street, Saltney, Labourer and Jane Elizabeth was baptised on the 4th February 1897, their address then was Banks Row. The same day (4th February 1897) (Page 95 No’s 758 and 759) Martha Ann and George were also Baptized, so was this the year they came home from America and the first opportunity they had to baptize the 2 children who had been born there?
The 1911 census records the family still living at 14 Bank’s Row, Saltney. George, 53 was a General Labourer at the Bone Manure Works of Messrs Webb & Son’s. His wife of 26 years, Eleanor was 51 tells us that she had been born in Llansillin, Denbighshire. They had been married 26 years and 5 children had been born, all of whom were still living. Son William, 24 and single was a General Labourer, as was son George, 20. Daughter Jane Elizabeth, 14 was a Dressmaker, young son Joseph, 11 was at School. Martha was missing from the census, but as Eleanor stated that 5 children had been born and were still living, I can only presume that she had married or was living elsewhere on the 1911 census. I cannot find her on Marriage registers nor on the 1911 census, so any help would be appreciated.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms Joseph’s regimental information as above. It tells us his place of birth and residence was Saltney and that he enlisted in Chester. His medal card also on ‘Ancestry’ details his medals and gives us his previous regiment and number, but does not tell us where his first Theatre of War was nor when he entered it.
I cannot find any Service records for him, so I cannot find out more about his time in the army. His brothers were also in the Forces, Joseph’s brother William Edward signed Joseph’s card in The Flintshire Roll of honour in The County Record Office in Hawarden.
Flintshire WW1 Index Card (Saltney Ferry L 133)
Lockley, George , 14, Bank’s Cottages, Saltney. 26736 1/5th R.W.F.. Kents? Period of service 3 years. Private, still serving. Card signed by George Lockley on 29th October 1919.
Flintshire WW1 Index Card (Saltney Ferry L 134)
Lockley, Wm. Edward, 14, Bank’s Cottages, Saltney. 316122 18th Middlesex Regt. Private Period of Service 4 and 1/2 years. Card signed by William Edward Lockley on 29th October 1919.
There is another Joseph Lockley from Chester who also died as the UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about Joseph Lockley tells us, his birthplace and Enlistment was Chester, He was in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Regtl. No. 29550, Formerly 61947, Ches. Regt.
He was Killed in Action on the 4th September 1917. His Theatre of War was the Western European Theatre.
Joseph was the baby of the family, so his death would have been felt by the whole family, he was just 19 years old.
Joseph is also remembered on the Saltney War Memorial also in St. Mary’s Church, Saltney, please click on the link