2nd Lieut Joseph Morton Bibby

• Age: 28
• From: Lancaster
• Regiment: 8 E LANCS REGT
• Died on Thursday 3rd May 1917
• Commemorated at: Arras Memorial
  Panel Ref: Bay 4 & 5

Joseph Morton Bibby was born on 25th May 1888 in Lancaster. He was the son of Joseph Bibby and his wife Ruth (nee Pye). His parents married on 01st March 1881 in Quernmore Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Lancaster. His father was the owner of J. Bibby & Son Ltd – Seed Crushing and Oil Cake Mills in Liverpool.

1901 Census – 41 Cambridge Road, Southport - Parents Joseph and Ruth with children Alice K, John P, James E, Joseph M, Charles L, Mary B, Henry P and Geoffrey B. Geoffrey Barnet Bibby died in 1901

1911 Census - The Priory, Bidston , Wirral - Parents Joseph and Ruth with children Alice Kirby, John Pye, Joseph Morton, Charles Leslie and four live in servants.

Joseph enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 22013. His brothers Charles Leslie Bibby 15784 and Henry Percy Bibby 15813 also served in the 17th Battalion.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

Joseph Morton was discharged to commission on 28th February 1917. He was serving as 2nd Lieut. in the 8th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment when he was killed in action on 03rd May 1917 aged 28.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Arras Memorial in France.

The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918. Canadian and Australian servicemen killed in these operations are commemorated by memorials at Vimy and Villers-Bretonneux. A separate memorial remembers those killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, with sculpture by Sir William Reid Dick. The memorial was unveiled by Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force on the 31 July 1932 (originally it had been scheduled for 15 May, but due to the sudden death of French President Doumer, as a mark of respect, the ceremony was postponed until July).

This was the second grievous loss for the family following the death of his brother Charles Leslie Bibby who died of wounds on 17th August 1916.

A report in the Liverpool Echo of 14th May 1917 shows:

A letter from the colonel of the East Yorkshire Regiment, received yesterday at Bidston, reports that Lieutenant J. Morton Bibby, of that regiment, went into action with his battalion on the 3rd inst., and has not since been heard of. Although posted as "missing," his colonel states that there is "perhaps a chance" that he has been made a prisoner of war. Only two days ago a telegram was received from the War Office notifying his parents that he was wounded on the 1st inst., but from the colonel's letter it is gathered that he joined up again to take part in the action which took place two days later, and in which a large number of soldiers of all ranks gave up their lives. Lieutenant Bibby was 30 years of age, a director of J. Bibby and Sons, Ltd., of this city, and he first went to the front as a private with the Liverpool Pals, but was severely wounded last autumn. He only returned to France three weeks ago. Previously to joining the Army he took an active part in the management of the company of which he was a director.

Probate for Joseph shows that he left his father Joseph Bibby, and brothers John Pye and James Edward the sum of £26,207.6s - (£1,830.057.90 in 2020)

Joseph Morton Bibby is commemorated on the following local memorials

Bidston Civic Memorial

Birkenhead Civic Memorial

J.Bibby and Sons Ltd

Shaftesbury Club, Birkenhead

Memorials of Old Birkonians 1914-1918 

Both Charles Leslie and Joseph Morton Bibby are mentioned on the grave of their sister Alice Kirby Bibby in Holy Cross Churchyard, Woodchurch, Wirral.

Their Father Joseph Bibby of The Priory, Bidston died 11/3/1940 and left his sons John Pye, James Edward and Henry Percy (Seed Crushers) the sum of £289,474, worth £16,316,478.15 in 2020.

Their Mother Ruth Bibby of Linkside, Bidston Road, Birkenhead, died 15th December 1946 and left her sons John Pye, James Edward, Henry Percy and daughter Mary Beatrice Sharples (wife of Frank Deeks Sharples) the sum of £106,759.15.5d. worth £4,500,656,41 in 2020.

The younger brother mentioned as being wounded and in Southmead, Bristol was Henry Percy Bibby who was a Private - 15813 in the 17th Kings Liverpool. He had enlisted 1/9/1914 in Liverpool but was honourably discharged on 6/4/1917 with disabilities and was awarded the Silver War Badge. He also received the Victory and British War Medal in 1919. He married Mintose (Minnie) M Chadwick 17/12/1929 at Higher Bridge Street Methodist Chapel, Bolton and they went on to have three children. Henry Percy Bibby died at Springfield, Church Lane, Neston on 1/12/1973 and left over £2,500.000.

We currently have no further information on Joseph Morton Bibby, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.