Pte 235213 Joseph Bailey

Joseph was born in the June quarter of 1879 at 21 Heap Street, Burnley to Yorkshire born cotton weaver, John Bailey and his Lancashire born wife Elizabeth (nee Riding) who married in Burnley on 04th July 1878. They had six sons, Joseph was their first born, he was baptised at St Andrews, Burnley on 3 August 1879.

The 1881 Census shows the family living at 21 Heap Street, Burnley. His father, John, is a 36 year old cotton weaver, born in Thornton, Yorkshire, whilst his mother, Elizabeth is a 31 year old housekeeper, born in Haigh, Lancashire. Joseph is 1 year old. Also present are two boarders; Martha Ramsdale a 29 year old cotton weaver and Margaret J. Ramsdale a 9 year old scholar.

The 1891 Census shows him as a scholar, aged 11, living at 1 Shackleton Street, Burnley 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 61 Thursby Road, Burnley. His father is now a 56 year old cotton weaver, born in Kelbrook, Yorkshire, whilst his mother is 50 years of age. They have six children in the household; Joseph is 21 years of age and a cotton weaver, like his father, as are William aged 19, Arthur aged 17 and Frank aged 14. The two other children are; John aged 12 and Thomas Edward aged 9. Also present is Margaret J Ramsdale now aged 29 and a cotton weaver, she is recorded as niece.     

In the September quarter of 1905 he married Standish born Mary Jane Riding.

The 1911 Census shows him as a cotton weaver living with Mary at 42 Colbran Street, Burnley. John is 31 years of age and a cotton weaver and his wife, Mary, is 32 years of age.   

 

In November 1915, he enlisted as Private 6768 into Alexandra, Princess of Wales' Own Yorkshire Regiment.

 

He was subsequently transferred to the 19th (Pals) Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 235213 and on 09th June 1917 was sent to Flanders.

 

After 6 weeks there he spent his last two weeks in the front line trenches before he was killed in action near Ypres on 24 July 1917, aged 38. 

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he is now commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres.  

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

4 of his 5 brothers also enlisted as follows;

 

Arthur with the R F A

William with the Welsh Fusiliers 

Frank with the R A M C

John with the Pioneers linked to the Cheshires.

A memorial notice about him as a Sidesman was placed in the Burnley paper noting of his Death:

ST ANDREW'S SIDESMAN

Killed After Only Two Days In The Trenches

The death in action is officially reported of Private Joseph Bailey of the King's Liverpool Regiment. son of Mr and Mrs Bailey of Thursby Road, Burnley. He was a sidesman of St Andrew's Church, and was held in high esteem by all with whom he came in contact. Private Bailey, who was 38 years of age and married, attested in November 1915 and joined up on September 9th last, going out on the June 09th. He had only been two days in the trenches when he was killed on July 24th. Four brothers are serving -  Arthur in the R.F.A., William in the Welsh Fusiliers, Frank in the RAMC, and John in the Pioneers connected with the Cheshires. Much sympathy is felt for his widow and parents in their loss.

[Sidesman - A church warden's assistant]

His widow, Mary Jane, of 6 Thursby Road, Burnley received his army pay of £4:3s:5d on 14 November 1917. A War Gratuity of £3 was also sent on 06 November 1919.

She later moved to 42 Gardner Road, Prestwich, Manchester.

Joseph's loss was not the only loss that the Bailey family had to endure, as his brother William, Private 201813 serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Wlesh Fusiliers was killed in action just two months after Joseph, on 26th September 1917. Sadly, just like Joseph, William's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as his name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial at Panel 64.