Eleventh Generation

366. Joseph Charles BLABER was born on 1 August 1895 in Brighton, East Sussex, England.^{2539,2540,2541,2542,2543} He was christened on 5 October 1899 at The Church of the Annunciation in Brighton, East Sussex, England.¹³²⁴ He lived at 44 Ewart Street in Brighton, East Sussex, England in 1899.¹³²⁴ Joseph lived at Brighton Workhouse in Brighton, East Sussex, England in 1901.²⁵⁴⁴ He was described as an inmate, pauper at the 1901 census, aged 4! He lived at Warren Farm School in Rottingdean, East Sussex, England in 1911.^2545,2546 He was an 'inmate' at the 1911 census. Warren Farm school for pauper children was erected in 1861-2 at Rottingdean, not far from the Race Hill workhouse. The school, whose operation depended on the completion of a well, opened on 14th August 1862 when 75 boys and 65 girls marched there in procession from the Dyke Road workhouse. The building was broadly T-shaped in layout with boys accommodated at one side, and girls to the other. A separate infirmary was located at the south of the school, and an entrance lodge at the entrance to the site at the north-west.

He served in the Army from 17 October 1911 to 13 January 1920.²⁵⁴⁷ He was attested at the rank of 'Boy' on 17 October 1911, signing on for 12 years. His Service Number was 12729. He gave his next of kin as his brother Ernest. Joseph served in India from 27 January 1912 to 4 January 1915. He was appointed a Bandsman on 24 July 1912, and appointed a Drummer on 21 January 1917. He served with the French Expeditionary Force from 21 March 1915 to 2 May 1917. He received a bullet would in his right arm in Gallipoli on 4 June 1915 and again wounded in action 23 April 1917. He served in France again from 14 August 1917 to 27 October 1918. On 17 February 1918, Joseph was absent from Reveille until apprehended by the civil police at 9:30 pm on 19 February 1918. He was deprived of 4 days' pay for 'deficiency' due to 'losing by neglect clothing and equipment'. His hand and right eye were injured on 19 October 1918 and he was returned to England from Boulogne on 27 October 1918. He was discharged as physically unfit for war service on 13 January 1920.
Joseph was described as 5' 0.3/4" tall, sallow complexion, hazel eyes, dark brown hair, scars on forehead, back and neck on 17 October 1911.²⁵⁴⁷ In 1939 he was a Bus Conductor.²⁵⁴³ He lived at 193 Upper Shoreham Road at Southlands Hospital in Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, England in 1939.²⁵⁴⁸ Southlands Hospital was originally the former Steyning Union Workhouse. However, it became an infirmary to care for wounded soldiers in WWI, and again in WWII.
In 1955 Joseph was a Motor Mechanic.²⁵⁴⁹ He died in August 1989 at the age of 94 in Exeter, Devon, England.²⁵³⁹

Joseph Charles BLABER and Edith Margaret BLABER were married on 8 March 1919 in Union Congregational Church, Queens Square, Brighton, East Sussex, England.¹³⁵⁰ The marriage was witnessed by Edith Margaret's father George, and sister Lucy M BLABER. On the marriage certificate, Joseph is stated to be Private 12729 of the 4th Battalion, Worcester Regiment. The minister was T Rhondda WILLIAMS. Joseph and Edith were First Cousins. They¹³⁵⁰ lived at 93 Abinger Road in Portslade-by-Sea, East Sussex, England on 8 March 1919.¹³⁵⁰ Edith Margaret BLABER, daughter of George BLABER and Eliza Lucy PETERS, was born on 18 December 1896 in Portslade-by-Sea, East Sussex, England.^{1350,2550,2551,2552} She lived at 91 Abinger Road in Portslade-by-Sea, East Sussex, England in 1901.¹³⁴⁹ She lived at 4 Gardener Street at Southern Cross in Portslade-by-Sea, East Sussex, England in 1911.¹³⁵¹ Edith died in 1971 at the age of 75 in Brighton, East Sussex, England.²⁵⁵²

Joseph Charles BLABER-5779 and Edith Margaret BLABER-5789 had the following children: