Joseph Mays was the ninth child of Elizabeth Agent & John May christened January 16th, 1825 at East Grinstead, Sussex.
In 1841 Joseph was employed as a servant at Petworth House & his address was ‘Kennells’.
Unfortunately Joseph could not be traced in the 1851 & 1861 censuses.
Joseph married Caroline Wafforn on June 3rd, 1865 at St John’s, Paddington, London. Joseph gave his address as 3 Lower Porchester St & his occupation as ‘gentleman’. He also gave his father John’s occupation as ‘gentleman’. Caroline gave her address as 15 Hyde Park Terrace & she was born c1812 in Surrey, the daughter of George Wafforn, a farmer.
In 1871 Joseph & Caroline were lodging with Joseph’s nephew John Mays [m.2.4], son of Joseph’s brother Richard. They were living in Brewer St, St James Westminster. Joseph was an office keeper & nephew John was a licensed victualler.
Joseph & Caroline were living at 2 Ivy Cottage, Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey in 1881 & Joseph was now a general labourer.
Caroline, aged 78, died in 1890 at Surbiton & was buried April 29th at Long Ditton, Surrey.
In 1891 widowed Joseph was still living at Ivy Cottage but his occupation was now given as ‘agricultural department 44 Parliament St’. He had a 57 year old house keeper, widow Elizabeth A Clifton.
Joseph died on December 25th, 1893 at 10 Mayberry Place, Surbiton Hill, Surrey & his probate details describe him as a gentleman. He was buried December 29th at Long Dittton, Surrey. Probate was granted on March 7th, 1894 to John Mays, Joseph’s nephew (see above) described as a house steward & Joseph Tester, a railway ticket collector, who was another nephew – the son of Joseph’s sister Elisabeth [m.8]. His effects were £665.14s.5d.