Joseph Stone was the second child of William Stone & Ann christened September 24th, 1820 at Tipton, Staffs.
Joseph married Jane Horton on December 1st, 1844 at the parish church Handsworth, Staffs. Witnesses at the wedding were Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin & younger sister, Mary Ann. Jane was christened August 29th, 1819 at Tipton, the daughter of Ellen & William Horton, a hingemaker.
In 1851 Joseph & Jane were at Guns Lane, West Bromwich & Joseph was an iron puddler. They had 2 daughters – Hannah (5) & Catherine (1). Living next door was Joseph’s sister Mary Ann, now married to Richard Price, & also living in Guns Lane was Joseph's brother Benjamin & his family.
By 1861 Joseph & Jane had moved to Temple St, West Bromwich & Joseph was still a puddler. They now had a third child, Jane, aged 10, making 3 daughters at home.
Joseph was working at the Hall End iron works, West Bromwich in 1864 when a terrible explosion occurred on March 1st. Joseph had just left his furnace to go into the yard when a large boiler exploded causing fire & debris to be flung all over the site. His brother Charles was working in the building Joseph had just left & was buried under the collapsed building. Joseph recovered his brother’s body & then collapsed with exhaustion & shock.
Daughter Hannah, aged 19, married Richard Bale on December 31st, 1864 at the Parish Church of Wolverhampton.
Daughter Jane married Richard Jones, a labourer, on February 27th, 1870 at Trinity Church, West Bromwich. Jane’s sister Hannah & her husband Richard Bale were witnesses at the wedding.
Daughter Catherine, aged 21, was accused of stealing clothing from Joseph Simpson’s wife on March 5th, 1870. Catherine had been engaged to look after Mrs Simpson who was ill & subsequently it was found that a dress, a shawl & other articles were missing. Catherine had given the clothing to a little girl to pawn for her. Catherine was found guilty & sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. The Birmingham Daily Gazette of March 12th, revealed that Catherine was formerly in the employ of Mrs Lucy Simpson of Temple Street, West Bromwich as a domestic servant.
At the time of the 1871 census Jane & Joseph were still at Temple St & Joseph was now described as a labourer. Only daughter Catherine was at home & she was a school teacher.
Jane died in Jan-March 1881, aged 61, at West Bromwich.
At the time of the census in 1881 widowed Joseph was living with his daughter Hannah & her husband Richard Bale, a coal miner, & their family. Joseph was now a night watchman.
Joseph was boarding with Mary A Birch, a 59 year old widow, in 1891 at 22 Tantany St, West Bromwich & was described as a retired gas labourer. Living nearby in Tantany St was daughter Hannah & husband Richard Bale who was unemployed & noted as having heart disease.
Joseph died on January 25th, 1896, aged 75, at 22 Tantany St, West Bromwich, the informant of death being his daughter Hannah Bale.
The children of Joseph Stone & Jane Horton were:
st.1.2.1 Hannah Stone born February 23rd, 1846 at Moore St, West Bromwich, Staffs; died Jan-March 1924 at West Bromwich, Staffs
st.1.2.2 Catherine Stone born July-September 1849 at West Bromwich, Staffs,
died April-June 1872 at West Bromwich, Staffs
st.1.2.3 Jane Stone born April-June 1851 at West Bromwich, Staffs