Joseph Wall [w.9]

Joseph Wall was the ninth child of Edward Wall & Mary Garner christened March 2nd, 1823 at Smethwick, Staffs.

At the time of the 1841 census Edward, aged 20, & his younger brother Joseph (15) were both iron rollers, living with a William Wall (55), a retail brewer, & Mary Wall (65) at French Walls, Smethwick, Staffs.

Joseph married Sarah Timmins on February 2nd, 1845 at Christ Church, West Bromwich. Sarah Timmins was christened November 19th, 1826 at West Bromwich, Staffs, the daughter of Thomas & Mary Timmins. The witnesses at the wedding were Edward Wall, Joseph’s brother & his wife Mabel Wall..

In 1851 Joseph & Sarah were living at Tividale, Rowley Regis & Joseph’s occupation was given as a 'pudler in an iron work'. They had 3 children at this time – William (5), Joseph (3) & Mary (11 months).

Joseph was still working as a puddler in 1861 & he & Sarah were living at Chapel St, Rowley Regis. Children William, Joseph & Mary were still at home & there were 4 more offspring - Thomas (8), Samuel (7), George (3) & Edward (1). Living with them were Thomas Timmins (a labourer) & Samuel Timmins (a puddler), both of Rowley Regis, presumed brothers of Sarah.

By 1871 Joseph & Sarah had moved to 20 Trows ? Square, Wednesbury & Joseph was still a puddler. Children at home were Samuel, a puddler at the iron works, George, Edward, & Eliza (6). Living with the family were daughter Mary, now married to David Perry, an iron worker, & their 7 month old daughter Sarah Ann. Living at 19 Trows ? Square was son Joseph, also a puddler, now married to Ellen, & their 9 month old son Joseph.

Sarah died on March 12th, 1878 at 20 Portway Road, Wednesbury, aged 51. The cause of death was cirrhosis (12 months) & ascites (2 months). The informant of her death was husband Joseph, who made his mark as he was unable to sign.

The children of Joseph Wall & Sarah Timmins were:

w.9.1 William Wall born Jan-March 1846 at Rowley Regis, Staffs
w.9.2 Joseph Wall born born November 30th, 1847 at Tividale, Rowley Regis, & christened September 17th, 1848 at Christ Church, West Bromwich, Staffs; died March 20th, 1924 & buried at Warrington
w.9.3 Mary Wall born May 15th, 1850 at Tividale, Rowley Regis, & christened March 13th, 1853 at Christ Church, West Bromwich, Staffs; died February 22nd, 1895 in Wednesbury
w.9.4 Thomas Wall born Oct-December 1852 at Tividale, Rowley Regis, & christened March 13th, 1853 at Christ Church, Staffs; died at Tividale & buried March 19th, 1866 at Rowley Regis
w.9.5 Samuel Wall born December 12th, 1854 at Tividale, Rowley Regis, & christened February 19th, 1860 at Christ Church, West Bromwich, Staffs; died Jan-March 1909 at Walsall, Staffs
w.9.6 George Henry Wall born Oct-December 1857 at Tividale, Rowley Regis, & christened February 19th, 1860 at Christ Church, West Bromwich, Staffs
w.9.7 Edward Wall born January 1st, 1860 at Tividale, Rowley Regis, & christened February 19th, 1860 at Christ Church, West Bromwich, Staffs; died July-September 1943 in Walsall, Staffs

w.9.8 Sarah Ann Wall born April-June 1862 at Rowley Regis; buried December 16th, 1867 at St James, Wednesbury
w.9.9 Ann Eliza Wall born Oct-December 1865 at Wednesbury, Staffs

At the time of the 1881 census widowed Joseph was living at 9 Lea Brook Rd, Tipton, still a puddler. Living with him was son Joseph (31) also a puddler, his wife Ellen (29) & 3 grand children – Joseph, Thomas (8) & William (2). Sons George & Edward were living with their sister Mary & her husband David Perry at King St, Wednesbury. They were both puddlers at the iron works.

Joseph remarried on April 13th, 1884 at St Matthew, Tipton. Witnesses at the wedding were Martha Griffiths & Benjamin Round. His new wife was widow Mary Anne Hadley (nee Penney) born c1833 the daughter of Ann & William Penny at St Martin, Worcester, whose husband Richard had died in 1880. Mary was the mother of Joseph’s daughter-in-law, Ellen, who was living at Joseph’s house at the time of the 1881 census. In fact back in 1861 Joseph & family were neighbours at Chapel St, Rowley Regis of the Hadley family.

By 1891 Joseph (68) & Mary (58) were living at 72 Dudley St, Wednesbury, Staffs, & he was still a puddler at the ironworks. Grandson Joseph (son of Joseph & Ellen) was there at the time of the census & he was also a puddler like his grandfather. There was also a boarder, Abraham Tonks, an engine fitter.

It appears that Mary died before 1901 because in the 1901 census Joseph was a pauper at the West Bromwich district Workhouse. He was registered as an 81 year old iron puddler, place of birth unknown.

Joseph died, aged 88, at West Bromwich Union Workhouse on June 27th, 1908.

Son Edward moved to Walsall where he was an iron puddler in the 1911 census. He was still in Walsall in 1939, now retired, & living in Ryecroft Place, a residential complex for the elderly.