Joseph Aston (1877 - 1916)

Joseph Aston was born at Lye, Worcestershire. He was the son of John Aston, a fireclay miner, and his wife, Margaret. In 1881 they lived 'in a plowed field nr. Woods Castle House, Wolascote' but by 1891, when John had been promoted to Colliery Manager, they were living in Stourbridge Road, Lye. John died in 1895.

By 1901 the family were living in in Quarry Bank, Staffordshire, where Joseph and his two older brothers worked as coal miners. Over the next few years several of the family (including Joseph) moved to work in the pit at Highley.

Joseph does not appear to have married but he did have a child, a daughter named Nellie Owen who was born on 14th July, 1913. The child's mother, Mary Ann, was receiving a war pension for the child in 1919.

Joseph enlisted in the 3/4th King's Shropshire Light Infantry on the 14th May, 1915. He was sent to France in September 1916 where he was transferred to the South Lancashire Regiment on 16th September. Joseph was killed a few days later on 1st October at the Battle of the Ancre Heights. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing of the Somme.

CASUALTIES AMONG MIDLAND MEN
[Birmingham Daily Post, 18 November 1916]
[includes:]
Private Joseph Aston, Lancashires, was a son of the late Mr. John Aston, Stourbridge Road, Lye, and before he joined the army was a miner at Highley. He enlisted voluntarily nineteen months ago, and was thirty-nine years old.

Private Joseph Aston, 31060, Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire) Regiment (formerly 3483, KSLI) was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.