Joseph Oliver was born in 1880 in Bronygarth, Shropshire, a son of John Oliver and Ann Oliver née Hughes. His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1880 in the Oswestry Registration District, Shropshire.
In the 1881 census he is shown as aged 7 months, living the Park area of Bronygarth, Shropshire, with his father aged 50 years and a farm labourer, his mother who was aged 41 years and three siblings: John Oliver, aged 12 years and a scholar; Edward Oliver, aged 10 years who was also a scholar and David Oliver, aged 4 years.
He was described as aged 10 years and a scholar in the 1891 census living in the Nant area of Bronygarth, Shropshire, with his father, aged 62 years and a farm labourer, his mother, aged 52 years, his three brothers: John Oliver, aged 22 years and a coal getter; Edward Oliver, aged 19 years also a coal getter and David Oliver, aged 14 years and farm labourer, together with a male lodger.
When the 1901 census was undertaken he was shown as aged 20 years and a coal hewer living in a four roomed property in Rhos, Weston Rhyn, Shropshire, with his father, aged 72 years and a carter at a farm, his mother, aged 62 years and two brothers: Edward Oliver, aged 29 years a coal miner and David Oliver, aged 25 years also a coal hewer, his sister-in-law Mary Oliver aged 27 years and his niece Beat Oliver who was aged 3 years.
He enlisted in 1909 as a Private in the Shropshire Yeomanry, service number 1237, but later transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps in the Corps of Hussars, service number 50555 and was serving in the 'A' Company of their British Contingent's, 2nd Battalion, when he died, aged 38 years on 2 March 1919. His body was buried in Grave 237 in St John's Weston Rhyn Churchyard, Vicarage Lane, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, SY10 7RE.
He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal. His army effects and his £26-0s-0d war gratuity were split and £11-8s-10d was sent to his brother Edward Oliver and £14-11s-2d was sent to his brother David Oliver on 2 January 1920.
He is shown as 'PTE. OLIVER J. BRITISH CONTINGENT 2ND. BATTN.' on the Imperial Camel Corps war memorial in Victoria Embankment Gardens, London, WC2 and as 'PRIVATE J. OLIVER. S.I.Y.' on the Weston Rhyn war memorial at Station Road, junction with Bronygarth Road, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, SY10 7RQ. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website and on the A Street Near You website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
