Joseph Seward Mahony was born on 13 May 1891 in Marylebone, London, one of the nine children of Michael Joseph Mahony (1858-1940) and Hannah Mahony née Seward (1859-1910). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1891 in the Marylebone Registration District, London.
In the 1901 census he was shown as aged 9 years, living in three rooms at 234 Portman Buildings, Lisson Grove, Marylebone, with his parents and four brothers: Daniel Mahony, aged 19 - a journeyman tailor; John Mahony, aged 17 - a medical warehouseman; William Mahony, aged 13 and Dennis Mahony, aged 7, together with two sisters: Ellen Mahony, aged 11 and Mary Mahony, aged 2. His father was also described as a journeyman tailor.
When his widowed father completed his 1911 census return form he showed his son, Joseph Seward Mahony, as aged 19 years and a G.P.O. postman and that the family were still living in three rooms at 234 Portman Buildings. He confirmed that his wife had given birth to nine children, but that only seven were still alive and gave his occupation as a tailor. Also residing at the property was Ellen Mahony, aged 22 years and a tailoress, Dennis Mahony, aged 17 years and a porter at a cycle business and Mary Mahony, aged 12 years who attended school.
In April 1911 he was appointed as an Assistant Postman at Paddington. He was made a Temporary Postman on 9 September 1911 and promoted to Postman on 14 October 1911. He married Florence May Paxton (1893-1982), the daughter of George Paxton, a furrier, in the 3rd quarter of 1912 in the St Marylebone Registration District, London. Their daughter, Florence Johannah Mahony (1914-1994), was born on 15 February 1914.
In April 1915 he joined the 1st/9th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles), service number 4400, and entered France on 12th July 1916. He was killed in action whilst serving in ‘C’ Company on 9 October 1916, aged 24 years, and as he has no known grave he is commemorated on Pier and Face 9.C of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Rue de l'Ancre, 80300 Thiepval, France.
His widow was sent his army effects that totalled £3-8s-1d on 29 January 1917 and the Royal Mail sent his widow a gratuity payment of £83-18s-2d for his 5 years of service with the Post Office on 5 February 1917. On 8 June 1919 his widow was remarried to a James Hughes and on 31 October 1919 she was sent his £6-0s-0d war gratuity payment. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'MAHONY, J.S.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the A Street Near You website, on the London WW1 Memorial website, on the Royal British Legion's Every One Remembered website and on page 246 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920.
2018: This photo was kindly supplied by Lucy Hooper, Mahony's great granddaughter.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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