Joseph John Bolton was born on 8 January 1889, the eldest of the five children of Joseph George Bolton (1863-1942) and Emily Bolton née Challis (1859-1947). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1889 in the Fulham registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London). On 24 March 1889 he was baptised at St John’s Church, Fulham, where the baptismal register shows the family address as 30 Mendora Road, Fulham and his father's occupation was recorded as a valet.
The 1891 census shows him living 11 Hazlebury Road, Fulham, with his parents and sister Sophia Annie Bolton (1890-1895). His father was now a police constable. In the 1901 census he is shown as Joseph Bolton, residing at 3 Shorrolds Road, Fulham, with his parents and three siblings: Emily Mary Bolton (1893-1971), Ruth Harriet Bolton (1895-1950) and George Francis Challis Bolton (1898-1976).
Postal Service Appointment Books show that in May 1908 he was appointed as a Postman in Paddington. His wages were 20 shilling per week. In January 1909 he enlisted in the 8th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Post Office Rifles), service number 757. This was a Territorial Force raised for home defence purposes.
On 9 October 1909 he was promoted to the grade Sorter on a wage scale of 20/- to 62/- per week. In the 1911 census he is recorded as a G.P.O. Letter Sorter, still living in the six roomed property at 3 Shorrolds Road with his parents and three siblings: Emily and Ruth who were both dressmakers and George who was at school. His father was still described as a police constable.
At the time that he agreed to serve abroad in the army his wages at the General Post Office were 42/- per week. At some point he transferred to the 5th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), service number 10534, and arrived in France on 17 March 1915. He was attached to their 'C' Company when he was killed in action, aged 27 years, on 10 September 1916, and as he has no known grave he is commemorated on the Addenda Panel of The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme at Thiepval, Picardy, France.
On 9 February 1917 his army effects totalling £7-0s-3d where sent to his father who had retired from the police in 1915 and was now a publican at The Plough, Northolt, Middlesex (now Greater London). Probate of his estate was granted on the 13 March 1917 to his father and his effects totalled £147-0s-3d. His father was also sent his £9-0s-0d war gratuity on 1 October 1919. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'BOLTON, J. J.' on the Western Postal District war memorial at Mount Pleasant, London WC1. He is also commemorated on page 38 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance Memorial Book, on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's (CWGC) website, on the A Street Near You website and on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website. Whilst he is referred to as a Lance Corporal in 'C' Company of the 1/5th Battalion London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) in the UK Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, in his record of probate, on his World War One Pension Index Card and on the CWGC website, he appears as Bolton J. J. in the RIFLEMAN section on the Addenda Panel of The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme and as PRIVATE on his Medal Card.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
