Evans, Joseph

Singer

Collection date: Apr 1907

Area: Gloucestershire

---

Joseph Evans at Old Sodbury, Glos (1827-1914): age 80, 1 song on 3 Apr 1907: Sharp wrote ‘age 83’ but ‘80’ fits the records better. Joseph Evans sang a version of ‘The Seven Joys of Mary’ (FT 1287) and it was published in the Journal of the Folk-Song Society 5 (1914).

He was baptised at Beverston(e), Glos on 4/2/1827, the 2nd of 8 sons of Thomas Evans, shepherd and his wife Hannah. In both 1841 and 1851 censuses Joseph was living at Winstone 5 miles north of Cirencester and there he met and married Elizabeth Newcombe (Jly qr 1851 ref 11.303). They had 4 daughters and 1 son. Joseph worked as a shepherd for most of his working life. By 1881 they had made the move south to Old Sodbury village and stayed there (1901 ref RG13/2407 f103 p5). When Joseph’s wife Elizabeth died (probably 1904), he stayed in the village but went to live with his daughter Emma (married name Redwood), her son Harry and 1 great grandchild Vera aged 2. Joseph was buried at Old Sodbury on 2/4/1914.