Milton, Joe

Singer

Collection date: Jan 1906

Area: Somerset - West

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Joe Milton of Withypool (1838-1914): age 68, 2 songs on 11 Jan 1906: Joseph Milton was baptised at Withypool church on 11/3/1838, son of John Milton, farmer and his wife Ann. In 1851 both John (father) and Joseph (son) are listed as agricultural labourers. On 15/4/1858 Joseph married Elizabeth Baker at Withypool church. They had 7 children – 5 sons then 2 daughters.

Joe, as he was always called, was apparently a rascal and a big, strong man (20 stone), who entered wrestling matches both locally and as far as Cornwall. Interestingly three of his sons (John, Daniel and Benjamin) moved to Bristol and became policemen! Joe lost one son (James) in the Boer War. Both his daughters (Laura & Lavinia) went to Bristol to marry and Joe was on his own as a widower in the 1901 census in Withypool (RG13/2266 f128 p5). The 1911 census reports that two more of Joe’s children had died and perhaps this explains why Joe had a breakdown and eventually died in Tone Vale Mental Hospital at Norton Fitzwarren. He was buried at Dunster church on 12/1/1914.

Note: There seems to be no obvious family link between Joe Milton and Mary Anne Milton of Washford.