Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Joseph was born in Cleatham, Lincolnshire on 25 April 1890 to Joseph and Rebecca (Sinclair) Drewery; he was one of five children.

In both 1901 and 1911 Census, Joseph was living with his parents and siblings at The Three Horse Shoes, Scotton, where his father was the innkeeper. On the latter Census Joseph (20) is listed as assisting at home.

Joseph enlisted on 11 December 1915 direct to the Heavy Section Machine Gun Corps (latterly the Tank Corps). He passed through Peterborough East Station in September 1916, whilst stationed at Elveden Camp, near Thetford, Norfolk.  Joseph was posted to Alexandria on 9 January 1917, and transferred to the Tank Corps in Egypt until 4 July 1918.

Joseph’s occupation on attestation, was farm produce merchant; he would most likely have been working with his father who had his own business as a potato and carrot farmer. In 1918, Joseph’s father became seriously ill and was unable to carry on the business and harvest the crops. A request was made to the Army, with approval recommended by the Lindsey War Agricultural Executive Committee dated 15 August 1918, for Joseph to return home to run the family business and assist with the harvest. Accordingly, he was transferred to the Tank Corps Reserve Unit and discharged early in August 1918, to enable him to assist with the family business. Joseph was awarded the British War and Allied Victory medals.

He married Edith Annie Page in June 1923 at Glandford Brigg in Lincolnshire and they had two daughters born in 1926 and 1929.  Daughters Freda (left in photo) and Joan have been traced.

In 1939 Joseph and Edith are living with their two daughters at Westgate, Glandford, Brigg; Joseph is listed as a governing director of a firm of agricultural produce merchants.  The 1939 Register also states he was an ambulance driver during World War 2.

Joseph died in Westgate, Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire on 7 December 1963, aged 73 years.