Joseph Percy (1858 – 1917)

Joseph Percy was born in 1858 in Newbury the son of Joseph and Jane, nee Langton, Percy. Sadly, Joseph’s father died on 19 June 1858 aged only 24 and just days before Joseph junior’s birth. Joseph senior was buried on 25 June 1858 at London Road Cemetery in Reading.

In the 1861 census Joseph and his mother Jane were living with her parents and six of her siblings (five sisters and one brother) at Back Lane in Newbury, her father Thomas was a corn porter. Jane and Joseph were still living with her parents and three of her sisters in the 1871 census, but now at Kings Arms Yards in Newbury.

Ten years later in the 1881 census Joseph and his mother Jane were living with Jane’s unmarried sisters Louisa and Hannah in Bartholomew Street in Newbury. Joseph is a commercial clerk while Jane and her sisters all had their occupation recorded as “lady”. Jane was recorded as the head of the house.

In December 1884 Joseph was admitted to the Berkshire Asylum in Cholsey / Moulsford. He was detained after threatening to shoot anybody who interfered with him at his home 5 Bartholomew Terrace where he lived with one of his aunts, Miss Langton. The police advised him to be left alone overnight. The following morning the watchers seized his revolver. Joseph then walked to the gun smith where he was detained in conversation until a police sergeant arrived who persuaded Joseph to go the police station where a knife was seized and Joseph was admitted to the Asylum that morning.

In the 1891 census Joseph is recorded as a patient in the Berkshire Asylum in Cholsey, with unknown occupation and marriage status but described as a lunatic.

Joseph is still a patient in Cholsey in the 1901 census, recorded as married and occupation corn salesman.

Ten years later in the 1911 census Joseph is still a patient in Cholsey but recorded as single and a corn salesman.

 Joseph’s mother Jane died on 11 July 1913 while living at 1 Bartholomew Place in Newbury aged 77 and she was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 16 July.

Joseph died on 28 February 1917 aged 58 and his address in the burial register was 5 Pound Street in Newbury. He was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 3 March, in the same grave as his mother Jane, after a service at St Nicolas.

Joseph’s maternal grandparents Thomas and Mary Langton were buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 27 October 1873 and 12 October 1880 respectively.

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