Joseph Kettle was born on 26th February 1895 at Sutton Weaver. He was the son of William Kettle (born Church Minshull) and his wife Eliza (nee Kirkham) who was born at Minshull Vernon. The father was a ganger platelayer on the railway, in charge of a gang of such workers.
In 1901 the family were living on Chester Road in Sutton Weaver. The four eldest children were all born at Winsford: Edward (18), Sarah Jane (16), John (14) and Mary (10). The two youngest were born at Sutton Weaver: Edith Annie (8) and Joseph (6).
Ten years later Joseph was working as an errand boy and his father was now a pensioner. Edward, Sarah Jane and John were also still living at home. The mother declared that of the seven children she had borne, one had died previously.
Joseph attested to join up for war service on 1st December 1915 at Chester. He was 20 years and 10 months old and was a chemical labourer. He was assigned to the Cheshire Regiment and given the rank of Private and the service number 66595. He attested again at Chester on 24th March 1917. It would seem that Joseph was not mobilized until 1918, when he enlisted again on 22nd April 1918 at Chester. He was described as having fair hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion and was nearly 5’6’’ in height. He was medical category A. He was assigned to No.2 Company Western Divisional Train, part of the( Royal) Army Service Corps. These “trains” transported food, equipment and munitions to and from the Front and were horse transport.
However his service records showed that he was on hospital guard at Kinmel Park in July 1918, where prisoners of war were kept and then he joined the British Expeditionary Force at Whitstable in Kent on 5th September 1918 and sailed to Etaples in northern France. He was posted to the 1st/4th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment on 13th September 1918 and joined the Field three days later. He served there until the following February 1919. The Absent Voters’ List for Spring 1919 recorded him as being in the Reserve Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment, service number 66595. He was permanently transferred to the RASC on 20th February 1919 as a Driver. He had the service number T/453146. He served in the Western Theatre of War and was eventually demobilized to a Reserve on 15th October 1919.
Joseph’s mother Eliza passed away in 1923.
On 5th June 1924 Joseph married Elsie Parker (born Alvanley) at the United Methodist Church in Frodsham. Elsie was ten years younger than Joseph and was working as a domestic servant.
Joseph’s father William passed away in 1928.
The 1939 Register recorded the couple living at Rose Cottage on Chester Road in Sutton Weaver. Joseph was employed as a corn dealer’s motor driver and Elsie was a housewife. They had three children: Dennis J. born in 1924, Ruth born in 1929 and Fred born in 1936. Dennis was a garage attendant.
Joseph Kettle died on 31st October 1962 aged 67 years. Elsie died on 8th June 1977 at the age of 72 years. They had continued to live in Sutton Weaver.