Joseph George Noyes – Royal Engineers, Signal Service Training Centre

Sapper Joseph George Noyes – Royal Engineers, Signal Service Training Centre

Robert John Noyes and Elizabeth Needham
marriage certificate
St. Mary's Church, Swansea

Joseph George Noyes was born in 1880, in Swansea, the son of Robert John Noyes and Elizabeth Needham, who had married the previous year, 1879, at St Mary’s Church, Swansea.

1881 Census – Oxford Street, Swansea

1881 Census

In 1881, the Noyes family were living at 95 Oxford Street, Swansea. Robert, aged 27 and born in Wiltshire, was working as a Boot Maker, while his wife Elizabeth, aged 24 and originally from Flintshire, managed the home. Their only child at this time was Joseph, aged 1.

The household was unusually large, with fifteen boarders also residing at the address—an indication of the crowded lodging arrangements common in central Swansea during the industrial boom. The boarders included young workers, domestic servants, and labourers, forming a diverse and busy household around the young family.

1891 Census – Madoc Street, Swansea

1891 Census

By 1891, the family had moved to 19 Madoc Street, Swansea. Robert, now 37, was recorded as a Boot Manufacturer, and Elizabeth, aged 32, continued her household duties. Their children were Joseph (11), Beatrice (9), Mary E. (7)—all attending school—and Percy (3). The census shows a settled family with growing children and a father expanding his trade.

1901 Census – Nelson Street, Swansea

1901 Census

A decade later, the Noyes family were living at 7 Nelson Street, Swansea. Robert, aged 47, remained a Bootmaker, and Elizabeth, aged 43, kept the home. Their children were Joseph (21), now also working as a Bootmaker; Beatrice (19); Ada (15); Percy (13); Robert (6); and Arthur (2). Joseph’s entry into his father’s trade reflects the family’s long-standing connection to the bootmaking industry.

Marriage

Joseph George Noyes and Alice Poiner
marriage certificate
St. Mary's Church, Swansea

In 1908, Joseph married Alice Poiner at St Mary’s Church, Swansea, the same church where his parents had married nearly thirty years earlier.

1911 Census – Terrace Road, Swansea

1911 Census

By 1911, Joseph, aged 31, was living alone at 81 Terrace Road, Swansea, working as a Boot Maker and Repairer. His occupation remained consistent, showing a stable trade carried through into adulthood.

Military Service

During the First World War, Joseph George Noyes served as a Sapper with the Royal Engineers, attached to the Signal Service Training Centre, a branch responsible for military communications—an essential and technically demanding role within the wartime army.

Joseph George Noyes
Morriston Cemetery
credit - cwgc.org

Death and Burial

Joseph died on 19 January 1919, becoming the first post‑war military burial at Morriston Cemetery. His grave marks the beginning of the cemetery’s long record of First World War commemorations.