JOSEPH GEEVES
The Geeves family did not arrive in Portsmouth until the early years of the 1900s, though they did have a previous connection to the town, namely that Joseph's mother was born there in 1874.
The family home town seems to have been Edmonton, Enfield, at least that is where Joseph's father, Joseph snr. was born in 1863. Although there is no record of Joseph snr. visiting Portsmouth in the 19th Century the fact that he met his wife Harriett who was from the town suggests that he did. No trace of their marriage has been found in the marriage registers so we don't know where it took place, assuming it did, and that means that her maiden name is unknown.
The marriage was said to have taken place in 1892 (in the 1911 census) but the first time Joseph snr. and Harriett are listed as a couple is in the 1901 census when they were living at Edmonton. That census also records that they had three children whilst at Edmonton, Ellen in 1896, Joseph jnr. in 1897 and William in 1899. After the family removed to Portsmouth three more children were born, Annie in 1905, Leonard in 1908 and Violet in 1910.
Joseph Geeves jnr. would have been 17 years old when war broke out in August 1914 and so was ineligible to enlist. The fact that when he did so he joined the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment suggests that he did not join up until 1915. The Battalion left for Gallipoli in March 1915 arriving there on 25th April, probably on board the SS River Clyde. Joseph Geeves survived the blood soaked disembarkation to fight on the peninsula for four months before losing his life in August 1915.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) lists Joseph Geeves, Private (9618), 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, died 06/08/1915. Commemorated on the Helles Memorial, (Panel 125-134 or 223-226 228-229 & 328.). Son of Joseph Geeves, of 3, Ford's Court, Marylebone St., Portsmouth.
Joseph Geeves is also commemorated on the Cenotaph, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth. He is not listed in "The National Roll of the Great War", Section X.
Tim Backhouse
January 2015