Joseph Hart

Joseph was born at Radford on 12th February 1884, the son of Peter a coal miner and Mary Hart nee Green of 26 Morris Street, Daybrook, Nottingham. His father Peter was born in 1859 in Tipton, Staffordshire, his mother Mary Ann Green was born in 1859 in Radford. They were married in Radford in 1878 and went on to have 12 children, sadly two of whom died in infancy or early childhood. Their children recorded on the census records 1901 and 1911 are:- Annie b1881 Nellie b1882, Joseph b1884, Lizzie b1886, Alice b1888, Maud 1889, Samuel 1891, Thomas b1894, William b1896, Kate b1898 and Gertrude b1898. He married his wife Susannah Leonardi in 1908 (J/A/S) in Nottingham and they lived at 9 Martins Street, St Ann’s Well Road, Nottingham. In the 1911 Census he is shown living at Burton Cottages, Redhill, with his wife Susanah to whom he had been married for 2 years and their one year old son Joseph. The notices of Joseph's death indicate that they later had at least one more son who was probably born no later than 1911. In the same census his parents are living at 14 Farley Street, Bulwell, Peter is 52 yrs and a coal miner, he is living with his wife Mary 52 yrs and their children; Nellie 30 yrs a lace frame attendant, Maud 22 yrs a lace damper attendant, Samuel 20 yrs a horse keeper below ground, and Kate 13 yrs a scholar. Joseph married his wife Susannah Leonardi in 1908 at Nottingham, they lived at 9, Martin St., St. Ann's Well Rd., Nottingham they had the following children, Joseph born 1909 and Harold born 1912. Following his death his widow Susannah was awarded a pension of 18 shillings and 6 pence a week which commenced on 30th November 1916.

He was a carter when he joined the Royal Navy as a stoker on 22 February 1904. He transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve in February 1909 and was then employed as a postman. He was mobilized on 2 August 1914.

Joseph joined the Royal Navy on 22 February 1904 on a 12 year engagement (5 years RN, 7 years Royal Fleet Reserve). He served in the following ships and shore establishments: HMS Acheron m 22 February 1904-3 August 1904 (Stoker 2nd Class), Pembroke, 4 August 1904-26 August 1904; HMS Endymion, 27 August 1901-30 November 1904; HMS Cumberland, 1 December 1904-31 December 1906 (Stoker 5 April 1905, Stoker 1st Class 1 July 1906); Pembroke II, 1 January 1907-31 May 1907; HMS Actaeon, 1 June 1907-22 February 1909; Pembroke II, 23 February 1909-26 February 1909. He transferred to RFR Chatham, B5631 21 February 1909. He was mobilized on 2 August 1914 and served in the following ships and shore establishments: Pembroke 11, 2 August 1914-8 October 1914 (Stoker 1st Class), HMS Black Prince, 9 October 1914-31 May 1916. Naval record annotated, ‘NP4065/1916. DD 31st May 1916. Killed in action’. He was killed at the Battle of Jutland. His body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.

Nottingham Evening Post, Roll of Honour, 8 June 1916: ‘Hart. On May 31st, in the naval battle, on BMS Black Prince, Joseph Hart, aged 32 years, late postman of Arnold. From sorrowing wife and little sons.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) 'In Memoriam' published 31st May 1917 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “HART. – In loving memory of my dear husband, Joseph, who lost his life on H.M.S. Black Prince, May 31st, 1916. Christ will link the broken chain when in Heaven we meet again. – Silently mourned by his sorrowing wife and little sons.” Courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918. Added to T2T Black Prince records: The Bundeswehr Museum of Military History, Dresden: Painting, oil on canvas: ‘SMS Thueringen destroys the English cruiser Black Prince in a night battle at 2am on 1 June.’ Clause Bergen (1885-1964). Caption: 'Present given by the commander of Thueringen, Captain Hans Kuesel, to his nephew in 1921. Bergen established his reputation as a marine painter with depictions of the Battle of Jutland (31 May-1 June 1916). When the Imperial German Fleet returned home, he was in Wilhelmshaven and asked officers involved in the battle to give him detailed accounts of the events.'