Private Joseph Thomas French was born October 18, 1894 in Dublin, Ireland to William French and Polly Murphy. He came to Canada with the Smyly Trust at the age of 12 years aboard the Tunisian leaving Liverpool, England on May 2, 1907 and arriving in Quebec City on May 11, 1907. In the 1911 census, he is listed as living in Guelph and working as a machinist in a factory.
Joseph French enlisted on December 7, 1915 with the 1st Depot Battalion W.O.R. in London, Ontario. His religion was listed at Church of England and his reg. number was #928076. He was discharged on June 6, 1917 as medically unfit.
After the war, Joseph lived at 197 Gordon St., Guelph and worked as a motor mechanic and tire inspector. He married Annie Theresa Shaw on July 17, 1918 in Guelph, Ontario.
Joseph French died in 1969 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Guelph.
Joseph had a brother, Michael John, who also came to Canada in 1907 with the Smyly Trust. He lived at R.R.#2, Hespeler, Ontario. They had two sisters, Christina French of 52 Upper Leeson St., Dublin, Ireland and Julia Cathrine French.
Copyright Status
Public domain: Copyright has expired according to Canadian law. No restrictions on use.
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Source Organization
Kitchener Public Library
Collection
Soldier Information Cards - World War One
Transcription
French, Joe
Private.
He was one of the boys of the Coombe Home Hespeler.