Joseph Aloysius Louis Downey (1881-1961)
West Hartlepool Librarian served with 13th DLI was awarded DSO
Joseph Aloysius Louis Downey, the son of Daniel and France Mary Downey, was born in Hartlepool in January 1881. He had three brothers and five sisters and lived in the Hartlepool area all his life, apart from his military service. In fact, he appears to have lived in the same house for over sixty years. He was a public librarian until he joined the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) as a temporary second lieutenant on 19 September 1914. He was promoted to temporary captain in October and he landed in France on 25 August 1915. In December 1916 he was promoted to acting major and then to temporary major and second in command. He was twice mentioned in despatches in 1917 and was repatriated after being wounded. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the same year. He relinquished his commission on 30 January 1919 and returned to West Hartlepool and his job in the library. In 1929 he married Josephine Tate Kennedy and by 1939 had risen to the position of Director of the Library and Museum.
His medals are part of the DLI Medal Collection:
http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/7532/Medal-collection
Civil Parish: West Hartlepool
Birth date: 1881
Death date: 28-Apr-1961
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Middleton Grange, Stranton,Durham (1881 Census)
Ellerton House, Stockton Road, Stranton, Durham (1891 Census)
57 Milton Road, West Hartlepool (1901 Census)
11 Stanhope Avenue (1911 Census, 1939 Register & England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1961)
Employment: Public Librarian (1911 Census)
Director of Public Library & Museum (1939 Register)
Family: Father: Daniel Downey
Mother: France Mary Downey (nee Taylor)
Siblings: Mary Rose, Agnes M, Herbert James, John Stanislaus, Frances Maria, Gertrude Mary & Cecilia Mary Downey
Wife: Josephine Tate Downey (nee Kennedy)
Military service:
13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Major
Medal(s): Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches (2)
1914-1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Male
Contributed by John Edwards
