Joseph, known as Joe, was born on September 28th, 1920 in Longsight.1
Birth Notes
Lancashire Birth indexes for the years: 1920 MATHER Joseph MERCER Gorton, Manchester GOR/18/88
Name: Joseph Mather Mother's Maiden Surname: Mercer Date of Registration: Oct Nov Dec 1920 Registration district: Chorlton Registration county: Lancashire Volume Number: 8c Page Number: 1281
Born 28/09/1920 at 9, Seddon St, Longsight, Levenshulme DOB Confirmed by 1939 Register
Died 20/05/1990 in Bavaria, Germany, Husband of Ursula Mather
General Notes
Lil Mercer wrote, serving with forces in 1941
Joe joined up 16 Jan 1941, went to Gresford, North Wales to be trained as a Motor Lorry Driver in the Royal Engineers.
Joe was an Office worker after the war, and an intelligent man, always smartly dressed as Ursula, and always well spoken. Their children were sent to the best schools.
Ursula never settled, so Joe and Ursula moved to live in Germany (or Austria). Joe had a important secret job with Dornier's company in the aircraft section and that was all he was allowed to tell us. Sadly they only lived in a flat in Germany as things were so much more expensive there.
Joe was certainly very successful. He was idolised by his sister Winnie, Sue's mother, because he did so well in life. Perhaps also, because he was the only surviving boy in the family.
Joe Mather went on Hols to Iris and Ron Brown 's in Zaire when they were living and working there for a while from the 1st June 1985.
Occupation Details
From before 1939 Joe's occupation was Counting House Clerk (Cotton) full time in manufacturing.2
Alice went to Joe and Ursula Mather's in Austria for hols 30/05/73 just before Sue's Mother and Father went in the July for Hols Sue has Alice's post card that she sent.
Joe and Ursula Mather married 03/07/1948 at Slade Lane Baptist Church, Longsight, Manchester Joseph Mather married (Siepen or Reypa), Manchester, 10e, 1235
MATHER * Joseph REYPA Ursela H I Rusholme, Longsight Baptist Chapel, Slade Lane Manchester 285/4/5 MATHER * Joseph SIEPEN Ursela H I Rusholme, Longsight Baptist Chapel, Slade Lane Manchester 285/4/5
They had a son and two daughters, named Brian, Iris and Monica. There are no more children.
Family Notes
Joe married Ursula after the War and his parents were not happy and the family fell out with young Joe Mercer's family and his German wife. Must have put a strain on the family, Joe bringing a German girl home so soon after the War. Especially as (some) of the family were lost during WW2.
Joe and Ursula lived in Stockport, Manchester in a very big house, 3 storeys, as Ursula ran a private Nursing Home in it, looking after 3 or 4 elderly Ladies and Iris, Monica and Brian's bedrooms were on the 3rd floor and the attic. It was like a Hotel being so full of rich elderly ladies. Then the old ladies died, they moved out of this house, and Sue got one of the old dressing tables for her marriage to Steve.