Joseph BATES was identified as the father of Esther BATES on her wedding certificate. He was a labourer.
It is thought that Joseph was born and baptized in 1767 in Allesley, Warks by Daniel and Sarah BATES of Stoneley (or Stoneleigh).
This Daniel and Sarah BATES of Stoneleigh also baptized a daughter, Sarah, in Berkswell in 1769 providing evidence of a Berkswell connection. A Daniel BATES was witness to Joseph's daughter Elizabeth's marriage in 1818 (making Daniel in his 60s or 70s). Given the location, dates, the name Daniel on Elizabeth's marriage record and the lack of alternatives baptisms it is very likely that Daniel and Sarah were Joseph's parents.
Joseph married Mary ARNOLD, on 13 Oct 1789, in Berkswell (where his daughter Esther BATES was born in 1802). The couple baptised 5 children in Berkswell: Thomas(1790), Sarah(1792), William(1795), Elizabeth(1797) and Esther(1802).
Mary was buried on 3 Feb 1813, aged 46, in Berkswell.
A Joseph BATES was buried at Leamington Priors on 13 Dec 1836 aged 71, giving a birth year of 1765. There is no corroborative evidence that this was Joseph's burial, other than Leamington Priors was only 5 miles away from Kenilworth and was, by 1836, a spa town renowned for the medicinal properties of its waters. The town was growing rapidly and the Warneford Hospital had recently opened in 1834 as a semi-private/philanthropic affair so might have been a suitable place to care for an ailing old man of middle-class means. Sons Thomas and William were in Allesley and Berkswell in 1841 and no connection between daughters Sarah BATES and Elizabeth DUGGINS and Leamington has been found, but perhaps Joseph had simply been taking the waters for his failing health.
Other information:
Other baptisms for Joseph considered:
- 1758 St Nicholas, Kenilworth - Willam and Mary BATES. Died 1759 as infant.
- 1761 Allesley, Warks - Daniel and Sarah BATES of Stonely. Died March 1761 at Broad Lane. Broad Lane runs between Coventry and Berkswell. Younger non-surving sibling of later Joseph.
- 1764 Coventry - Wm and Sarah BATES. An infant Joseph BATES was buried in Kenilworth in March 1765 (no parents' names given)