Joseph Sachs was born in Germany about 1849; he was likely to have been Jewish and changed his name to Sacks. Caroline Keeler was born in Congleton 1849, both her parents were also German, her mother’s name was Utterbanin.
No marriage has been found but on 27 November 1874 the son Joseph of Joseph Sacks and Caroline Keeler was baptised at Oswestry. Joseph was a “huckster” which was a casual hawker going from door to door selling goods. It looks he owned a donkey to get his wares around the district.
1878 COUNTY PETTY SESSIONS, OSWESTRY.
Joseph Sacks, Upper Brook-street, Oswestry, labourer, for allowing his donkey to stray on the 10th May and on the 23rd May, fined for both offences, £1 2s.
Joseph, Caroline and little Joseph moved to Wrexham and were lodging with Edward Hindle at 23/24 Brook Street, Edward was a coal miner from Accrington. The Sachs were both earthenware hawkers.
By 1883 they had moved to College Street and in July Joseph appeared in court.
BYELAW OFFENCE. A man named Joseph Sacks, living in College Street, was charged by P C. Corbett with committing a public nuisance in High-street on the previous Tuesday night about 11 o’clock.—
Defendant denied that he was the man, and called evidence to prove that on the night in question he was in bed before 10 o’clock.—P.C. Evans was then called and corroborated the complainant’s statement as to the defendant being in the street and committing the nuisance at 11 o’clock. The defendant, however, was let off on payment of the costs, 5s 6d.
1887
REGISTRATION COURTS. BOROUGH OF WREXHAM. The Revising Barrister. Hon. R. C. Grosvenor, for the Eastern Division of Denbighshire, held his court in Wrexham. Joseph Sacks, 10, College-street, claimed a vote and applied to be put on the register, but as he stated to the Liberals that he was a native of Germany the claim was not sustained.
Joseph and his family were living in 10 College Street, with 3 boarders. Joseph was now a bootmaker with a shop in Penybryn, but he was never found before with that occupation. Where he learned his trade is a mystery.
Caroline died later that year aged 42, and was buried in Wrexham Cemetery. Plot K-03185.
The following year Joseph was in court again.
1892 NO DOG LICENCE. Joseph Sacks, shoemaker. College Street was summoned by Sergt Wynne for having a dog but no licence for it. Complainant said he had visited the defendant’s house and found the dog there.—Fined 5s and costs.
In December 1897 Joseph Sachs jnr married Jane Pritchard at Llandrinio, Montgomeryshire. He was working as a slaughterer.
By 1901 Joseph snr had given up bootmaking and was lodging in Buckley with Margaret Brennan and her brother , both men were licenced hawkers.
Joseph must have fell on hard times and in 1908 he was in Holywell workhouse. He had learned new skills and the Llangollen Eisteddfod held June that year Joseph had two items entered into competitions, he was awarded a share of prize money for a Smyrna Rug and a Smyrna mat.
Later at the Llangollen National Eisteddfod, held in September, the two first prizes for a Smyrna rug and also for a Smyrna mat were won by Joseph Sacks, an inmate of Holywell Workhouse.
Joseph died on 31 May 1909 and was buried in Holywell on 3 June.
His death was announced in the Flintshire Observer 10th June 1909
Sacks-On the 31st ult. at Lluesty, Holywell, Mr Joseph Sacks, aged 61 years.
His son Joseph died in Llandrinio aged 68, and was buried on the 6 April 1938 at Llandrinio Church.
Researched by Annette Edwards June 2021