Joseph was born in 1920 in Poplar to Joseph and Julia nee Jacobs and had two brothers Samuel and a step brother Mark. He was also known as Joseph Morey. His father died six months before he was born and his mother remarried in 1921 to John Woolf. In 1939 Joseph worked as the manager at the family public house at 52 Carnaby Street, London. The family then moved to run the ‘Marquis of Lorne’ public house in Stockwell. At the time of his death he was engaged to Esther Joel.

Joseph died on 25 January 1946 in St Thomas’ Hospital, London. His death certificate states; ‘1 (a) Cardiac Failure, (b) Pulmonary arterio sclerosis, (c) Pulmonary endarteritis.’

Joseph’s obituary in the Jewish Chronicle states that he contracted his illness whilst serving in Burma.