Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Bryan a bricklayer’s labourer, born 1867 in Exton, Rutland and his wife Harriet J., born 1871 in Empingham, Rutland. Joseph William was born in 1894 in Exton, Rutland, his siblings were, Florence, born 1893 in Barleythorpe, Rutland, Jane, born 1896 and Eva Elizabeth, born 1899, the latter two siblings were both born in Exton, Rutland, in March 1901 the family home was at Stamford End, Exton, Rutland. In April 1911 Joseph was employed as a general farm labourer and was residing in the family home at Stamford End, Exton, Rutland, together with his father, now as a mason’s labourer, his mother and siblings Eva and Doris Mabel, born 1910 in Exton, Rutland. He enlisted before the war began and embarked for France at the beginning of hostilities, he fell at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle. Though he had moved from Exton with his family, he was in fact the first casualty of the war who was native to the village.