Joseph was a printer with offices in High Street, Maryport. He first printed and published "The Maryport Locomotive and Monthly Advertiser" on October 1, 1841 from premises in Catherine Street. In 1843, he sold the paper to Robert Adair but continued to print it for Adair for some time. He also printed the first known timetable for the Maryport and Carlisle Railway in 1842. (CWAAS, Railways of the Lake Counties)