Son of Watchmaker George Wilburn, Watchmaker, Joseph was born in Manchester in 1818. He was a Jobbing Watchmaker and later also a Barber at 128 Mount Street, Little Bolton.
Joseph married Hannah from Bolton, and lived initially in Manchester but he was widowed, and later he married Ellen Mort of Bolton in the Parish Church on 4th March 1879
In 1869 Joseph was listed in Slater’s Trades Directory under Watch and Clock Makers.