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Disproved this - found the brothers living with parents in Scotland in 1891 - father is John but at least you can discount this.

Found this - possible brothers or even sons given the DOBs(was Joseph a bachelor on his marriage cert to Mary Ann?) James's POB given as Matta - no image to check, but I would guess at Malta:

1881 Scotland Census
about William Keefe
Name: William Keefe
Age: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1865
Relationship: Boarder
Gender: Male
Where born: Gibraltar
Registration Number: 312
Registration district: Montrose
Civil Parish: Montrose
County: Angus
Address: 18 Wellington Pl
Occupation: Compositor (Printer)
ED: 21
Page: 3 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 17
Line: 19
Roll: cssct1881_96
Household Members: Name Age
James Keefe 19
William Keefe 16
Jemima Milne 6 Mo
John Milne 13
Margaret Milne 42
Margaret H Milne 2
Mary J M Milne 11
William Milne 42
William Milne 6

Hi Valerie

Thanks for your PMs. Replying here as it is easier to keep all info in one place.

No, I am not researching Keefe - just had some spare time to look for you.

Have you noticed that Joseph is on the 1881 and 1891 censuses twice? Once with his family and once as a Pensioner on a ship. If you look at the images, it says "Not on Board". I had the same thing with my grandfather - he is in two places on one census, at home with his family, and "Not on Board" his ship.

Have you tried to get to the National Archives to look up his navy record? Some are on line, but after he would have joined. I have my grandfather's and it gives date and place of birth.

Good luck with your search and if I can be of more help, let me know. A good place to post queries is on the Records Board on this site. Lots of people on there who have loads of experience and will come back very quickly. Make sure you post all the info you have, certificates you have censuses, you have found people on.

Potty

Here he is in 1861 (haven't copied all the other crew members)/ Knowing which ship he sailed on might help you find his records at the National Archives:
1861 England Census
about Joseph Keefe
Name: Joseph Keefe
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1838
Relation: A B (Seaman)
Gender: Male
Where born: Gibraltar

Civil Parish: Vessels
Town: Beirut Syria
County/Island: Royal Navy
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View Image

Registration district: Royal Navy
Sub-registration district: Royal Navy
ED, institution, or vessel: Renown
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 1
Household Members: Name Age
John Adams 23
William J Bagwell 36
James Baker 32
Thomas Bayley 25
James Darling 38
John Everett 22
John Famdell 23
William Field 29
John Flaherty 23
Arthur Haggis 33
Edwin Hamilton 25
William Hood 22
John Jesse 29
Joseph Keefe 23

Here he is in 1901, living with married daughter Ruth, her husband (a buglar in the Royal Marines) and daughter Daisy. He shown as married, but no sign of Mary Ann:

1901 England Census
about Joseph Keefe
Name: Joseph Keefe
Age: 62
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1839
Relation: Father-in-law
Gender: Male
Where born: Gilvalton - image says Gibraltar

Civil Parish: Gillingham
Ecclesiastical parish: New Brompton St Mark
County/Island: Kent
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View Image

Registration district: Medway
Sub-registration district: Gillingham
ED, institution, or vessel: 13
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 254
Household Members: Name Age
Daisy Keefe 13
Joseph Keefe 62
James Simmonds 25
Ruth M Simmonds 19

This is Joseph's marriage registration - the certificate would give you his father's name:

Marriages Dec 1878 (>99%)

KEEFE Joseph Sheppey 2a 1474
WILLIAMS Mary Ann Sheppey 2a 1474

I am trying to find anything to do with a Joseph Keefe who lived in Gillingham Kent married to Mary Ann Williams from Sheerness Kewnt in 1878. He was born in Gibraltar 1838/1842 and was a Royal Marine/Royal navy. They had five children, elizabeth, ruth, mary ann, william and daisy. Hope to hear from someone who can tell us if he had any brother or sisters or who his parents were. Also what happened to his children/