Reeve, Francis John

Summary

Father: William REEVE
Mother: Harriet ROBINSON

Birth: 1852
Birth Source: GRO Index & Census

Death: c1908
Death Source: FreeBMD

Spouse1: Mary Ann Alice HOOL
Spouse2: Ellen WEEDY

Narrative

Francis John Reeve is the second known child of William REEVE and his second wife Harriet (nee ROBINSON). His birth was registered during the fourth quarter of 1852 in the Bradford Registration District in the West Riding of Yorkshire. His birth registration uses the surname REEVE and records his mother's maiden name as ROBINSON.
NB The majority of reference to Francis during his adult life use the surname variant REEVES,

On the 1861 census shows Francis Reeve appears in his parents household at 95 Bedford Street, Bradford. He is 9 years old and was born in Bradford, Yorkshire. His older step-sister Emma and younger siblings Mary Ann, Juliana and William complete the household.

A decade later and the 1871 census shows the Reeve family remains at the same address, Francis is now 19 years old and working as a Dyer.

Francis John REEVES (sic) married Mary Ann Alice HOOL at the Parish Church of St Peter, Bradford in November 1878. The marriage register notes he is a 23 year old Bachelor, a Dyer by profession and living at 10 Aeolus Place, Bradford. Mary is 20 year old spinster, a Worsted Spinner by profession.

There are no known children from the union of Francis Reeve(s) and Mary Ann Alice (nee HOOL). Three years prior to her marriage to Francis Reeves, Mary Ann had a son Wilson HOOL, whose birth was registered during 4q1875 in the Clitheroe Registration District of Lancashire (which includes the parish of Gisburn, WRY) with mother's maiden name shown as "—".

At the time of the 1881 census, Francis is listed twice. He is included in his parents household at 10 Aeolus Place as a married son. Francis John Reeves (sic) and his wife Mary Ann Alice are enumerated as the second household at 21 Woodroyd Road, Bowling, Bradford. Francis is 27 years old, was born Bradford and is working as a Mason's Labourer. The household is completed by Mary Ann's son who is enumerated as Wilson Hool Reeves, age 5 and born Sowerby, Yorkshire. See Research Note 1 below.

On the 1891 census, Francis J Reeves and his wife Mary A appear in her step father's household at 12 St Stephens Road, in the Bowling district of Bradford, Robert WILSON is head of household and his wife is Betty (Elizabeth, formerly HOOL, nee FISHWICK). Francis's relationship is given as son-in-law. He is 38 years old and working as a Wool Dyer's Labourer. Mary A Reeves's relationship is given as daughter (strictly she was step-daughter to HoH) and the household is completed by grandson Wilson HOOL, now aged 15. See Research Note 2 below.

The death of Francis's wife Mary Ann Alice REEVES is noted in the GRO Index during the first quarter of 1892 in the Bradford (WRY) Registration District. She was 35 years old.

In May 1895 Francis John REEVES married secondly Ellen WEEDY at the Parish Church of St Peter, Bradford. He is described as age 42 years, a widower and working as a General Labourer. He indicates his father William Reeves(sic) was deceased. Ellen is described as a 40 year old spinster and she names her father as Samuel Weedy, a Plasterer.
It is likely that Francis and Ellen had known each other for much of their lives. On the 1861 and 1871 census returns both families lived on Bedford Street in the Horton district of Bradford.

There are no known children from the union of Francis John Reeves and Ellen (nee WEEDY).

At the time of the 1901 census he appears as Frank REEVES along with his wife Ellen. They are living at 17 Upper Cross Street, Bradford. He is now 48 years old and working as a Coal Heaver. The household is completed by Rosina Reeves (age 23, unmarried, born Bradford) whose relationship is given as daughter. On the 1911 census (noted below), she is named as Rosina WEEDIE, so it would appear she was Ellen's daughter and therefore strictly Francis's step-daughter.

On the 1911 census Ellen REEVES appears as a Widow at 157 Lower Osborne Street, Horton, Bradford. Living with her is her daughter Rosina WEEDIE, age 32. There is no entry for a Francis Reeve(s) in the Index to Deaths between 1901 and 1911 in the West Yorkshire area. However there is an entry for John Francis REEVE (sic) during the first quarter of 1908 in the Bradford, (WRY) Registration District. This individual was age 54 at death, so born about 1853, making him a good match to for our subject. See Research Note 3 below.

Research Notes

(0)     TRP is grateful to Marion Gray of the WEEDY One Name Study who kindly provided the initial information about Ellen WEEDY and her husband Francis John REEVES.

(1)     Although no relationship is shown on the 1881 census return, it has been established that Francis, Mary Ann and Wilson REEVES were living in the same dwelling as Mary Ann's mother Betty WILSON (nee FISHWICK and formerly HOOL) and step father Robert Wilson. On the 1861 census Betty HOOL appears as the housekeeper in the household of Robert Wilson. Betty has two children, a son Robert HOOL (age 7) and daughter Mary A HOOL (age 3, so born about 1859). RG 9, Piece 3154, Folio 49 reverse, Page 4, Schedule 14 at Marsh Lane, Cockerham, Lancashire.

FreeBMD notes during 4q1867 in the Lancaster Registration District of a Robert Wilson with potential partners including Betsy (sic) HOOLE (sic). Page 226, entry 451 of the Marriage Register for the Parish Church of St Michael, Cockerham, Lancashire, records the marriage in December 1867 of Betty HOOLE (sic), the daughter of John FISHWICK, to Robert Wilson. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2B6-D54 and image 240 of 753 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89GM-N937-9?i=239

Hence, by the time of the 1871 census Betty HOOL has become Betty WILSON, wife of Robert Wilson with a daughter Mary Alice Wilson (age 13).
RG10, Piece 4428, Folio 65 face, Page 3, Schedule 10.

(2)     The 1891 relationships are consistent with note (1) above.

(3)     On the death certificate of Francis's widow Ellen REEVES in 1925, her daughter Rosina (the informant and now Mrs Albert H CORDEN) describes her mother as the widow of John Francis REEVES, leaving little doubt that the death registered during 1q1908 is indeed that of our subject.
Ellen death certificate offers the following information (courtesy of Marion Gray) ....

Ellen Reeves - female - 67 years - widow of John Francis Reeves, a dyer's labourer.
Cause of death: Diabetes etc.
Informant: R. Corben Daughter, present at death. 160 Osborne Street, Horton.
Notes: The entry No. 243 Col. 4 for 67 years read 72 years corrected on the 4th May by me on production of a Statutory Declaration made by Rosina Corben & Emily Ann Routledge.

Sources

Birth:        GRO Index to Births     1852, December quarter, Bradford (WRY) Registration District
Baptism:  
Marriage1: FreeBMD     1878, December quarter, Bradford (WRY) Registration District
                   Marriage Register of the Parish Church of St Peter, Bradford, WRY. Page 60, entry 120 (Ancestry image 461 of 579)
Marriage2: FreeBMD     1895, June quarter, Bradford (WRY) Registration District
                   Marriage Register of the Parish Church of St Peter, Bradford, WRY, Page 163, entry 325 (Ancestry image 151 of 560)
Death:      FreeBMD     1908, March quarter, Bradford Registration District - in the name of Reeve, John Francis
                 
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 3316, Folio 67 face, Page 33, Schedule 182
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 4450, Folio 38 reverse, Page 30, Schedule 187
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 4443, Folio 29 face, Page 13, Schedule 82 and continued Folio 29 reverse, Page 14 - as son
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 4440, Folio 63 face, Page 11, Schedule 56 - as HoH
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 3619, Folio 63 reverse, Page 34, Schedule 219 - as son in law
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 4170, Folio 94 reverse, Page 2, Schedule 14
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 26842, Reg.Dist. 498 (Bradford), Sub Dist. 4 (Horton), Enum.Dist. 32, Schedule 113 - widow Ellen