Reeves, Edith Rosina Ellen

Summary

Father: Edward William REEVES
Mother: Emily PHILLIPS

Birth: 1880
Birth Source: GRO Index Birth Registration

Death:
Death Source:

Spouse1: George LEAL

Narrative

Edith Rosina Ellen REEVES is the third known child of Edward William REEVES and his wife Emily PHILLIPS. She was the only one of their children to be born in Basingstoke. Her two older siblings were born in Southampton, Hampshire and all her younger siblings in the Battersea area of Surrey/south London, reflecting the family's migration "up the line" with her father's employment with the railway company.

At the time of the 1881 census, Edith is living with her parents and two older siblings at 55 Sterndale Road Battersea. The census shows she was 1 year old and confirms her birth in Basingstoke.

No evidence has been found to indicate Edith was baptised immediately after her birth, but she was baptised in April 1886 alongside her newly born brother Walter Ernest Reeves and two other younger siblings at the Parish Church of All Saints, South Lambeth.

On the 1891 census, Edith is again to be found in her parents home, now at 85 Hartington Road, Lambeth. She is noted as being 12 years old, a Scholar and her place of birth is again given as Basingstoke, Hampshire.

The marriage of George LEAL(e) and Edith Rosina REEVES took place in April 1897 at the Parish Church of St Michael and All Saints, Swanmore, Ryde, Isle of Wight. The FamilySearch transcript of the Marriage Register correctly shows his father's name as James and her father's name as Edward. However, Edith's age is given as 23, whereas 17 or 18 would be a more realistic age for her; perhaps she was being economical with the truth as she was a minor and needed parental consent to marry.

The known children of George LEAL and his wife Edith Rosins Ellen (nee Reeves) are

1. George Alfred James LEAL, born 1898
2. Ivy LEAL, born 1900, died 1900
3. Edward Ernest LEAL, born 1906

The births of all three children were registered in the Ryde Sub District of the Isle of Wight Registration District and on all three occasion, their mother's maiden name was given as REEVES.

By the time of the 1901 census, Edith R Leal along with husband George and son George A Leal are living at 14 Colenutts Road in the hamlet of Haylands, Swanmore, Ryde, Isle of Wight. Her age is given as 22, her occupation is noted as being a Dairywoman and her place of birth remains consistent.

On the 1911 census Edith is not to be found with her husband George Leal and their son George James Alfred Leal (sic) at the family home Brooklyn, Upton Road Haylands. George describes himself as married. Rather, she is at 63 Craven Park, Harlesden, London N W where she appears as a Visitor in the household of Robert and Jessie ALLPORT. There is no know family connection to the Allports. Edith is recorded as being 31 years old and married, but there is no mention of how long she has been married nor how many children she has had. Her occupation is shown as Laundress and her place of birth as Basingstoke, Hampshire. However their General Domestic Servant is Ellen Francis GRIGGS, who was to marry Edith's younger brother Sidney Charles Reeves in November 1912.

Neither Edith nor her husband George have been identified on the 1939 Register. She is not with her elder son George who was by that time married and living in Croydon, Surrey.

Research Notes

(1) It is known that their son George (also known as Alfred) survived to adulthood, married and had children.

(2) At the time of the 1911 census, their son Edward was with his Aunt Rose COOMBES (nee LEAL) appearing as Edward LEALE, but he has yet to been identified on the 1939 Register. He died in 1950, age 44, whilst serving as a Marine on HMS Mull of Gallway.

Sources

Birth:        GRO Index to Births     1880, March quarter, Basingstoke Registration District
Baptism:   Ancestry LMA Collection
Marriage: FreeBMB     1897, June quarter, Isle of Wight Registration District
                  IoW Family History Society - BMD Marriage Records
                  FamilySearch     https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NX64-GD9 - place
                  FamilySearch     https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGQL-KHVW - date
                  FamilySearch     https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGQL-5J5Z - alternate date
Death:  

1881 Census: RG11, Piece 0653, Folio 81 reverse, Page 14, Schedule 75 and continued on Folio 82 face, Page 15
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 0400, Folio 190 face, Page 9 and continued on Folio 190 reverse, Page 10
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1023, Folio 28 face, Page 11, Schedule 69
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 7022, Registration District 129 (Willesden), Sub District 1 (Willesden), Enum.Dist. 42, Schedule 218 - Visitor Edith R E LEAL
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 5717, Registration District 93 (Isle of Wight), Sub District 3 (Ryde) Enum. Dist 2, Schedule 28 - HoH George Leal
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 5718, Registration District 93 (Isle of Wight), Sub District 3 (Ryde) Enum. Dist 3, Schedule 41 - Visitor Edward LEALE