Reeves, Edward

Summary

Father: James REEVES
Mother: Clara FRANKLIN/FRANKLYN

Birth: c 1884
Birth Source: FreeBMD & Census

Death: 1919
Death Source: CWGC.org

Spouse1: Ellen Kate HITCHINGS

Narrative

Edward is the seventh of eight known children of James REEVES and his wife Clare (nee FRANKLIN/Franklyn). (See Research Note 1 below.) The family home was in the hamlet of Goatacre in the parish of Hilmarton, Wiltshire. His birth was registered in the first quarter of 1884 in the Calne Registration District

On the 1891 census, Edward is enumerated as Edwin in his parent's household at Goatacre. He is 7 years old, born Hilmarton.

By the time of the 1901 census, Edwars is agin to be found living in his parents hame at Goatacre. He is now 17 years old and born Hilmarton.

Based on his regimental number of 7201, it is likely Edward enlisted in about January 1905 (See Research Note 2 below.)

At the time of the 1911 census, the 1st Battilon of the Wiltshire regiment were serving in Harrismith, Orange Free State (now simply Free State), South Africa. Edward is recorded as being 26 years old, a Shoeing Smith and he claims birth in Calne, Wiltshire.

Edward's WW1 medal card indicates that by January 1915 he was serving in France.

The marriage of Edward Reeves and Ellen Kate HITCHINGS is noted by FreeBMD as occuring in the third quarter of 1917 in the Thornby Registration District of Gloucestershire. There are no known children.

It is believed that Edward's death is that recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website as simply E. Reeves.  He was serving as Private 7201 in the 1st Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment and died in May 1919. He is buried in the churchyard of the Parish Church of St Laurence, Hilmarton, Wiltshire.   The CWGC has no additional information for this individual.     There is no obviously corresponding entry in either in the GRO Index to War Deaths 1914-1921 Army (other Ranks) or in the FreeBMD index to deaths (1918-1920) It is possible his is the death noted by FreeBMD in the second quarter of 1919 of Edward Reeves, age 34, in Colchester, Essex. The age is a good fit and Colchester was a significant military garrison town at that time.

The "UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929" entry for Private 7201 Edward Reeves shows him as serving with Depot Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment. It also confirms his widow and beneficiary as Ellen Kate (Reeves).

Research Notes

(1) Whilst nine siblings, including Edward, have been identified, on the 1911 census Clara indicates that 12 children have been born alive to the present marriage with four dying prior to that census day.

(2) The likely date of Edward's enlistment inthe Wiltshire Regiment is based on information found at http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/wiltshire-regiment-1st-2nd-battalions.html. It shows that soldier 6938 joined on 12th July 1904 and 7205 joined on 31st January 1905. Presuming a reasonably constant rate of enlistment over the period, regimental service number 7201 would have been allocated in January 1905.

(3) The Wiltshire Online Parish Clerk for Lyneham notes at http://www.wiltshire-opc.org.uk/Items/Lyneham/Lyneham%20-%20Soldiers%20Who%20Died%20in%20WWI%20Named%20in%20Calne%20&%20District%20Casualty%20Lists.pdf that Edward's next of kin were "Son of James & Clara Reeves; Husband of Ellen Kate Reeves"

Sources

Birth:        FreeBMD - 1888, March quarter, Calne Registration District
Baptism:  
Marriage: FreeBMD, 1917, September quarter, Thornbury Registration District
Death:     
                 CGWC http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/405553/REEVES,%20E

1891 Census: RG12, Piece 1597, Folio 10x, Page 6       the Folio number has not been accurately ascertained.
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1922, Folio 141 reverse, Page 6
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 34977, Reg.Dist. tba, Sub Dist. tba, Page 6, Row 3