Reeves, Edward William

Summary

Father: Samuel Reeves
Mother: Mary Harrison

Birth: April 1850 in Longcroft Street, Southampton, Hampshire
Birth Source: GRO Birth Certificate

Death: c1929
Death Source: FreeBMD

Spouse1: Emily Phillips

Narrative

Edward was born in 1850 and married Emily in 1875. Initially employed as a fireman, Edward subsequently qualified as a railway engine driver and moved north up the line from Southampton to London, via Basingstoke, Hampshire.

Edward William REEVES is the first known child of Samuel Reeves and his wife Mary (nee Harrison). He was born in April 1850 at the family home on Longcroft Street in Southampton and baptised in June of the same year at the Parish Church of St Mary, Southampton.

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, Edward appears as the 11 month old son of Samuel and Mary.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Edward as an eleven year old living with his parents and three younger siblings at 11 Marine Parade in the St Mary's area of Southampton.

Edward has yet to be identified with certainty on the 1871 census. He was not living with his parents at 21 Longcroft Street.

Edward married Emily Phillips in January 1875 at the Parish Church of Christ Church, Northam, Southampton. Both give his parent's address of 21 Longcroft Street as their residence and Edward's occupation is Fireman.

Known children of Edward and Emily are

1. Reeves, William Edward, b.reg. 1876, Southampton
2. Reeves, Mary Emma, b.reg. 1877, Southampton
3. Reeves, Edith Rosina Ellen, b.reg. 1880, Basingstoke
4. Reeves, George Henry, b.reg. 1882, Wandsworth
5. Reeves, Florence Elizabeth, b.reg. 1884, Lambeth
6. Reeves, Walter Ernest, b.reg. 1886, Lambeth
7. Reeves, Sidney Charles, b.reg. 1889, Lambeth
8. Reeves, Albert Victor, b.reg. 1891, Lambeth

William Edward & Mary Emma were both born in Southampton, Edith Rosina in Basingstoke and the youngest in south London, reflecting the family's relocations with Edward's employment for the railway company.

At the time of the 1881 census, Edward and Mary plus their three eldest children are living at 55 Sterndale Road Battersea which was conveniently close to the railway depot at Nine Elms. Edward claims birth in Southampton and that he was 30 years old. He is employed as an Engine Driver.

On the 1891 census, Edward and Emily plus their seven eldest children were living at 85 Hartington Road, Lambeth. Edward claims he is 40 years old and was born in Southampton. His occupation is Engine Driver.

Edward's wife Emily died in 1894, aged 39, leaving Edward with a young family to care for. From the London & South Western Railway Company's employment record's, it seems Edward's reliability suffered with a number of incidents being noted between September 1894 and April 1895 and he was dismissed from their service at the end of August 1896. ¹

In September 1897 Edward was admitted to the infirmary of the Wandsworth and Clapham Union Workhouse where he remained until 13 December 1899. The three youngest boys were also admitted at the same time and immediately transferred to the North Surrey District School at Anerley, in Upper Norwood, Surrey. ²   By early January 1900 Edward was re-admitted and subsequently discharged in June 1902, with his two youngest sons being discharged to their father's care on the same day. ²

By the time of the 1901 census, Edward was an inmate at the Wandsworth and Clapham Union Workhouse, in Swaffield Road, Wandsworth. It is noted he is 51 years old, a widower and that his former occupation was a Railway Engine Driver.

At the time of the 1911 census, Edward is living in the household of his son George Henry Reeves at 107 Stewarts Road, Battersea. He is 60 years old and a widower born in Southampton. He is working as a Railway Labourer.

Some time prior to October 1918 Edward had returned to Hampshire, for in that month the L&SW Railway Company record's note Edward started working as a temporary labourer at the Eastleigh Locomotive Department. His services were no longer required after June 1920, when he would have been just past his 70th birthday.  ³

Edward died in Hampshire in 1929, aged 78.

Research Notes

Sources

Birth:        GRO Birth Certificate
Baptism:   FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J9CK-QQX
Marriage: GRO Marriage Certificate
Death:      FreeBMD 1q1929 Winchester Registration District
                 
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1669, Folio 262 reverse, Page 31
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0674, Folio 155 reverse, Page 32
1871 Census:
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 0653, Folio 81 reverse, Page 14 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 0488, Folio 68 face, Page 3
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 2170, Registration District 26 (Wandsworth), Sub District 1 (East Battersea), Enumeration District 27, Schedule 456

1896 Dismissal   ¹  London & South Western Railway Company - Black Book 1889-1896 - Page 175
1902 Discharge   ²  Wandsworth & Clapham Union Workhouse - Religious Creed Register
1920 Retirement   ³  London & South Western Railway Company - Register of Workmen 1918