Reeves, Elizabeth (nee Humbey, subsequently Good{h}all)

Summary

Father: George Humbey
Mother:

Birth: perhaps c 1816 at Forton, Hampshire
Birth Source: 1851 & 1871 census returns

Death: after 2 April 1871
Death Source: present on 1871 census

Spouse1: John Reeves
Spouse2: Joseph Goodall/Goodhall

Narrative

Little is known of Elizabeth's early life. Although her place of birth remains remarkably consistent as Forton, now a part of the Gosport urban area, there are significant variations in her age. 1851 & 1871 census returns both point to around 1816.

On her second marriage in 1854, she names her father as George. If this is correct, her's might be the baptism recorded at the Parish Church of St Mary in 1830 as Eliza HAMBEY (sic), although there is no indication in the Familysearch index that this was an adult baptism (she would have been about 14 years old at this time). There again, it may not be her since there are other possible matches for a 20 year old on the 1851 census.

As Elisabeth (sic) Humbey she marries John Reeves in April 1833, which based on the likely 1816 year of birth would make her only 17 years old.

Known children of John Reeves & Elizabeth (nee Humbey) are ....

1. Emily Sophia Reeves, bapt July 1838 at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Rowner, Hampshire.
2. George Reeves, bapt January 1842 at the Parish Church of St Mary, Alverstoke, Hampshire.

Son George's birth was registered in the July to September quarter of 1841 as George John Reeves and he seems to have been subsequently baptised as George William John Reeves.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, Elizabeth along with Emily (age 2) are living on South Street, Gosport in the same building as a James Humby (sic) age 25 in Gosport, but husband John Reeves has not been found.

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, Elizabeth plus daughter Emily (aged 12) and son George (9) are living at Green (probably now Green Lane based on the names of previously enumerated streets) in the town of Gosport. Elizabeth isn't described as head of household, but rather unusually as "Wife" and her occupation is shown as "Mariner's Wife". This tends to point to her husband John being away at sea at the time of the census. The fourth member of the household is Joseph Goodhall, age 37 and a widower, who is described as a visitor.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Elizabeth now as Mrs Joseph Humbey. Joseph & Elizabeth Humbey, plus Elizabeth's son George Reeves are living at 1 Handleys Yard, Gosport. Elizabeth's age is shown as 50, somewhat older than expected. The 1854 marriage record provides the only insight into Elizabeth's father.

On the 1871 census, Elizabeth Goodall, a widow age 54 and again born Forton Hampshire, appears as a Lodger in the household of James & Emily Lacy at Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. By age and place of birth across multiple subsequent census returns, this is believed to be Elizabeth's daughter Emily Reeves, although to date no marriage registration has been found within FreeBMD for James Lucy/Lucey and Emily.

Elizabeth Goodall has not been identified on the 1881 census, and given the flexibility in her age, neither has a strong candidate for her Death Registration been identified on FreeBMD.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:  
Marriage: (1) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NFP7-P98
Marriage: (2) FreeBMD M. Reg. 2q 1854 Alverstoke Reg. Dist. and
                        https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NFPW-V7L
Death:     
                 

1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0388, Book 7, Folio 33 reverse, Page 21
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1660, Folio 410 face, Page 40
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0648, Folio 63 face, Page 25
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1168, Folio 101 reverse, Page 8
1881 Census: