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Reeves, George Henry (1878 HAM - 1947 HAM)

Reeves_George_Henry_8059

Reeves, George Henry


Summary

Father: Edward REEVES
Mother: Fanny SNUDDEN

Birth: Dec 1878
Birth Source: Military Papers

Death: Aug 1947
Death Source: Military Papers

Spouse1: Louisa RODWELL

Narrative

George Henry REEVES is the third of five known children (all sons) born to Edward REEVES and his wife Fanny (nee SNUDDEN). He was born on 26 December 1878 at Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. The IoW FHS notes his birth was in 1878 and was recorded in the Godshill Registration sub District. The GRO Index to the Registration of Births has an entry for George during the 1q1879 in the Isle of Wight Registration District. Both entries record his mother's maiden name as Snudden.

At the time of the 1881 census, George H Reeves appears in his parent's household at 14 Market Street, Ventnor, Isle of Wight. He is 2 years old and was born at Ventnor. He has two older brothers and a younger brother at this time.

On the 1891 census, George is again found with his parents, now living at 15 Surrey Street, Ryde on the Isle of Wight. He is now 12 years of age, his birth place is again given as Ventnor and he is occupation is given as a Scholar.

It is likely that George's mother Fanny died during 3q1896, when he was 17 years old. See Research Note 1 below.

On 8th January 1900, George signs up for a short service (one year with the Colours) in the (41st Company) Imperial Yeomanry at Newport, IOW specifically to serve in the War in South Africa (which is now referred to as the Second Boer War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Boer_War). He indicates he is presently serving with the Hampshire Carabiniers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampshire_Yeomanry having previously served with the Royal Engineer Militia.

George's Military History Sheet (4th page of 8) shows he served at Home until 30 January 1900 which would coincide with the departure of SS Goth of the Union Line from Southampton on 31 January 1900. She arrived at Cape Town on 23 February. The same page shows his service in South Africa ended on 16 July 1900 having been involved in action at both Dewetsdorp and Wepener and for which he was awarded the Queen's South Africa (1899-1902) medal with the Wittenburg clasp. This sheet also names his father, E Reeves of 15 Surrey Street, Ryde, IOW, as his next of kin, leaving no doubt to his identity.

The reverse of his Medical History (6th page of 8) shows why his service was cut short; he was admitted to MacKenzies Farm Hospital on 4 July 1900 with "enteric debility" (Enteric fever otherwise known as Typhoid fever). He was repatriated on the SS Avondale Castle and admitted to the Military Hospital at Netley, Hampshire on 5 August 1900, from where he was discharged on 20 August 1900 as "Recovered and fit for duty". His Statement of Service (3rd page of 8) shows he was "Discharged at his own request from further services in connection with the war in S. Africa" on 22 October 1900.

By the time of the 1901 census George had returned to his widowed father's home at 15 Surrey Street, Ryde. His age and place of birth remain consistent and he is now working as a driver (probably bus driver, the first word is indistinct). The household also includes his brothers Thomas and Charles.

The marriage of George REEVES and Louisa RODWELL is noted by FreeBMD during the fourth quarter of 1903 in the Isle of Wight Registration District. The IoW FHS Index to Marriages indicates the marriage is recorded in the register of Congregational Chapel, George Street, Ryde.
There is no known issue of this union. See Research Note 2 below.

On the 1911 census George and Louisa Reeves are living at 5 St Johns Wood Road, Ryde. He is now 32 years old, again claims birth in Ventnor, IOW and is working as a Stableman for a Coach Proprietor. Louisa is 31 years old and was born at Islington, London N(orth). He and Louisa have been married seven years and they have had no children. Living with them is George's widowed father Edward and a lodger.

Just prior to the outbreak of World War One in July 1914 George was in Ontario, Canada. He worked on Railroad Construction for the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) at Whitby, Ontario. (According to the 1921 Canadian Census, George had arrived in Canada in 1912, whilst Louisa remained in England until 1916.) On 12 August 1914, George volunteered at Whitby, Ontario to serve in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force. He was formally enlisted on 22 September at Valcartier Camp in Quebec Province and he was allocated to 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Infantry and assigned number 8364. He initially names his father, Edward Reeves of 12 Belmont Street, South Sea on his Attestation Papers as his next of kin, but this is subsequently updated to his wife (unnamed) of Castle Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight. (See Research Note 3 below)

His extensive (74 images) WW1 military dossier indicates he was soon back in England at Tidworth Camp, Wiltshire and subsequently arrived in France with the 2nd Canadian Division on 22 March 1915. By 11 May 1915 he had been promoted to Corporal by his Commanding Officer. However he started to suffer medical issues and was referred to the 2nd Canadian Field Ambulance for Rheumatism on 9 September 1915 and on 21 September 1915 to 4 Stationary Hospital, St Omer, France for defective vision. His eyesight problems were seen as irreversible and by 18 January 1916 he had returned to Shorncliffe in Kent and been transferred to the 12th Reserve Battalion. On 1 March 1916 it was recommended he be discharged.

George returned to Canada on the ship Empress arriving back in Canada on 27 March 1916. The Discharge Review Board recommended a three month stay in a Convalescent Home to aid his recovery. In his statement to the board, he indicates that he expects his wife Louisa would be "coming out in about a month".

A subsequent medical review dated 28 June (1916) mentions his prior service with the "Submarine Miners from 1894 to 1897" (see Research Note 4 below) as well as his recent service with the 2nd Battalion from 1914 to Sep 1915. When serving at Ploegsteert Wood, Belgium he was exposed to wet and cold which caused his leg and back pain. It notes that he now has no vision in st. (Schiotz tension) eye.

The Proceeding on Discharge document records his formal date of discharge as being 14 August 1916 since he is "no longer physically fit for war service".

By June 1919 George has relocated to Lake Street, Creighton Mine, Ontario
At the time of the 1921 Canadian Census on 1 June, George and Louisa Reeves are living at 33 Copper Cliff Road, Creighton, Snider Township, Ontario. George arrived in Canada in 1912 and Louisa in 1916, He is 42 years old and she 40 and both were born in England of English parents. Louisa says she can speak French as well as English. George gives his occupation as a Warden employed by Burwash. See Research Note 5 below.

The passenger manifest for SS Minnedosa, arriving at Southampton from Montreal on 15 June 1923 includes a George and Louisa REEVES whose proposed address in the UK was "Ryde, Isle of Wight (street etc not yet known)". Whilst this George gives his occupation as Taxi Driver, their ages are a reasonable match (45 & 42) so it is highly likely this is our subject returning to his roots.

George and Louisa Reeves appear in the 1939 Register (29 September) at 13 Bellevue Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight. He is employed as a general labourer, but it is also noted in column 11 that he was "Late of Canadian Army 8364 2nd Bn"

George's Canadian Military papers record his death on 23 August 1947 on several sheets. FreeBMD records the death of George Henry Reeves, age 68, during the third quarter of 1947 in the Isle of Wight Registration District and the IoW FHS index narrows the place down to the Ryde Registration Sub-District.

Research Notes

(1) details to follow

(2) Whilst the GRO Index indicates multiple births in the Isle of Wight Registration District during the 1900s, note that a second Reeves + Rodwell couple were married during 1902. George's cousin Frederick Thomas Reeves married
Jessie Rodwell. It is not presently known if Jessie was related George's wife Louisa.

(3) at the time of the 1911 census, 12 Belmont Street, Southsea was the home of George's oldest brother Edward William REEVES and his wife Florence

(4) George's June 1916 Medical Report makes note of an earlier period of military service "Submarine Miners from 1894 to 1897". This would match to his claim to have served with the Royal Engineers Militia when he joined up in 1900 to serve in the Boer War.

(5) On the 1921 Canadian Census George's employment has been encoded as perhaps B2-59 or 112-59. The 1921 Census Occupation Codes chart list appears only to have numeric codes and 112-59 is part of class "Public Administration - Federal and Provincial Service - Protection and Detention Group" and includes the profession "Guard and detention service". Wikipedia describes Burwash as an Industrial Farm, complete with its own town site for guards and support staff. See Wikipedia - Burwash, Ontario. So there is perhaps a mismatch between his place of residence and his role/employer.

Sources

Birth:        1914 Military Attestation papers and
                  1939 Register
                  FreeBMD     1879, March quarter, Isle of Wight Registration District
                  Isle of Wight Family History Society - Births Index
Baptism:  
Marriage: FreeBMD     1903, December quarter, Isle of Wight Registration District
                  Isle of Wight Family History Society - Marriages Index
Death:      FreeBMD     1947, September quarter, Isle of Wight Registration District
                  Isle of Wight Family History Society - Deaths Index

1881 Census: RG11, Piece 1185, Folio 41 face, Page 75, Schedule 399
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 0891, Folio 15 face, Page 23, Schedule 167
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1025, Folio 92 reverse, Page 36, Schedule 271
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 5728, Reg.Dist. 93 (Isle of Wight), Sub Dist. 3 (Ryde), Enum.Dist. 13, Schedule 136
1921 Canadian Census: RG31, Ontario, Reg. Dist. 65 (Algoma East), Sub Dist. 46 (Snider (Township)) Family 131, Page 14, Line 17 https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1921/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=2236800
1939 Register; Reg.Dist. 93 (Isle of Wight), Sub Dist. 3 (Ryde), ED Letter Code EPEH, Schedule 213

1900-01-08 Boer War Military Papers - 8 pages (available at Ancestry)
1900-01-31 Departure of The Goth (SS Goth) (reported by The Times on 1 Feb 1900) See https://www.angloboerwar.com/other-information/86-shipping-records/1798-shipping-records-february-1900
1900-02-23 Arrival of The Goth (reported by The Times of 24 February) ibid
1900-07-16 Departure of SS Avondale Castle (reported by The Times of 23 Jul 1900) See https://www.angloboerwar.com/other-information/86-shipping-records/1803-shipping-records-july-1900
1900-08-05 Arrival of SS Avondale Castle at Southampton (reported by The Times on 06 Aug 1900) See https://www.angloboerwar.com/other-information/86-shipping-records/1804-shipping-records-august-1900

1914-08-12 WW1 Canadian Expeditionary Force Military Papers 74 page (available at Ancestry)
1915-03-22 2nd Bn Arrived in France - Page 65
1915-05-11 Promotion to Corporal - Page 65
1916-03-01 Board recommendation of (Medical) Discharge - Page 66
1916-04-** Discharge Review Board -page 73
1916-06-28 Medical Report - Page 61
1916-08-18 Date of Discharge - Page 49
1919-06-13 Post Discharge Pay Office shows address - Page 44

1923-06-15 SS Minnedosa Passenger Manifest - Ancestry - UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
Contributors to this page: MartinB. .
Page last modified on Thursday 29 of April, 2021 13:50:02 CDT by MartinB..