Reeves, Harry
Summary
Father: James REEVESMother: Hannah Elizabeth FURZE
Birth: 1860
Birth Source: GRO Index
Death: 1936
Death Source: GRO Index
Spouse1: Ann STOKER
Narrative
Harry REEVES is the third known child of James REEVES and his second wife Hannah Elizabeth (nee FURZE). His birth was registered in the New Forest Registration District during the second quarter of 1860. Harry was baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary, Copythorne, Hampshire in May 1860.The 1861 census shows Harry as an eleven month old child, the youngest of three children, living with his parents James and Hannah at Bartley, Hampshire. His place of birth is given as Eling, Hampshire.
On the 1871 census, Harry again appears in his parents household at Cadnam, along with five siblings. He is now 10 years old, was born at Eling, Hampshire and is a scholar.
At the time of the 1881 census, Harry has yet to be identified. He does not appear in his widowed mother Hannah's household at Cadnam. His younger brother Ellis is the oldest of the siblings remaining with her.
In June 1882 Harry enlisted into the 3rd Hussars at Aldershot, Hampshire and he was assigned Regimental Number 1886. He indicated he was 22 years old, that he was born in the parish of Eling and was previously working as a Labourer. As his next of kin, he named his mother Hannah and his brother James E (sic). See Research Note 1 below. In June 1889 he agreed to extend his period of service to complete 18 years with the colours, at which time he held the rank of Sergeant. In June 1892 he was transferred to the Army Reserve and formally discharged from the Army in June 1894.
His military record notes that Harry REEVES married Ann STOKER at the Parish Church (of St Oswald), Fulford, Yorkshire in March 1886. FreeBMD notes the same during the first quarter of 1886 in the York Registration District.
The known children of Harry Reeves and his wife Ann (nee STOKER) are:-
- Bruce Harry REEVES, b.reg. 1886 & d.reg 1886, both Chorlton Reg. Dist.
- Mercy A REEVES, born c1888 Limerick, Co. Limerick, Ireland, married George E DUNNINGS
- Lucy REEVES, born c1890 Limerick, Co. Limerick, Ireland, married Charles W YOUNG
- Robert H REEVES, born c1891 Ballincollig, Co. Cork, Ireland
- Esther Leonora REEVES, b.reg. 1892
- Charles Albert REEVES, b.reg. 1894
- Annie REEVES, b.reg. 1897
- Frank Stoker REEVES, b.reg. 1898
- Sidney Percy James REEVES, b.reg. 1900
- Violet Elizabeth REEVES, b.reg. 1901
- Leonard George REEVES, b.reg.1902
- Alfred John REEVES, b.reg. 1905
The birth of each of their eight youngest children was registered in the New Forest Registration District and in all eight instances their mother's maiden name was recorded as STOKER.
During the period of his service in the 3rd Hussars, the regiment moved multiple times. This is in part evident from the medical record included in his service file which shows the location when he needed medical treatment and also from the annual Hart's Army Lists. (See Research Note 2 below.) His medical record shows
| Arrival Date | Location | Comments |
| 1882-06-22 | Aldershot, HAM | |
| 1883-11-23 | Hounslow, MDX | |
| 1884-09-11 | York, YRK | Married near York |
| 1886-05-08 | Manchester, LAN | Birth of son Bruce |
| 1887-06-09 | Limerick, LIM | Birth of daughters Mercy & Lucy |
| 1889-10-04 | Ballincollig, COR | Birth of son Robert |
| 1891-06-25 | Curragh, KIL | |
| 1891-08-26 | Dublin, DUB | |
At the time of the 1891 census, Harry's regiment was serving in Ireland and the Irish census records for 1891 have not survived.
In June 1892, Harry transferred to the Army Reserve and returned to civilian life. The birth of their daughter Esther was registered in the New Forest Registration District during the fourth quarter of 1892, so it seems he returned to Hampshire shortly after his discharge.
By the time of the 1901 census, Harry and Ann are living at Pikes Hill, Lyndhurst, Hampshire. He is 40 years old and indicates he was born at Bartley, Hampshire. He is working as a Fish Hawker on his own account. Along with his wife Ann (38, born Leeds, Yorkshire) are their nine oldest surviving children, Mercy A (13, Limmerick, Ireland), Lucy (11, Limerick, Ireland), Robert H (10, Ballincollig, Ireland), Esther L (8, Lyndhurst, Hampshire), Charles A (7, Lyndhurst), Annie (4, Lyndhurst), Frank S (1, Lyndhurst), Sydney P (1, Lyndhurst) and Violet E (1 month, Lyndhurst).
On the 1911 census Harry and Ann are again to be found on Pikes Hill, Lyndhurst, Hampshire. Harry is now 50 years old and give his place of birth as Minstead, Hampshire. He is working as a Fish Monger from home on his own account. His wife Ann's age remains consistent (now 48), but her place of birth is given as Tadcaster, York(shire). Harry notes they have been married for 26 years and that Ann has had twelve children, eleven of who are then still alive and one who has died. Lena (Ester Leonora) is the oldest of the eight children living in the parental home.
The 1921 census index suggest Harry has remained in Lyndhurst, with Eling now given as his place of birth. Ann, Charles Albert and five others complete the household.
Harry has not been identified on the 1939 Register. His widow Ann Reeves (born October 1862) along with Charles A (single, born March 1894) and Violet E (born March 1901) have been identified in Lyndhurst. It is highly likely that the death noted during the fourth quarter of 1936 of Harry Reeves, age 76 (so born around 1860) in the New Forest Registration District is that of this individual.
Research Notes
(1) At the time of his enlistment, he committed to serve for twelve years in total. Either for seven years in the Army itself with the following five years in the Army Reserve or if the unit happened to be beyond the seas at the end of his seventh year, then for eight years with four years in the Army Reserve.(2) The birth and death of their first child Bruce Harry REEVES was registered in the Chorlton Registration District of Lancashire. This is consistent with the Hart's Army List for 1887 which show the 3rd Hussars were garrisoned at Manchester, having previously been at York.
(3) The annual Hart's Army List is available from the National Library of Scotland. For the period of interest (1881-1893), the 3rd Hussar's consistently appear on the physical page numbered 145 and the location where they are then garrisoned is shown at the top of that page. There is one significant deviation between the location on Harry's medical record and the annual Hart's Army Lists. For 1888 & 1889 publications, Hart's Army List shows the regiment was based at Cahir, Co. Tipperary whereas Harry's Medical Record and the birth of two daughters suggest he was actually in Limerick, Co.Limerick.
Sources
Birth: GRO Index 1860, September quarter, New Forest Registration DistrictBaptism: HGS Index to Baptisms 1842-1874
Marriage: FreeBMD 1886, March quarter, York Registration District
Military Record WO97
Death: GRO Index 1936, December quarter, New Forest Registration District
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0672, Folio 28 face, Page 17, Schedule 83 - HoH James Reeves
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1184, Folio 74 reverse, Page 8, Schedule 37 - HoH James Reeves
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 1202, Folio 64 face, Page 13, Schedule 53 - HoH Hannah E Reeves
1881 Census:
1891 Census:
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1050, Folio 25 face, Page 19, Schedule 116 i
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 5908, Reg. Dist. 98 (New Forest), Sub DIst. 1 (Lyndhurst), Enum. Dist. 5, Schedule 250
1921 Census:
1939 Register:
1882 Enlistment: Military Record in WO97/3721 file of seven pages from Find My Past
1882 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (127) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103734570 - Aldershot
1883 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (124) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103891508 - Hounslow
1884 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (124) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/105743433 - Aldershot
1885 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (143) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103744458 - York
1886 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (139) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103754778 - York
1887 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (152) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103765398 - Manchester
1888 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (150) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103776438 - Cahir
1889 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (149) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/105753549 - Cahir
1890 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (135) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/107498995 - Ballincollig
1891 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (132) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/104578286 - Ballincollig
1892 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (122) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103787214 - Dublin
1892 Army Reserve: Military Record in WO97/3721
1893 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (120) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103798590 - Dublin
1894 Harts Army List: 3rd Hussars - Page 145 - image (120) from NLS https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103809918 - Dublin
1894 Army Discharge: Military Record in WO97/3721