Reeves, Henry

Summary

Father: William John REEVES
Mother: Ann PUGH

Birth: January 1804
Birth Source: Baptism

Death: August 1877
Death Source : Probate

Spouse1: (unmarried)

Narrative

Henry Reeves, the son of William John Reeves and Ann (nee PUGH), was baptised at the Parish Church of St Andrew, Holborn in the City of London on 08 July 1804. The baptismal register notes his date of birth in January 1804.

Henry's father William died in 1827 and by 1830 the name of the family company had changed from W J Reeves and Son to become Reeves and Sons. See Research Note 1 below.

At the time of the 1841 census on 7 June, Henry Reeves was living on Great Coram Street in Bloomsbury, Middlesex. His age is recorded as 35 and he claims birth in Middlesex. Living with him are Caroline Reeves (35), Harriet Reeves (30) and Harriett WILD (10). (See Research Note 2 below.) The household also contains two female servants. Henry's occupation is simply recorded as "Merchant" giving no clue as to his involvement in the family firm.

On the 1851 census Henry is the head of household, living at 5 Great Coram Street. His age is now given as 47, he is unmarried, and his place of birth as St Andrews, Holborn (Middlesex). On this occasion his occupation is a little more explicit "Wholesale Stationer". (See Research Note 3 below.) His sisters Caroline S Reeves (50) and Harriett (49), who share his place of birth and who are also both unmarried, are living with Henry and there are two female servants.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Henry and his two sisters have relocated to 1 Woburn Square, Bloomsbury. He is consistent with his age, now 57, and simply notes his place of birth as London. His occupation is recorded as "Merchant Stationery".

Grace's Guide suggests that Henry Reeves stepped back from running the family company in 1866, passing control to his nephews Henry Bowles Wild and Charles Kemp Wild.

On the 1871 census, Henry is still living at 1 Woburn Square. He is now 67 years of age and remains unmarried. His place of birth is shown as Holborn, London and his occupation is recorded as "No Profession. Justice of the Peace". In addition to his sisters Caroline and Harriett, there are three servants, a cook, a parlourmaid and a housemaid.

The death of Henry Reeves is noted by FreeBMD as occurring during the third quarter of 1877 in the Brighton Registration District, age 73. Probate, granted on 15 September 1877, notes his death in Brighton in August and that his usual residence was 1 Woburn Square. See Research Note 4 below.

Research Notes

(1) Our subject Thomas Reeves was the third generation of his family to be associated with the Reeves company which produced artist materials. Grace's Guides to British Industrial History has a good explanation of the company's history and the various names it traded under at https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Reeves_and_Sons

(2) Whilst the 1841 does not record relationship and adult ages are normally rounded down, it is highly probably that Caroline and Harriet are two of Henry's sisters. Harriett WILD (10) is most probably his niece, the daughter of his older sister Maria and her husband Thomas WILD.

(3) Pages for this part of the 1851 census are somewhat damaged and the information noted above and the reference given below should be carefully checked and used cautiously.

(4) The Probate Registry entry notes that probate was granted to "William Edward Montague of 12 Buenos Ayres, Margate, in the Isle of Thanet in the County of Kent, Gentleman and George Mayris Pittock of 23 Cecil Square, Margate M.D. and Elizabeth Montague (Wife of the said William Edward Montague) of 12 Buenos Ayres, the executors."

As noted by the Spathaky website (accessed 16 December 2021) when considering his children's Montague connections ...

(Henry's) will runs to over four pages of closely written lawyer's convoluted phraseology. He made adequate provision during their lifetimes for his two spinster sisters, Caroline and Harriet Reeves, who had looked after him for fifty years, and he gave small legacies to his nieces and nephews (mostly of five guineas "to purchase a ring in remembrance of me"). He then directs that, after Caroline and Harriet have both died, his house (in which they were living) and the rest of his estate were to be divided between William and Elizabeth Montague and their children, including, as an extra, five hundred pounds as a marriage portion for their eldest daughter Madeline Elizabeth Montague.

According to the (Montague) family legend, Henry Reeves supported William and Elizabeth Montague in a life of luxury during his lifetime. What we have definite evidence of is that he ensured that they and their children could continue to live after his death in the manner to which they had become accustomed. It is not an exaggeration to say that in death Henry Reeves treated William Montague as well as only a father would be expected to treat his only son. But there is no hint in the books and documents we have seen as to why he should have such a strong attachment.

Hopefully one day we'll have folks test and contribute results to the Reeves DNA Project and get some further insights as to why Henry Reeves took such good care of William Edward Montague.

Sources

Birth:       per Baptism
Baptism: Parish Register of St Andrew, Holborn for 1804     Image from LMA Collection at Ancestry (image 179 of 197)
                 FamilySearch     https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JMWH-LK3
Marriage1: none
Death:      FreeBMD     1877, September quarter, Brighton Registration District
Probate:   GRO Probate Index     https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Reeves&yearOfDeath=1877#calendar

1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0672, Book 8, Folio 25 face, Page 42, third dwelling
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1507, Folio 162 face, Page 54, Schedule 285
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0166, Folio 20 reverse, Page 38, Schedule 126
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 0338, Folio 80 face, Page 37, Schedule 138
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 0320, Folio 19 reverse, Page 34, Schedule 122 - HoH Harriett Reeves at 1 Woburn Square