Reeves, Henry William (aka William Henry)

Summary

Father: William REEVES
Mother: Elizabeth TITHERIDGE

Birth: c1848
Birth Source: FreeBMD & Baptism

Death: probably 1932
Death Source: FreeBMD

Spouse1: Charlotte MARKS

Narrative

Henry William Reeves is the eldest of 12 known children of William Reeves and his wife Elizabeth (nee TITHERIDGE). His birth was registered in the first quarter of 1848 and he was baptised at the Parish Church of St Barnabas, Swanmore, Hampshire in April 1848. Although his birth and marriage were registered as Henry William and he was also baptised as such, he seems to have been known as William from an early age and used William Henry Reeves as his preferred name in later life.

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, Henry Wm. Reeves appears along with his younger sister Sarah Ann in the home of his parents William Reeves and Elizabeth at Swanmore, Hampshire. He is 3 years old and his place of birth is shown as Droxford.

A decade later and he is not found with his parents on the 1861 census. Rather it is suspected that he appears as William Reeves in the household of John Reeves and his wife Sarah in Upper Swanmore. He is 13 years old and was born in Droxford. His relationship to Head of Household is given as Grandson and his occupation is given as Scholar. Also present in the household was John & Sarah's son Thomas (age 52) and another of the their grand-children Francis PINK (age 8).

On the 1871 census, as William Reeves he appears in his parent household in the hamlet of Hill, in the parish of St Barnabas (Swanmore) He is now 23 years old, again claims birth is Droxford and he is employed as an Agricultural Labourer.

In October 1874, as Henry William Reeves he was married to Charlotte MARKS at the Parish Church of St Barnabas, Swanmore. His younger sister Bithiah Reeves was married to Thomas CONDUCT on the same day and at the same place.¹

Known children of Henry William Reeves and Charlotte (nee MARKS) are:-

1. William Charles Reeves, born c1875
2. Herbert George Reeves, born 1876
3. Harry Reeves, born c1878
4. Ada Reeves, born 1881
5. Walter Edward Reeves, born 1883
6. Lottie Louisa Reeves, born c1886
7. Harriett Reeves, born 1888
8. Bertha Elsie Reeves, born c1890
9. Ernest Alfred Reeves, born 1891

Additionally, if the 1911 census return is to be accepted at face value then, the following is also a child of this couple, but please see "Research Notes" below
    10. Hilda Reeves, born 1908
All the above births were registered in the Droxford Registration District of Hampshire.

Research Notes

The 1911 census return has been extensively modified. In the first instance William listed all his children, not just those living at home on census night. The excess entries have been struck through, apparently by William since the colour of the ink seems identical.

• He notes eldest son William as dead and his age is given as 25, pointing to this son's death around 1900.
• Second son Herbert George is listed simply as George, age 34.
• Daughters Ada and Lottie are noted as married.
• Daughter Harriet is not listed but there is a daughter Laura of the same age, living at home.

Most problematic is Hilda Reeves aged 3, born Swanmore who is described as a daughter. It is suspected she may in fact be a grand-daughter being brought up by her grand-parents. If Charlotte were Hilda's mother she would have been 53 yeasr old at the time of Hilda's birth. It is noted William and Charlotte have been married 37 years (which fits the known facts). The "Total Children Born Alive" has been changed from 9 to 10, "Children Still Living" changed from 8 to 9 and "Children who have Died" is one (unaltered). It is surmised these numbers were increased by one to allow Hilda to be included as a "daughter".

Sources

Birth:         FreeBMD B.Reg. 1848, March quarter, Droxford Registration District
Baptism:   FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JSPS-3H5
Marriage: FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NK4B-XLV
                    FreeBMD M.Reg 1874, December quarter, Droxford Registration District
Death:      1932, June quarter, Droxford Registration District - probably
                 
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1676, Folio 236 face, Page 14
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0698, Folio tbc, Page 7
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1218, Folio 22 face, Page 7
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 1238, Folio 93 face, Page 7
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 0943, Folio 80 face, Page 3
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1090, Folio 143 face, Page 23
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 06164, Reg.Dist. 104 (Droxford), Sub-Dist. 3, Enum.Dist. 9, Schedule 258

¹   FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NK4B-6LK - marriage of his sister Bithiah Reeves