Reeves, John

Summary

Father: Robert Reeves
Mother: Ann

Birth: bef 29 April 1816 in Alverstoke, Hampshire
Birth Source: baptism at Alverstoke, Hampshire

Death: after April 1861
Death Source: present on 1861 census

Spouse1: Martha GROGAN

Narrative

John Reeves, the eldest known child of Robert Reeves and Ann (mnu), was baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary, Alverstoke, Hampshire on 29 April 1816.

John married Martha GROGAN at the Parish Church of St Mary, Portsea, Hampshire on 22 May 1836.

There are currently no known children of this couple.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, John and his wife Martha are living alone in Alverstoke. John's occupation is shown as Gardener, he was approximately 20 years old and born in county (Hampshire).

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, John is lodging with Hannah French, a few doors away from his parents. John's age is given as 33 years and he claims birth in Alverstoke, Hampshire. He is married. His wife Martha has been identified on the 1851 census visiting her Mary A Grogan at 35 Borough Street, Brighton, in Sussex. Mary has a 1 year old daughter Kate and a 1 month old son William, so it probable that Martha has been helping her sister-in-law with the new born child. (Mary claims she is married and is the wife of Martha's brother William GROGAN, making Martha technically her sister-in-law rather than sister as is recorded on the census return. The 1861 census has William, Mary A and children including Kate & William living in Southampton.)

A decade later and the 1861 census shows John plus wife Martha living at "Halfway House", Stoke Road, in Alverstoke. He is now 44 years old and his occupation is given as "Victualler", so perhaps working at the Royal Clarence Victualling Yard in Gosport, where his younger brother Thomas was also working. His place of birth is again Alverstoke. A servant, Elizabeth BESSANT, aged 13 from Titchfield who is working as a house maid, completes this household on the 1861 census.

Neither John nor Martha have been positively identified on the 1871 or 1881 census returns. Further research on this individual would be helpful.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J36C-358
Marriage: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N2RM-GVM
Death:     

1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0388, Book 1, Folio 12 face, Page 18
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1660, Folio 48 reverse, Page 23
and                 HO107, Piece 1646, Folio 435 reverse, Page 17      for wife Martha
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0645, Folio 58 reverse, Page 4
1871 Census:
1881 Census: