Reeves, John

Summary

Father:
Mother:

Birth: c 1781 at Sudbury, Suffolk
Birth Source: 1851 & 1861 census

Death: 1865
Death Source:

Spouse1: Elizabeth mnu

Narrative

Little is know of John's early life, other than that he claims birth in Sudbury, Suffolk. It is not known when he arrived on the Isle of Wight or when he married, but his wife Elizabeth was an island native.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, John and Elizabeth were living at 10 Oyster Shell Houses at Carisbrooke on the Isle of Wight. The third member of the household was a Louisa Reeves (age 12), but her precise relationship to John has yet to be determined. John was not born in county (Hampshire) and his rounded age is recorded as 55. He was working as a Gardener. They were sharing the property with Charles Lockhart and Mary (probably nee Cave). No family connection is known.

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, John and Elizabeth were living in a cottage at the south end of Wood's Terrace in Carisbrooke. His age is recorded as 70 and he was a Gardener at Mount Pleasant.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows John and Elizabeth are again living in one of the Oyster Shell Houses. John is now recorded as 81 years old and his occupation is given as "Pensioner formerly Domestic Gardener".

The 1861 household additionally comprised two young boys who are described as Visitors. Henry and Frederick AVERY are both recorded as 5 years old and born in Newport. The IoW FHS indices record the birth registrations of both these boys and additionally note "Other Surname", which is typically the mother's maiden name, as being REEVES in both cases. The family relationship is currently unknown. Do you have a copy of their birth certificates?

No record of John or Elizabeth has as yet been found on the 1871 census and it is probable they had both died in the intervening decade. The Isle of Wight Family History Society's BMD indices note the death of John Reeves aged 86 recorded in the Newport sub-district in 1865 and FreeBMD has a corresponding entry in the March quarter of the same year in the Isle of Wight Registration District.

Sources

Birth:        1851 & 1861 census
Baptism:  
Marriage:
Death:      FreeBMD March quarter 1865 &
                 Isle of Wight Family History Society Indices at http://www.isle-of-wight-fhs.co.uk/bmd/startbmd.htm

1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0405, Book 13, Folio 12 reverse, Page 19 and Folio 13 face, Page 20
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1663, Folio 237 reverse, Page 17
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0655, Folio 72 reverse, Page 2 and Folio 73 face, Page 3