Reeves, John

Summary

Father: John REEVES
Mother:

Birth: c1884
Birth Source: 1891 Census

Death: 14 Apr 1917, France
Death Source: CWGC

Spouse1:

Narrative

The details of John's early life are tentative. The 1891 census places his birth around 1884, in Abridge, Essex. What is known with certainty comes from sources relating to his service and death during World War 1.  John's surviving military references indicate that he had two brothers, Charles and Thomas, which in turn points to our subject John being the son of John REEVES. See Research Note 1 below.

On the 1891 census, John Reeves appears in the household of his father John Reeves on Silver Street, Abridge in Essex. John is seven years old and a scholar. His father John is a widower and his older brother Thomas (age 13) completes the household.

John has yet to be identified on the 1901 census. See Research Note 4 below.

On the 1911 census John Reeves appears in the household of his brother Thomas Reeves and his wife Sarah Ann (nee Wood) plus their three surviving children. They were living on Woburn Avenue in Theydon Bois, Essex. John's age is given as 30 (and has probably been rounded up) and his place of birth as Abridge, Lambourne Parish (Essex). He is unmarried and working on a Farm as a Cowman.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that whilst serving as Private 19439 in the 1st Battalion of the Essex Regiment, John Reeves died in northern France in April 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in the Pas de Calais département of France (FR-62). The CWGC has no additional notes for this individual.

The death of Private 19439 of the Essex Regiment in 1917 is included in the GRO Index to War Deaths 1914-1921. Army (other Ranks) page 3013 as John Reeves; year 1917, vol I.66, page 80.

The "UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929" entry for Private 19439 John Reeves shows him serving with the 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment. It comprises two distribution entries. The first, in September 1918, is made equally to brothers Charles and Thomas. The second in February 1920 is made to just his brother Charles.

The Imperial War Museum notes that the War Memorial in Theydon Bois includes a John Reeves, but provide no further details which would uniquely link that inscription to this individual. Theydon Bois was John's place of residence at the time of the 1911 census and is also given as his residence in "Soldiers Died in the Great War".

Research Notes

(1) The primary clue to John's identity come from sources relating to his military service and death during World War  1.  The entry for John in the Registers of Soldiers' Effects shows distributions to his brothers Charles and Thomas. It is more usual to see distributions being made to the soldier's mother or father, so this may suggest John's parents were deceased prior to the date of his enlistment in the Army.

(2) 1881 Census - Brothers Charles and Thomas appear with their father John on the 1881 census. However, this schedule number 63 poses nearly as many questions as it answers. John, the father, is listed as Head of Household  ... ...
 
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(3) 1891 Census - As noted above.

(4) 1901 Census - John has yet to be identified on the 1901 census. He is not with his brother Charles and his wife Elizabeth Reeves, who are living on Silver Street in Abridge nor with his brother Thomas and his wife Sarah A Reeves, who are themselves lodgers in Theydon Bois, Essex.

(5) Positive identification of John's birth registration has thus far been "challenging". The 1891 census suggests he was born c1884 and the 1911 census gives his age as 30 so born about 1881. Both census returns agree on his place of birth, Abridge, Essex, so a birth in the Ongar Registration District would be expected.  ... ...
 
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Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:  
Marriage:
Death:      GRO Index to War Deaths 1914-1921. Army (Other Ranks) page 3013 as John Reeves
                 CWGC     https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1620404/john-reeves/

1891 Census: RG12, Piece 1366, Folio 107 face, Page 11 and continued Folio 107 reverse, Page 12
1901 Census:
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 9791, Reg.Dist 189 (Epping), Sub Dist. 2 (Epping), Enum.Dist. 11, Schedule 188

IWM      https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/name/812361     (Accessed 19 Dec 2022)

From Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 at FindMyPast

First name(s) 		JOHN
Last name 		REEVES
Service number 		19439
Rank 			PRIVATE
Regiment 		Essex Regiment
Battalion 		1st Battalion.
Birth place 		ABRIDGE, ESSEX
Residence 		THEYDON BOIS, ESSEX
Enlistment place 	EPPING, ESSEX
Death year 		1917
Death day 		14
Death month 		4
Cause of death 		Killed in action
Death place 		France & Flanders
Theatre of war 		Western European Theatre
Supplementary Notes 	-