Reeves, John

Summary

Father: Samuel REEVES
Mother: Elizabeth FOUCH

Birth: c1809
Birth Source: Baptism and Census

Death: 1883
Death Source: FreeBMD & Burial

Spouse1: Mary HAWKINS
Spouse2: Ann HAMBLET (nee MILLS)

Narrative

John is the oldest of the four known children of Samuel REEVES and his wife Elizabeth (nee FOUCH). He was baptised in July 1809 at the Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, Bishops Cleeve, Gloucestershire. The Baptismal Register notes the family surname as REEVE (sic) and that they lived in the hamlet of Gotherington which is in the north of the parish of Bishops Cleeve.

John REEVES married Mary HAWKINS in December 1836 at the Parish Church of St Peter, Leckhampton, Gloucestershire. The Banns for the impending marriage and the Marriage Register indicate both were "of this parish". See Research Note 1 below.
The known child of John Reeves and his wife Mary (nee Hawkins) is

1. William Reeves, bapt. December 1838 at Prestbury

The GRO entry for William birth gives his mother's maiden name as Hawkings (sic).

Neither John nor Mary has yet been positively identified on the 1841 census. It is strongly suspected that John's wife Mary is the individual who was buried at Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, Bishops Cleeve in October 1838. The burial register notes she was 28 years old and of Prestbury. Their son William has been identified on the 1841 census, but very unusually for a young child, he appears as the only individual on a schedule. See Research Note 2 below.

In January 1843, John Reeves, a Widower, married Ann HAMBLET, a Widow, at the Parish Church of St Mary, Cheltenham, Gloucester. Both given an address in Cheltenham. John is described as a labourer and names his father as Samuel REEVES whose occupation is also given as a Labourer. Ann names her father as Daniel MILLS.   John signs the register and Ann makes her mark. The witnesses were William MILLS and Phoebe MILLS. See Research Note 3 below.
The known child of John Reeves and his wife Ann (formerly Hamlett/Hamblet, nee MILLS) is

1. George Reeves, bapt. March 1844 at Prestbury

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, John and Ann are living on Winchcombe Lane in Prestbury. John is 41 years old, claims birth in Gotherington and is working as an Agricultural Labourer. In addition to his wife Ann (age 46, a Washerwoman, born Prestbury) is Ellen HAMLETT described as his daughter in law (sic step-daughter)(15), his son William (14, also an Agricultural Labourer) and their son George (7, a Scholar).

A decade later and the 1861 census shows John and Ann still living in Prestbury, but now on the south side of the High Street. Whist his age remains consistent (51), he now gives his place of birth as Bishops Cleeve. He is working as a Thatcher. His wife Ann is the only other member of the household.

On the 1871 census, John and Ann remain on the High Street, Prestbury. He is 61 years old, was born Gotherington and is working as an Agricultural Labourer.

At the time of the 1881 census, John is living alone and is described as a Widower. He is working as a General Labourer and other details remain consistent.

John has not been identified on the 1891 nor subsequent census returns. FreeBMD notes the death of a John Reeves during the fourth quarter of 1883 in the Cheltenham Registration District, aged 74. A John Reeves of Prestbury, age 74, was buried at the Parish Church of St Mary, Prestbury in October 1883.

Research Notes

(1) John's brother James, who was six years his junior, was also married at Leckhampton coincidentally some six year later.

(2) On the 1841 census William Reeves, age 3, appears as the only individual on a schedule in Prestbury. The head of household is John Troughton (50) along with Pricilla (40, presumably John's wife) plus Maryann (12) and Eliza (9). A direct family connection to William has yet to be established. (HO107, Piece 0354, Book 26, Folio 40 face, Page 20, second dwelling). A neighbouring household is John HAMLETT(20) and Mary Hamlett (20), perhaps a relative of John's soon to be second wife, Ann HAMLETT.

Also on the 1841 census, in the nearby parish of Elmstone Hardwicke resides another John Troughton and his wife Sarah (nee REEVES). This may be coincidental, or may provide clues to a link between the Prestbury resident Troughton's and the Reeves family.

(3) Ann HAMLETT was the widow of William HAMLETT whom she married in November 1822 at Prestbury. There are five known children from this marriage, all baptised at Prestbury. (NB There was an identically named couple baptising children in adjacent Cheltenham at the same time.)

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   Bishops Cleeve Parish Register - Page 103 (image 54 of 110 at Ancestry)
Marriage1: Leckhampton Marriage Register - Page 70, Entry 209 (image 39 of 45 at Ancestry)
Marriage2: FreeBMD     1843, March Quarter, Cheltenham Registration District
                   St Mary Cheltenham Marriage Register - Page 138, entry 276 (image 146 of 264 at Ancestry)
Death:      FreeBMD     1883, December Quarter, Cheltenham Registration District
Burial:     St Mary Prestbury Burial Register - Page 9, entry 65 (image 15 of 312 at Ancestry)
                 
1841 Census:
1851 Census: HO105, Piece 1972, Folio 64 reverse, Page 25, Schedule 87
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 1795, Folio 10 face, Page 13, Schedule 58
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 2660; Folio 36 reverse, Page 10, Schedule 50
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 2567, Folio 19 reverse, Page 6, Schedule 34
1891 Census: