Reeves, Richard Charles

Summary

Father:
Mother:

Birth: 1875, Camberwell, Surrey (London)
Birth Source: FreeBMD

Death: May 1916
Death Source: CWGC.org

Spouse1: Rosetta DUNN

Narrative

FreeBMD records the birth of Richard Charles Reeves in the second quarter of 1875 in the Camberwell Registration District.

Richard has yet to be positively identified on either the 1881 or 1891 census returns. It is however possible he is the individual appearing on the 1891 census as Richard Reeves age 14 (sic), born Camberwell, Surrey living in the South Metropolitan District School¹ for Orphan and Deserted Children at Witham in Essex². There are no other Reeves individual listed at this establishment on census night.

To have achieved the rank of Chief Stoker by 1916, it is likely that Richard had been serving in the Royal Navy for a number of years. It is therefore highly probable he is the individual appearing on the 1901 census return for HMS Agincourt (a training ship at Portland, Dorset) as Richard Reeves, age 26, a Stoker. His place of birth is not distinctly written and might be read as either Clerkenwell or perhaps Camberwell, London.

Richard Charles Reeves married Rosetta DUNN in 1901 in the Poplar Registration District.

The known children of Richard Reeves and his wife Rosetta (nee Dunn) are

1. Walter Richard Reeves, born March 1904, Malta
2. Elsie Rose Reeves, born September 1906, Malta, died prior to 1911 census
3. Doris Ena Reeves, born 1907, Hampshire
4. Phyllis F Reeves, born 1913, Hampshire

The births of Walter and Elsie are noted by The Malta Family History Website at http://www.maltafamilyhistory.com/ via their "Index of Royal Navy 1900-1979" at http://website.lineone.net/~stephaniebidmead/navy0079.htm
The births of Doris and Phyllis were recorded in the Portsmouth Registration District.

At the time of his son Walter's birth the family's address is given as 5 Strada Collegio, Sliema (Malta) and at daughter Elsie's birth, Richard is noted as being a Petty Officer, R.N. On both occasions his name is recorded as Richard Charles Reeves by the Malta Family History website.

Richard has yet to be identified on the 1911 census; he was probably on board ship, perhaps overseas. His wife Rosetta and children Walter and Doris are found in East Southsea. The address on the return is somewhat confusing. Rosetta signs and gives the address as simply Winter Road, with no house number. However on the cover the Enumerator recorded the address as 44 Eastfield Road. She notes she has been married for nine years and that there have been three children born to the marriage, with only two surviving.

Richard's death is recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.  As Chief Stoker 277811 he was killed in action at the Battle of Jutland on board HMS Queen Mary. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial⁴ along with two other individual (from WW1) who share the surname Reeves; Henry John Reeves and Robin Maurice Reeves⁵. Richard's name appears on Panel 15 of the memorial⁶.   CWGC additionally notes "Son of Richard Reeves; husband of Rosetta Reeves, of 75, Prince Albert Rd., East Southsea, Portsmouth."

As a resident of Portsmouth, it is believed Richard's sacrifice is recorded on the Portsmouth Cenotaph as "Reeves R." within the Navy panels, along with four other individuals who share the surname Reeves; "Reeves C.N." (army), "Reeves F." (navy), "Reeves H." (navy), and "Reeves H.R." (army). ^7, 8, 9.

Research Notes

The GRO Birth indices record the birth of Richard James Reeves in the September quarter of 1874 and of this Richard Charles Reeves in the June quarter of 1875, both events occurring in the Camberwell Registration District.

Richard James Reeves has been positively identified in a family context in 1881 and as simply Richard Reeves on the 1891 and 1901 census returns but in the same family context. As RJR he has also been identified in 1911, now with his own family. Richard James Reeves can therefore be safely dismissed and not mistaken for this subject.

Richard Charles Reeves is only named in full at birth registration and on marriage to Rosetta Dunn. Rosetta is not a frequently occurring name, so identification is fairly certain.

However, positively identifying Richard on any census return has been more challenging. ... ...

Sources

Birth:        FreeBMD B.Reg 1875, June quarter, Camberwell Registration District
Baptism:  
Marriage: FreeBMD M.Reg. 1901, September quarter, Poplar Registration District
Death:      GRO Index to Naval War Deaths - 1914-1921 - Page 300
                 CWGC http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3038163/REEVES,%20RICHARD
1881 Census:
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 1425, Folio 147 reverse, Page 2, (line 4) - identification needs to be confirmed
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1998, Folio reverse, Page 20, (line 20)
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 05542, Reg.Dist 90 (Portsmouth), Sub-Dist. 02, Enum.Dist. 21, Schedule 299 - Rosetta & family

¹   Workhouse.org: South Metropolitan School District
²   Workhouse.org: Witham, Essex
^{3   
4}   Portsmouth Naval Memorial - http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/144703/PORTSMOUTH%20NAVAL%20MEMORIAL
                                      http://www.memorials.inportsmouth.co.uk/southsea/naval.htm
⁵   Portsmouth Naval Memorial - http://www.memorials.inportsmouth.co.uk/searching.htm
                                      - Search by surname Reeves, 10 results, 3 WW1 and 7 WW2 (as at May 2014)
⁶   Portsmouth Naval Memorial - Panel 15
⁷   Portsmouth Cenotaph - http://www.memorials.inportsmouth.co.uk/city-centre/cenotaph.htm
⁸   Portsmouth Cenotaph - Army Names - Panel 9 - Mitchell H. to Shepherd H.
⁹   Portsmouth Cenotaph - Navy Names - Panel 4 - Parsons E. to Waight F.