Reeves, Robert

Summary

Father:
Mother:

Birth: c 1786 probably in Hampshire
Birth Source: 1851 census

Death:
Death Source:

Spouse1:

Narrative

Little is known of Robert's early life or his parents. On the 1841 census he claims he was born in Hampshire. Unfortunately the exact place changes between 1851 (Up Somborne) and 1861 (Romsey). He is 67 years old in 1861, so his memory may be beginning to fail him or he is trying to hide the origins of his birth or the answer may have been provided by one of his children. See Research Note 1 below.

Robert Reeves marries Ann JURD at the Parish Church of St Mary, Portsea on 25 December 1812.
The probable and known children of Robert and Ann Reeves are ...
Possible -

1. Robert Reeves, bapt. November 1814
   Probable -
2. John Reeves, bapt. April 1816
3. ? Mary Ann Reeves, bapt. October 1818
4. Thomas Reeves, bapt. December 1820
5. James Reeves, bapt. July 1825
6. Frederick Reeves, bapt. July 1825
   Known -
7. William Reeves, bapt. April 1827
8. George Reeves, bapt. October 1829
9. Joseph Reeves, bapt. May 1836
10. Robert Reeves, bapt. May 1836
11. Jane Reeves, bapt. June 1838

All of the above baptisms occurred at the Parish Church of St Mary Alverstoke. The first five children are associated with this Robert solely based on baptism. Probable daughter Mary Ann, baptised in October 1818, is recorded as the daughter of Robert and Mary Ann. Robert's wife Ann is only referred to as Mary Ann on one other occasion, the 1861 census. Additionally it is possible there was a first born son Robert, the child of Robert (no wife's name is recorded in the index), baptised November 1814.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, Robert along with Ann and their four youngest children are to be found in Alverstoke, Hampshire. As previously noted, Robert claims birth in Hampshire and gives his age as 50. He is described as a Mariner.

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, Robert plus wife Ann and their five youngest offspring are still living in Alverstoke. Robert now gives his age as 65 and his occupation is shown as a Greenwich Pensioner.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Robert plus wife now called Mary Ann living at 4 St Marys Place again in Alverstoke. Robert is now aged 67 and claiming birth in Romsey, Hampshire. He is consistent about being a Naval Pensioner. The third member of the household is a grand daughter called Sarah Reeves aged 11. It is felt this is Sarah can only be the daughter of Robert's son Frederick & Caroline (nee Cooper), who appears with her mother and Aunt Emma on the 1851 census. Sons Robert and George appear nearby on the 1861 census.

Neither Robert Reeves nor his wife Ann/Mary Ann Reeves have yet been identified on the 1871 or subsequent census returns.

Further research on this individual would be helpful, particularly to know if his Naval Records reveal any additional information.

FreeBMD has a probable death registration for this Robert Reeves in Alverstoke Registration District in 4q1864

Research Notes

(1) Between 1775 & 1795 (according to the HGS baptism indices) there are just 5 children baptised Robert in the parish of King's Somborne (which included Up Somborne) and 40 in Romsey None of these are a Robert Reeves. It is possible his mother was unmarried at the time of his birth or that she was widowed and subsequently married a Reeves and Robert adopted his step-father's surname.

If one chooses to ignore the place of birth and assume he has not changed his surname during his lifetime, then the same HGS indices offers two possible candidates -

Robert Reaves  baptised  21 September 1794 at Titchfield, the baseborn son of Ann
Robert Reeves  baptised  24 May 1795       at Titchfield, the baseborn son of Ann
Robert Rofes   received  19 September 1780 at Fawley, the son of Richard & Flora of Hythe

Geographically both Titchfield and Fawley are much closer to Alverstoke, where all the subsequent events in Robert's life are recorded, than either Romsey or Up Somborne. The pairing of Richard and Flora is very uncommon in this time period, there are just three baptisms citing them as parents, all in the Fawley parish. The first two are recorded with the surname Rofes in 1780 & 1782, the third in 1791 as Rose. FamilySearch indexes the Robert Rofes as Robert Roses, thus in all probability eliminating him.

FamilySearch has additionally a Robert baptised in Christchurch, Hampshire in June 1793. That individual has been identified on the 1851 census in Newport on the Isle of Wight.

Sources

Birth:        1851 Census
Baptism:  
Marriage: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N24K-235
Death:     
                 
1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0388, Book 1, Folio 18r, Page 31, PDF-Pg 20
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1660, Folio 101 reverse, Page 45
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0645, Folio 89 face, Page 13
1871 Census: