Reeves, Samuel

Summary

Father:
Mother:

Birth: c1830, Newbury
Birth Source: Census

Death: 1911
Death Source: FreeBMD

Spouse1: Mary JEFFERY
Spouse2: Harriet NICHOLS

Narrative

Little is known about the early life of Samuel Reeves. As yet, he has not been positively identified on the 1841 census and he is not found in a family context of the 1851 census. However, on subsequent census returns, Samuel was consistent about his age and place of birth pointing to his birth in about 1830 at Newbury, Berkshire.

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, Samuel Reeves is a lodger in the household of Patrick and Eliza MALONE on Jack Newbury Street in Newbury, Berkshire. Samuel is 21 years of age, claims birth in Newbury, Berks and is employed as a Carter. There is a potential family connection between Eliza MALONE and Samuel; see Research Note 1 below.

FreeBMD records the marriage of Samuel Reeves and Mary JEFFERY during the first quarter of 1852 in the Newbury Registration District.
The known children of Samuel Reeves and Mary (nee JEFFERY) are

1. John Reeves, born c1855, Newbury
2. Mary Reeves, born c1857, Newbury
3. Henry Jeffery Reeves, born c1859, Newbury
4. Agnes Reeves, born c 1862, Newbury
5. Annie Reeves, born c 1864, Newbury

Based on information contained in the 1911 census, it is probable there were two further children born to Mary during their marriage. See Research Note 2 below.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Samuel and Mary living at Middleton Court in Newbury. Samuel is 31 years old, claims birth in Newbury and is working as a Letter Carrier. In addition to Mary (age 29 and born in Monk Sherborne, Hampshire), their three children John (6), Mary (4) and Henry J (2) complete the household.

On the 1871 census, Samuel & Mary are to be found on Bartholomew Street in Newbury. Samuel's age is difficult to read due to subsequent annotations to the enumeration schedule, but is most probably 41, which is conveniently consistent with other decades. He again claims birth in Newbury and is working as a Letter Carrier. Their children John, Henry, Agnes and Annie complete the household.

Samuel's wife Mary died in 1876, her death being recorded during the third quarter in Newbury Registration District.

FreeBMD notes the marriage of Samuel Reeves and Harriet NICHOLS during the first quarter of 1880 in the Marylebone Registration District in Middlesex. (Although a Berkshire lass born in Inkpen, the 1871 census show Harriet Nichols working in Marylebone as a Parlourmaid. ¹) The 1911 census suggests there was no issue from this second marriage. Again see Research Note 2 below.

At the time of the 1881 census, Samuel and his new wife Harriet are living at Albany Place on Newtown Road in Newbury. Samuel is now 52 years old and still working as a letter carrier. Again he claims birth in Newbury. In addition to Harriet, the household is completed by Flora ADNAMS whose relationship to Samuel is shown as niece. She is 12 years old and was born in London. Flora's surname is not distinctly written.

On the 1891 census, Samuel & Harriet are to be found at Sarum Cottages in Newbury. Samuel is now 61 years old and working as a Tailor. In addition to Harriet there are two female boarders, both of whom are working as School Assistants.

A decade later and the 1901 census shows Samuel & Harriet still at Sarum Cottages. Samuel is now 71 years old and still claiming birth in Newbury. He is working at home as a Tailor (journeyman) and is a worker (rather than an employer or working on his own account). His wife Harriet completes the household.

Samuel and Harriet are still living at Sarum Cottages, Newbury at the time of the 1911 census. Samuel notes he is 81 years old and was born in Newbury, Berkshire. He gave his occupation as "Pensioner PO" to which the enumerator has added "(formerly a Postman)". He notes that he and Harriet have been married for 31 years. Fortunately for future generations of genealogists Samuel didn't initially understand how to complete the 1911 census form and unwittingly provided us with additional information. See Research Note 2 below.

It is highly probable Samuel died a little later that year. There is a strongly matching entry on FreeBMD for this individual's death in the third quarter of 1911 in the Newbury Registration District, age 81.

Research Notes

(1) FreeBMD has entries for the birth of Sarah ANN MALONE in Reading Reg.Dist (3q1843) and of Eliza MALONE in Newbury Reg.Dist.(4q1849).

A marriage for a Patrick MALONE (and variants) has not been identified, but intriguingly FreeBMD does have a marriage recorded in Reading in the first quarter of 1843 for a John MALONE. That same page also includes an Eliza REEVES. FamilySearch has an entry for the marriage of Eliza Reeves at the Parish Church of St Giles, Reading, Berkshire. See https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NVYP-FCF. This entry shows Eliza's husband as Patrick Malone and his father as John Malone, so it is possible father and son have been reversed on the entry submitted to the GRO or when it was indexed.

Whilst it is highly probable Eliza MALONE (nee Reeves) and Samuel ae related, the connection has yet to be proven. The same FamilySearch entry names Eliza's father also as a John; John REEVES. Unfortunately Eliza does not appear in a family context on the 1841 census - HO107, Piece 0034, Book 5, Folio 4 reverse, Page 3
Eliza MALONE (nee Reeves) has yet to be identified on the 1861 census. Her three children are working in the Newbury area as servants.

(2) Fortunately for future generations of genealogist, Samuel initially failed to understand how to complete the 1911 census form and although subsequently corrected there is much additional useful information which is still legible.

Initially it seems Samuel included information about himself and his wife Harriet as a single line. Although only naming himself in column 1, he add his age in column 3 and Harriet's age in column 4 (Ages of Females). He notes he is married (col 5) and has written the number 2 above the word married. In column 6 he notes they have been married for 31 years and under column 7 (Total Children Born Alive) he notes "None".

On the second line he left column 1 blank and in column 2 wrote "first married" and in columns 3 & 4 wrote 21 and 20. This would correspond to his age and the age of his first wife Mary when they married in 1852. Again he writes Married in column 5. In column 6 for "Completed years the present marriage has lasted" he has entered 70 - had Mary still been alive they would have been married 60 not 70 years. He continues noting there were seven children born alive, five of whom are still living and 2 of whom are now dead.

Various changes were subsequently made to the schedule in a different hand writing and using different ink. Harriet Reeves was added in column 1 of line 2 and her age added in column 4 of that line. The duration of Samuel & Harriet's marriage has been transposed to column 6 in line 2, but the details of children born was not corrected.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:  
Marriage1: FreeBMD 1852, March quarter, Newbury Registration District
Marriage2: FreeBMD 1880, March quarter, Marylebone Registration District
Death:        FreeBMD 1911, September quarter, Newbury Registration District
                 
1841 Census:
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1685, Folio 217 face, Page 36
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0720, Folio 137 face, Page 23
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1250, Folio 53 face, Page 1
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 1270, Folio 36 face, Page 7
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 0969, Folio 66 reverse, Page 6
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1120, Folio 74 reverse, Page 32
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 06370, Reg.Dist. 114 (Newbury), Sub Dist. 1 (Newbury), Enum.Dist. 5, Schedule 41

¹       1871 Census - Harriet NICHOLS - RG10, Piece 0157, Folio 82 face, Page 17