Reeves, Sarah

Summary

Father: James REEVES
Mother: Ann BARNES

Birth: c1824
Birth Source: Baptism & Census

Death: 1894
Death Source: GRO Index

Spouse1: Robert Linch

Narrative

Sarah Reeves is the seventh of eight known children of James Reeves and his wife Ann (nee Barnes). She was baptised in May 1824 at the Parish Church of St Peter in Bramshaw, Hampshire.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, Sarah appears in her parent's household at Cadnam, Hampshire. Her age is recorded as 15 and she was born in county (that is to say in Hampshire).

The marriage of Sarah REEVES and Robert LYNCH was recorded in the New Forest Registration District during the third quarter of 1845. See Research Note 1 and also Research Note 2 below.
The known children of Sarah (nee Reeves) and her husband Robert are

1. John Linch, b.reg. 4q1845 New Forest RD
2. Alfred Lynch, b.reg. 1q1849 New Forest RD
3. Sarah Ann Linch, b.reg. 4q1850 New Forest RD
4. Emily Linch, b.reg. 3q1852 New Forest RD
5. George James Lynch, b.reg. 2q1855 and d.reg. 2q1855 Southampton RD - See Research Note 3 below.
6. Ellen Lynch, b.reg. 2q1857 Southampton RD
7. Frank Linch, b.reg. 3q1859 Southampton RD
8. Jane Linch, b.reg. 4q1862 Southampton RD

The surname shown for each child reflects the GRO Birth Index entry. Each birth registration shows the mother's maiden name as REEVES.

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, Sarah and her husband Robert Linch appear in the hamlet of Winsor in the parish of North Eling, Hampshire. Sarah is recorded as being 26 years old and claims birth in Eling, Hampshire. Along with Robert are their three children, John (age 5, born Cadnam, Hampshire), Alfred (2, Cadnam) and Sarah (6 months, Eling, Hampshire).

Based on the registration district of their children's births, it seems the family moved to Southampton between 3q1852 and 3q1855.

The 1861 census shows Sarah and Robert Linch were living on Goaters Alley in the the Holy Rhood (Rood) area of Southampton. Her age and place of birth remains consistent with the 1851 entry. There are five children in the household, Alfred (now 12, born Minstead), (Sarah) Ann (10, Eling), Emily (8, Eling), Ellen (5, Southampton) and Frank (1, Southampton)

On the 1871 census, Sarah and Robert Lynch (sic) were at 10 Goaters Court, Holy Rood, Southampton. Sarah is now 46 years of age and both she and Robert give their place of birth as Winsor, North Eling, Hampshire. Their son Frank (8, Southampton) and daughter Jane (8, Southampton) complete the household.

Sarah has yet to be identified on the 1881 census. Her husband Robert Linch, who describes himself as "married" along and daughters Ellen (24) and Jane (18) are still to be found at 10 Goaters Court.

Sarah's husband Robert died some time before the 1891 census, since Sarah is described as a Widow. When their son Frank married in September 1883, he indicated that his father Robert was deceased, so it highly probable that Roberts Linch's death is that recorded in the GRO Index to Deaths during the first quarter of 1883 in the Southampton Registration District.

On the 1891 census, Sarah appears in her married son Frank Linch's household at 52 Crescent Road, Plumstead, Kent. She is now a 66 year old widow and gives her place of birth as North Eling, Hampshire

Sarah Linch/Lynch has yet to be identified on the 1901 census. It is likely hers is the death recorded during the third quarter of 1894 in the Southampton Registration District, age 71.

Research Notes

(1) In the GRO Index to Marriages Robert's surname is shown as LYNCH and this variant does appear elsewhere. At his baptism in 1824 in Minstead, he and his parents are recorded with the surname LINCH.

(2) Various on line family trees suggest Sarah and Robert were married at the Chapel of St Mary, Eling at the end of August, which fits the GRO Marriage index entry. The Ecclesiastical Parish of North Eling was established in 1837 and place being referred to is most probably what is now the Parish Church of St Mary at Copythorne.

(3) The attribution of George James LYNCH as the son of Sarah and Robert is based solely on the absence of any other Lynch + Reeves couple of child bearing age in south Hampshire at this time. Do you have a George's birth or death certificate to share. please?

(4) Various on line family trees suggest Sarah Linch died in July 1894, which fits with the Death Registration entry identified.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   HGS Index to Baptisms 1813-1841
Marriage: GRO Index     1845, September quarter, New Forest Reg. Dist.
Death:       GRO Index     1894, September quarter, Southampton Reg. Dist.
                 
1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0400, Book 11, Folio 4f, Page 7
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1668, Folio 331 reverse, Page 35, Schedule 103
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0679, Folio 34 face, Page 9, Schedule 42
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1193, Folio 130 reverse, Page 24, Schedule 115
1881 Census:
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 0535, Folio 102 reverse, Page 10, Schedule 78 and continued on Folio 103 face, Page 11

1881 Census: husband Robert     -     RG11, Piece 1214, Folio 40 reverse, Page 32, Schedule 127