Reeves, Sarah Ann

Summary

Father: William Reeves
Mother: Ann Beavan

Birth: c 1830
Birth Source: census & baptism

Death:
Death Source:

Spouse1:

Narrative

Sarah is the fifth of seven known children of William Reeves and his wife Ann (nee Beavan), who married at Melksham, Wiltshire in 1818. The baptism of Sarah Ann REEVES in October 1830 is noted in the records of the parish of Westbury, Wiltshire, which included the hamlet of Hawkeridge.

The family had moved to Lyneham, Wiltshire prior to December 1833 as the baptism of her younger sister Mary was recorded there in December 1833 and her brother John in January 1836². It is probable her father William had died before the summer of 1841 as he does not appear with the family on the 1841 census and on the subsequent census returns her mother Ann is described as a widow.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, Sarah appears in a family context with her mother Ann and siblings Susana, Caroline, William, Lucy, Mary and John. They are living at West Tockenham, in the Parish of Lyneham, Wiltshire.

At the time of the 1851 census on 30 March, Sarah does not appear in the expected family context³. She is, in all probability, the visitor in the household of William Finch in Winchester, Hampshire who is listed as S. A. Reeves. Her age (30) and her unusual place of birth at Hawkeridge, Wiltshire support this linkage.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Sarah Ann Reeves living with her widowed mother and several of her siblings at Manor House Farm, Lyneham Wiltshire. Her age is recorded as 30 and her place of birth is shown as Ogbourne, Wiltshire, the same as that (correctly) given for her two elder sisters Susana and Caroline.

On the 1871 census, Sarah is again found living with her widowed mother Ann and several siblings at Mansion House Farm, in the hamlet of West Tockenham, in Lyneham, Wiltshire. Her name is recorded as Sarah A Reeves; she is 40 years old and her birthplace is written as Hestbury (sic Westbury), Wiltshire. Her occupation is given as Farmer's Daughter.

At the time of the 1881 census, Sarah is living with her sisters at Manor Farm in Lyneham, Wiltshire. As Sarah A Reeves her place of birth is Hawkeridge Wiltshire and she is 50 years old. Her occupation is noted as Retired Farmer.

On the 1891 census, Sarah is living as a boarder in the household of Mary Ann Reeves, the widow of Henry Reeves, at 61 Avenue Road in Swindon. She is living on her pension. She claims birth in Hawkridge (sic Hawkeridge), Wiltshire and is 60 years old. It is highly probably the late Henry Reeves was Sarah's elder brother.

Sarah has yet to be identified on the 1901 census. Mary A Reeves is still residing at 61 Avenue Road, Swindon and Sarah is no longer living with her⁴. It is highly probable Sarah has died in the intervening decade and hers may be the death recorded in the Swindon Registration District in 3q1900, at aged 68 years.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N6QB-MMG
Marriage:
Death:      FreeBMD 3q 1900 in Swindon Registration District is a probable match
                 
1841 Census: HO107, Piece 1179, Book 7, Folio 21 face, Page 6
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1674, Folio 75 reverse, Page 23
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 1273, Folio 26 reverse, Page 6
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1884, Folio 31 face, Page 7
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 2021, Folio 29 reverse, Page 6
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 1582, Folio ?? reverse, Page 9
1901 Census:

¹   Baptism of sister Mary Jane in 1833 at Lyneham, Wilts   https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J3RH-8RW
²   Baptism of brother John in 1836 at Lyneham, Wilts   https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N6QS-H41
³   1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1834, Folio 51 reverse, Page 5 - Mother & siblings
⁴   1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1910, Folio 53 face, Page 17 - Mary A Reeves (probable sister-in-law)