Reeves, Stephen

Summary

Father:
Mother: Mary Reeves

Birth: c1803
Birth Source: Census and Baptism

Death: 1879
Death Source: GRO Index

Spouse1: Sarah FLIGHT

Narrative

Little is known of Stephen's early life. It is likely his is the baptism recorded at the Parish Church of St Mary, Portsea in October 1803. See Research Note 1 below.

Stephen REEVES and Sarah FLIGHT were married at the Parish Church of St Mary, Portsea in June 1828.
The known children of Stephen REEVES and his wife Sarah (nee FLIGHT) are

1. Stephen Flight REEVES, bapt 1829, died 1830
2. Sarah Flight REEVES, bapt 1831, died 1837
3. William Adey REEVES, bapt 1832
4. Joseph John REEVES, bapt 1836, d.reg. 1838
5. Mary Jane REEVES, b.reg. 1839, d.reg. 1906
6. Stephen REEVES, b.reg. 1841, d.reg. 1842
7. Kate Selby REEVES, b.reg. 1844
8. Thomas Henry REEVES, b.reg. 1847, d.reg. 1852

The baptisms of their four oldest children took place at the Parish Church of St John, Portsea and the birth registration of their four younger children were recorded in the Portsea Registration District.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, Stephen and Sarah are living on Queen Street in Portsea, Hampshire. His age is noted as being 35 years and he was born in county (Hampshire). He works as a Stamp Distributor and also as a Registrar. Sarah is the same age as Stephen and was also born in county. As well as their children William (age 9) and Mary (2) the schedule also includes Ann WELLS (age 30, Independent) and three female servants, including Ellen WALKER (age 20).

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, Stephen and Sarah are living at 32 Queen Street, Portsea. Stephen is 47 years old and claims birth in Portsea. His occupation is noted as being "Registrar of Births, Deaths &c" and his signature as Registrar can be found on several enumeration books for Portsea. His wife Sarah is now 48 years old and her birth place is noted as being St Thomas (parish), Winchester, Hampshire. Their children William Adey (age 18, unmarried, a Banker's Clerk), Mary Jane (12, a Scholar), Kate Selby (6, a scholar) and Thomas Henry (4) were all born in Portsea, Hampshire. A nursery maid (Ellen Walker, age 32, born Portsea) and two house servant complete the household.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Stephen and Sarah living at 1 Union Street in Portsea, just round the corner from Queen Street. Stephen's age could be read as either 57 or 59 and again he claims birth in Portsea, Hampshire. His occupation is given as simply "Stamp Distributor" but his signature is again to be found as a Registrar approving various census enumeration books for Portsea. Their daughters Mary J Reeves (22, unmarried, born Portsea) and Kate Selby Reeves (14, Portsea, a scholar) along with Ellen Walker (42, unmarried, Portsea) who is now described as being an "Office Keeper" and a female servant complete the household.

On the 1871 census, Stephen and Sarah have moved to South London and are living at 2 Edgecombe Road, Camberwell, Surrey. He is now recorded as being 67 years old and again claims birth at Portsea, Hampshire. He is working as a Commercial Clerk (at an) Emery and Glass Manufactory. His wife Sarah (age 68) is also noted as being from Portsea, Hampshire, as is their unmarried daughter Mary J Reeves (32).

Stephen has not been identified on the 1881 census. His wife Sarah is described as a Widow and she is living in the household of her widowed daughter Kate Selby Ellis (nee Reeves) along with her daughter Mary Jane Reeves on Sheep Street, Winslow, Buckinghamshire. The death of Stephen Reeves, age 75, is recorded in Winslow Registration District during the second quarter of 1879.

Research Notes

(1) The HGS Index (HCD008) to Hampshire Baptisms (1752-1812) names only his mother Mary. His is the only baptism in Portsea in this period where Mary Reeves alone is the named parent. The image for this baptism needs to be viewed to verify this information.

It is probable Stephen's parents were Jospeh REEVES who married Mary ADEY in March 1801 at the Parish Church of St Mary, Portsea. The surname ADEY was given as a forename to Stephen's son William Adey REEVES and reused in more recent generations.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:  
Marriage: FamilySearch     https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTJ-1TVL
Death:      GRO Index     1879, June quarter, Winslow Registration District
                 
1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0415, Book 1, Folio 77 face, Page 6, last household & continues
           HO107, Piece 0415, Book 1, Folio 77 reverse, Page 7
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1658, Folio 101 face, Page 8, Schedule 27
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0636, Folio 121 face, Page 5, Schedule 17
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 0724, Folio 80 reverse, Page 30, Schedule 148
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 1476, Folio 16 reverse, Page 26, Schedule 147 - HoH Kate Selby ELLIS