Reeves, Walter

Summary

Father: John REEVES
Mother: Sarah (mnu, perhaps formally BARTLETT)

Birth: 1863, Somerset
Birth Source: FreeBMD

Death: 1917, Somerset
Death Source: FreeBMD

Spouse1: Alice CARY

Narrative

From various census returns it seems Walter has always been economical with his age, but the most probable birth registration for him is that occurring in the second quarter of 1863 in the Clutton Registration District, which includes the parish of Radstock.

Walter and his parents have yet to be identified on the 1871 census.

At the time of the 1881 census, Walter is to be found with his parents and sister Delia at Frome Hill, Radstock. He is 15 years old, claims birth in Radstock and is working as a Carpenter.

The marriage of Walter Reeves and Alice CRAY is noted by FreeBMD as occurring in the fourth quarter of 1889 in the Clutton Registration District.
The known children of Walter Reeves and his wife Alice (nee CRAY) are

1. Winifred Nellie Reeves, b.reg. 1q1893
2. Walter Harry Reeves, c1895, Dublin
3. Herbert Frank Reeves, c1897, Dublin
4. Kate Maud Reeves, b.reg. 2q1898
5. Wilfred Reeves, b.reg. 4q1900
6. Frederick George Reeves, b.reg. 3q1903
7. Delilah Martha Reeves, b.reg. 2q1906

All five birth registrations occurred in the Frome Registration District. On the 1911 census Alice indicates she has had eight children, seven of whom where then still surviving. See Research Note 1 below.

Walter and Alice have yet to be identified on the 1891 census, but it seems highly probable they were in the Frome area.

By the time of the 1901 census, Walter and his wife Alice are living on Nunnery Road, Frome, Somerset. Walter gives his age as 35 and his place of birth as Radstock. He is working as a Carpenter. Their children Winifred N., Walter H., Herbert F., Kate M. and Wilfred who is just 5 months old, complete the household.

On the 1911 census, Walter and Alice are living on Castle Street, Frome. Walter gives his age as 40 (somewhat less than the 47/8 expected) and his place of birth as Radstock. He is working as a Labourer at a Printing Works. He notes that he and Alice have been married 20 years and there have been eight children born to the marriage of whom seven are still surviving. Aside from their daughter Winifred (who has been identified elsewhere), their six other children complete the household.

FreeBMD has death registration for a Walter Reeves, aged 51, in the Frome Registration District during the second quarter of 1917. Given the under-reporting of Walter's age elsewhere, this is probably the same individual. See Research Note 2 below.

Research Notes

(1) On the 1911 census Alice indicates she has had eight children, seven of whom where then still surviving. Aside from her two eldest sons, who were born in Dublin, the births of all her other children were registered in the Frome Registration District. FreeBMD notes nine birth registrations in that district in the period 1q1895 to 2q1911. Her known children Winifred, Kate, Wilfred, Frederick and Delilah account for five of the entries.

Violet Reeves registered in 1q1906 and Hester Reeves 4q1909 have been identified on the 1911 census as the daughters of Willie and Annie (RG14, Piece 14478, Reg.Dist. 311 (Frome), Sub Dist. 3 (Road), Enum.Dist. 2, Schedule 22).

Herbert Jesse Reeves registered in 4q1909 has been identified on the 1911 census as the son of Octavius and Emily Alice Reeves (RG14, Piece 15087, Reg.Dist. 319 (Bristol), Sub Dist. 8 (Ashley), Enum.Dist. 2, Schedule 248).

That leaves a single birth registration in Frome Reg.Dist. unaccounted for; that of Alice Nelly in 3q1890. There is a corresponding death registration in 2q1891 for Alice Nelly Reeves, age 0 years. Do you have a copy of Alice's birth certificate showing her parents, please?

(2) Walter's son Herbert was kill in August 1918 whilst serving in the Dorsetshire Regiment. When the Army came to distribute Herbert's effects in January 1920, his mother Alice was his only beneficiary.

Sources

Birth:        FreeBMD   1863, June quarter, Clutton Registration District
Baptism:  
Marriage: FreeBMD   1889, December quarter, Clutton Registration District
Death:      FreeBMD   1917, June quarter, Frome Registration District
                 
1871 Census:
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 2429, Folio 42A face, Page 5
1891 Census:
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 2308, Folio 174 reverse, Page 44
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 14462, Reg.Dist. 311 (Frome), Sub Dist. 2 (Frome), Enum.Dist. 4, Schedule 21

1911 Census: RG14, Piece 14464, Reg.Dist. 311 (Frome), Sub Dist. 2 (Frome), Enum.Dist. 6, Schedule 308 - daughter Winifred