Reeves, William

Summary

Father: George REEVES
Mother: Mary THORN

Birth: 1843
Birth Source: GRO Index to Births

Death: 1910
Death Source: GRO Index to Deaths

Spouse1: Mary Jane FORD
Spouse2: Mary/Marina mnu

Narrative

William Reeves is the youngest of seven known children of George REEVES and his wife Mary (nee THORN). His birth was registered during the second quarter of 1843 in the Romsey and Mitchelmersh Registration District and this mother's maiden name is noted as THORN. He was baptised in July 1843 at Romsey in Hampshire.

At the time of the 1851 census on 30 March, William appears in his parent's household in the hamlet of Lee in the parish of Romsey Extra. He is now recorded as being eight years old, was born at Romsey, Hampshire and he is a Scholar. His older brother Henry is the only other child present in the household.

A decade later and the 1861 census again shows William living with his parents and older brother Henry at Lee in Romsey. William is 17 years of age and is working as a Carter.

FreeBMD notes he marriage for William Reeves and Mary Jane Ford during the third quarter on 1869 in the South Stoneham Registration District and FamilySearch has a corresponding entry for this couple's marriage at Millbrook, Hampshire during during September 1869.
Known children of William Reeves and Mary Jane (nee Ford) are

1. William Charles Reeves, b.reg. 1q1870 South Stoneham Reg. Dist.
2. George Henry Reeves, b.reg. 3q1872 Lambeth Reg. Dist.
3. Kate Eliza Reeves, b.reg. 1q1876 Lambeth Reg. Dist.
4. Amy Gertrude Reeves, b.reg. 3q1878 Lambeth Reg. Dist.

All four birth registrations are recorded with the Mother's Maiden Name as being FORD. Their first child William Charles was baptised at the Parish Church of Holy Trinity at Millbrook, Hampshire in April 1870.

On the 1871 census, William and his wife Mary J are living on Paris Street in Lambeth, Surrey. William is 27 years old, claims birth in Romsey, Hampshire nad is working as a Stoker in a Candle Works. With him are is his wife Mary J Reeves (age 21, born Nursling, Hampshire) and son William (1, Nursling, Hampshire). There are two other households at the same address, one being his older brother George Reeves and his family.

At the time of the 1881 census, William and Mary Jane are living on Pembroke Place also in Lambeth. William is now 38 years of age, claims birth in Hampshire and is working as a Stoker. Mary Jane (29, Hampshire), Wm. C (11, Hampshire, a Scholar), George H (8, Lambeth, Surrey, a Scholar), Kate E (5, Lambeth, Surrey, a Scholar) and Amy G (2, Lambeth, Surrey) complete the household.

On the 1891 census, William is living at Frederick Place, still in Lambeth. He is 47 years old, was born at Romsey, Hampshire and his occupation is recorded as a General Labourer. William's wife is named simply as Mary Reeves and her age is now aged 53 (sic) and she claims birth at Lymington (sic), Hampshire. Son George H (19, Lambeth, London, a Labourer) and daughter Amy G (14, Lambeth, London) complete the household. See Research Note 1 below.

By the time of the 1901 census William is living on Hercules Road in Lambeth, London. He is now 58 years of age, was bprn at Romsey, Hampshire and is again working as a Stoker. The other member of the household is a Marina Reeves, who is described as William's wife. Her details are not distinctly written. Her age is most probably 27 years of age (or perhaps 57). Her birth place was in London, perhaps Catford. See Research Note 2 below.

William has yet to be identified on the 1911 census. There is a death registration for a William Reeves, age 68, during the third quarter of 1910 in the Lambeth Registration District which is a good match to this individual.

Research Notes

(1) On the 1891 census, the initial of the second given names for son George H Reeves and daughter Amy G Reeves are recorded, but not for William's wife, Mary Jane. She is simply reccoded as Mary. Is this, along with the significant change in age and place of birth, an indication that William has remarried?

(2) On the 1901 census William's wife details deviate even further from those which might be expected for Mary Jane (nee Ford), which raises the possibility that Mary Jane predeceased William..

It is just possible Mary Jane's death is that recorded during 3q1886 in the Wandsworth Registration District, The age at death was 36, so born c1850), which is a good fit. The boundary between Lambeth and Wandsworth Registration Districts is close to the parts of Lambeth where this Reeves family lived.

However, a second marriage entry for this William has not been positively identified. FreeBMD notes 31 marriages involving a William Reeves in the various Registration Districts in the London Registration County between 1886 and 1891 and a further 36 in the next ten years.

Sources

Birth:        GRO Index   -   1843, June quarter, Romsey & Mitchelmersh Registration District
Baptism:   FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5WM-Y3N4
Marriage1: FreeBMD   -   1869, September quarter, South Stoneham Registration District
                 FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N6NZ-X49
Marriage2:
Death:      FreeBMD   -   1910, September quarter, Lambeth Registration District
                 
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1671, Folio 102 reverse, Page 5, Schedule 20
1861 Census: RG09, Piece 0685, Folio 75 reverse, Page 18, Schedule 93
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 0659, Folio 30 reverse, Page 54, Schedule 433
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 0590, Folio 108 face, Page 27, Schedule 166
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 0391, Folio 163 face, Page 9, Schedule 57
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 0405, Folio 48 reverse, Page 42, Schedule 340
1911 Census: