Reeves, William

Summary

Father: John Reeves
Mother: Mary

Birth: bapt 24 Feb 1828
Birth Source: HGS indices & FamilySearch

Death: 1870
Death Source: Census & GRO Index

Spouse1: Mary LOWE

Narrative

William Reeves is the son of John Reeves & Mary (probably nee Rose) who was baptised on 24 February 1828 at the Parish Church of St Leonard, Sherfield English, Hampshire. However, the baptismal register notes the family were "of Whiteparish" (Wiltshire). See Research Note 1 below.

He does not appear on the 1841 census in a family context, but is probably the William Reeves enumerated in the household of Sarah BURT (age 75), in West Dean Village, Wiltshire. He is shown as age 10, born in county (Wiltshire) and an Agricultural Labourer. His elder brother Thomas is working in the same village as a Male Servant.

From the 1851 census return we know William had married and his wife's name was Mary. The marriage register of St Leonard's, Sherfield English records the marriage of William Reeves to Mary LOWE on 27 Aug 1849, William's father is noted as John Reeves. FreeBMD has a corresponding marriage registration during the third quarter of 1849 in Romsey Registration District.

The known children of William Reeves and his wife Mary (nee LOWE) are

1. Thomas William Reeves, b.reg. 3q1851
2. Laura Georgina Reeves, b.reg. 2q1853 & d.reg 4q1853
3. John Reeves, b.reg. 4q1854
4. Susan Laura Reeves, b.reg. 1q1857
5. Sarah Ann Reeves, b.reg. 1q1859
6. Agnes Georgiana Reeves, b.reg. 3q1864
7. Horace Walter Reeves, b.reg.1q1869

The GRO Index to Births shows the mother's maiden name as LOWE for each of the above births. The birth of their first child Thomas was registered in the Romsey Registration District and all his younger siblings in the South Stoneham Reg.Dist..

On the March 1851 census, William plus wife Mary are living in the parish of Sherfield English, Hampshire. William is now shown as 23 years old and born in neighbouring Whiteparish, Wiltshire.

William and Mary have not yet been identified on subsequent census indices.

The 1861 census shows William and Mary are living in Millbrook. He is now 32 years of age, claims birth at Sherfield (sic Sherfield English), Hampshire and he is working as a Labourer. He is described as an Agricultural Labourer. His wife Mary (31, born Romsey, Hampshire) and their children Thomas W (9,Sherfield, Hampshire), John (5, Millbrook, Hampshire), Susan L (4, Millbrook) and Sarah A (2, Millbrook, Hampshire) complete the household.

On the 1871 census, William's wife Mary is described as being a widow. She and their children are living in the Freemantle area of Southampton. The GRO Index has a death registered during the fourth quarter for a William Reeves age 44 (so born c1826/7) in the Southampton Registration District, which is a reasonable match to this individual.

Research Notes

(1) William is inconsistent about his place of birth. On the 1851 census, he indicates he was born in Whiteparish, Wiltshire. However, on the 1861 census his place of birth was recorded as Sherfield (sic, Sherfield English), Hampshire and that is indeed the parish in which he was baptised. However, the Baptismal Register notes the family were of Whiteparish, Wiltshire. That information regarding his parents place of abode is consistently recorded for the baptism of William's siblings; Ann (in September 1824), Thomas (in February 1826) and Benjamin (in March 1830).
As of May 2023, the Page Description has been updated to reflect Wiltshire rather than Hampshire as William's county of birth.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   HGS Baptisms Index of Parish Registers
                  FamilySearchFamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKPZ-V4C
Marriage: FreeBMD   -   1849, September quarter, Romsey Registration District
                  FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKHW-MM1
                  FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGQG-MPYN
Death:      GRO Index to Deaths   -   1870, December quarter, Southampton Registration District

1841 Census: HO107, Piece 1164, Book 5, Folio 8 reverse, Page 11 - HoH Sarah BURT
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1671, Folio 340 reverse, Page 15
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0684, Folio 69r, Page 8, Schedule 45 (the hand written "5" is inverted)
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1201, Folio 39r, Page 18, Schedule 83 - HoH Mary REEVES (widow)