Reeves, William

Summary

Father: Henry REEVES
Mother: Mary Ann TARRANT

Birth: c1853, Hampshire
Birth Source: Census and probable baptism

Death: probably 1914
Death Source: FreeBMD

Spouse1: Rachel FLAKE

Narrative

William Reeves is the second of eight known children born to Henry Reeves and his wife MARY Ann (nee TARRANT). It is highly probable William's is the baptism noted by the HGS Index to Baptisms occurring on 1 January 1854 at Durley. The HGS notes a remark from the baptism register of "South Stoneham". His birth registration has yet to be uniquely identified.

At the time of the the 1861 census William is found in his parent's home in West End, Hampshire. The family of two adults and four children are enumerated with the surname of REVES(sic). William is 7 years old. His place of birth (and that of his two younger siblings) is given as West End but his elder brother Henry was born Kimpton, Hampshire. Like their father, Henry & William are noted as Agricultural Labourers, only their younger sister Ann Rebecca is recorded as a Scholar.

On the 1871 census, William is again to be found in his parent's household, now at Shepherds Bottom on the Bitterne Road, Bitterne. He is now 17 years old and again working as an Agricultural Labourer who was born at Westend in Hampshire.

The marriage of William Reeves to Rachel FLAKE is recorded by FreeBMD in the fourth quarter of 1876 in the South Stoneham Registration District.
The known children of William Reeves and Rachel (nee FLAKE) are

1. Fanny Reeves, born c1878 at Hedge End
2. Mary Reeves, born c1879, Hedge End
3. Thomas Reeves, born 1880, Hedge End
4. Charles A Reeves, born c1882, Bitterne
5. William Reeves, born c1884, St Denys
6. George Reeves, born c1887, St Denys
7. Florence Rachel Reeves, born c1889, Bitterne
8. May Reeves, born c1891, Bitterne
9. Ruth Reeves, born c1894, Bitterne
10. Henry Reeves, born c1896, Bitterne

On the 1911 census, Rachel notes she has had 10 children, all of whom were surviving at that time.

At the time of the 1881 census, William and his wife Rachel seem to be in the same location in Bitterne as William was a decade earlier, but William is now head of household. He is 27 years old, claims birth in West End and is employed as an Agricultural Labourer. In addition to William & Rachel, their three children Fanny (aged 4), Mary (2) and Thomas (10 months), who were all born at Hedge End, complete the household.

On the 1891 census, William and Rachel are living at 9 Bitterne Terrace, Bitterne. William is now 37 years old and working as a General Labourer, his birth place is shown as Hedge End. There are now seven children in the household, Fanny the eldest (13) and Florence the youngest (2). The birth places of the youngest four children suggests William and Rachel had moved locally several times in the past ten years.

By the time of the 1901 census, William and Rachel are again to be found at 9 Bitterne Terrace, Bitterne. William is now 48 years old and again working as a General Labourer. He now gives his place of birth as Shamblehurst, a small hamlet between West End and Hedge End. Only their five youngest children are living at home ranging from George (14) to Henry the youngest at 5 years of age.

A decade later on the 1911 census William & Rachel are living at 3 Heathlands Terrace on Bath Road, Bitterne. William notes he is 57 years old, was born at Westend and is working as a General Labourer.

It is possible his is the death of William Reeves noted by FreeBMD during the third quarter of 1914 in the South Stoneham Registration District. He was 61 years old, placing his birth c1853; a good match for this individual.

William's youngest son Henry was killed in Gallipoli in September 1915 and from entries in the "National Roll of the Great War" his sons William and George both survived the war.

Research Notes

William's birth is not that registered as William Olly Reeves in the fourth quarter of 1855 in the South Stoneham Registration District. His parent were Charles & Martha https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NRN7-QQQ

On the 1881 census there is no address for William's schedule. However based on the following two schedules and in particular household of James & Charlotte Shephard who were the neighbours of Henry REEVES in 1871, it seems likely William has taken over the occupation of his parents home at Shepherds Bottom, Bitterne (now West Bitterne).

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   HGS Index to Baptisms - Jan 1854 at Durley
Marriage:     FreeBMD 1876, December quarter, South Stoneham Registration District
Death:      FreeBMD     probably     1914, September quarter, South Stoneham Registration District
                 
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0682, Folio 20 face, Page 33, Schedule 167
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1198, Folio 32 face, Page 7, Schedule 1
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 1216, Folio 66 reverse, Page 6, Schedule 35
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 0924, Folio 37 reverse, Page 8, Schedule 48
1901 Census: RG13, Piece 1065, Folio 25 face, Page 5, Schedule 28
1911 Census: RG14, Piece 06040, Reg.Dist. 100 (South Stoneham) Sub Dist. 1 (St Mary Extra), Enum.Dist.18, Schedule 9