Reeves, William

Summary

Father: John REEVES
Mother: Jane JOY

Birth: c1800
Birth Source: baptism

Death: probably c1870
Death Source: FreeBMD

Spouse1: Harriet HOLKHAM

Narrative

William is the seventh of nine known children of John Reeves and his wife Jane (nee JOY). He was baptised at the Priory Church of St Mary & St Blaise at Boxgrove, Sussex in February 1800.

In December 1823, William married Harriet HOLKHAM at the same church.

Known children of William Reeves and Harriet (nee HOLKHAM) are

1. John Reeves, bapt January 1825
2. Letitia Reeves, bapt January 1827
3. William Reeves, bapt December 1828
4. Jane Reeves, bapt & bur March 1830
5. Edmund Reeves, bapt March 1830
6. Harriet Reeves, bapt March 1832
7. James Reeves, bapt August 1833
8. Anne Reeves, bapt September 1835
9. Charles Reeves, bapt October 1837
10. Henry Reeves, bapt July 1839
11. Thomas Rosa Reeves, bapt June 1841
12. Robert Reeves, born c 1844
13. Alfred Reeves, bapt August 1845, bur Jan 1847

The entries for first born John and last born Alfred were recorded in Boxgrove. Aside from Robert, the baptisms and burials of the remaining children were conducted at Tangmere. It is highly probable Jane & Edmund were twins; Jane was baptised on 1 March 1830 and buried six days later on 7 March 1830, with Edmund being baptised at the end of the same month. Son Robert appears in a family context on the 1851 census, but to date no strongly matching baptism or Birth Registration entry has been identified for him in Tangmere.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, William and Harritt (sic) Reives (sic) were living in Tangmere, Sussex. He is shown as 40 years old and born in county (Sussex). He is working as an Agricultural Labourer. Children John (15), Letsey (14), William (12), Edmund (11), Harriett (9), James (7), Ann (5), Charles (4), Henry (2) and Thomas (just 1 month) complete the household.

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, William and Harriott (sic) are living in the hamlet of East Hampnett in the parish of Boxgrove. William is 51 years old and claims birth in Boxgrove. He is working as an Agricultural Labourer. In addition to William and Harriott, the household comprises their children Letseay (25), William (22), James (17), Anna (15) Charles (13), Henry (10, Thomas (9) and Robert (7). These eight children are noted as having been born in Tangmere.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows William and Harriet still living in the hamlet of East Hampnett. He is 61 years old, claims birth in Boxgrove and is working as an Agricultural Labourer. Their son Thomas R Reeves (19 and unmarried) is the only other member of the household.

On the 1871 census, William's wife Harriet is shown as being a widow, living in Boxgrove with at least two of her sons and their families as near neighbours. It is highly probable William's is the death noted by FreeBMD in the March quarter of 1870 in the Westhampnett Registration District, age 70.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N8YR-GYD
Marriage: FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N2MY-C4H
Death:      FreeBMD, 1870, March quarter, Westhampnett Registration District
                 
1841 Census: HO107, Piece 1099, Book 6, Folio 7 reverse, page 9
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1652, Folio 358 reverse, Page 11
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0620, Folio 46 face, Page 1
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1115, Folio 34 face, Page 3 - Widow Harriet Reeves