Ernest Reeve

Ernest was born in 1892 at Eastwood, the son of Lewis Reeve and his second wife Catherine Reeve (née Wilson).

His father Lewis was born in 1853 at Greasley. His first marriage was to Jane Wilson (1853-1889) at Greasley St Mary on 22 April 1878. They had six sons: Thomas b. 1879 (AMJ), John b. 1880, Frank b. 1883, Henry b. 1885, Frederick (Fred) b. 1887 and Lewis Herbert b. 1889 (reg. OND). All the births were recorded in the Basford registration district. The children's places of birth differ on the census returns, but they were born in either Eastwood or Greasley.

Lewis, a wheelwright, his wife Jane and their sons Thomas and John were living at Lynn Croft, Greasley, in 1881. They had four more sons between 1883 and 1889.

Jane died at the age of 36 on 8 November 1889 shortly after the birth of her son Lewis, leaving six children under the age of eleven. She was buried in Eastwood St Mary churchyard on 10 November.

Lewis married secondly Catherine Wilson (spinster, age 39 b. 1850) at Nottingham St Andrew on 6 September 1890; the address of both was 2 Woodborough Road, Nottingham. They had two children, Ernest (also Ernest William) b. 1892 Eastwood and Catherine Ann b. 1894 Pilsley.

Lewis, a wheelwright, Catherine and Lewis's six sons were living on Queen Street, Eastwood, in 1891, but the family had moved to Station Road, Pilsley, by 1901 when Lewis was employed as a wheelwright and joiner and his four oldest sons were in work, Thomas a joiner, John a butcher's assistant, Frank a shoeing smith's assistant and Henry a boiler stoker (colliery). The four younger children, Fred, Lewis, Ernest and Catherine, were all school age.

Lewis snr. was probably the licencee of the Devonshire Arms, Beeley, by 1905 when he was recorded on his son Frank's marriage certificate as a publican. Frank, a blacksmith, and Sarah Taylor, both living at Morton Road, Pilsley. were married on 22 July. By 1939 Frank was the innkeeper of the Willow Tree Inn, Pilsley. He was still the licensee when he died in 1944; Sarah survived him.

Lewis, a licensed victualler and farmer, and Catherine were recorded at the Devonshire Arms on the 1911 census. Only three children were still living at home: Lewis, who was working on his father's farm, Ernest, a railway clerk, and Catherine, who was assisting in the business. Also in the household was domestic servant, a cook-general.

Lewis's wife Catherine died on 10 October 1917 and was buried in Beeley St Anne churchyard. Her son Ernest William, who was killed in France in 1917 and her stepson, Lewis Herbert, who died in France in 1918, are both commemorated on the headstone. (See 'Extra information')

Her daughter, Catherine Ann, married Peter Sutton at Beeley St Anne on 27 April 1921. They and their four sons were recorded living in Sheffield on the 1939 Register; Peter Sutton was a grocer/shopkeeper. Catherine died in 1972.

Lewis married Ann Chambers (b. 2 August 1862), a widow, at Beeley St Anne on 21 April 1921. They were recorded on the census that year at the Devonshire Arms along with his grandson, Lewis Reeve (12 b. Pilsley), his niece, Maggie Mycroft (22) occupation home duties, and a general dometic servant (maid), Hilda Mary Seward (20).

By 1921, Lewis's son Henry, who had served in the war (see 'Extra information'), was a postmaster (own account) at Beeley Post Office where he was living with his wife Alice (née Burdekin) whom he had married at North Wingfield parish church in December 1916, and their four children, Olivia Jane, Mary, Lewis Herbert (Bert) and Harry. Henry snr. died in 1954.

Lewis was still at the Devonshire Arms when the England & Wales Register was compiled in 1939; his occupation was given as 'hostels proprietor' and his wife Ann was described on the Register as 'incapacitated'. Also in the household were two domestic workers, Florence Hinchley (b. 1921) and Hilda Seward (b. 1900). Hilda married Thomas Reeve, Lewis's eldest son, at Beeley St Ann in 1941.

Ann died on 13 October 1939 and was buried in Beeley St Anne churchyard on 16 October. The headstone also commemorates her son Ernest who was killed in action in France on 14 April 1917 and her stepson, Lewis Herbert, who died in Belgium on 18 November 1918. (See 'Extra information').

Lewis snr. died on 11 December 1948; he was still living at the Devonshire Arms. Two of the three executors of his estate were his son Thomas, licensed victualler, and Thomas's wife, Hilda.