George Henry Reeve

George Henry was the third and youngest son of Edward and Hannah Reeve (née Harrison).

His father Edward was born in Awsworth, Nottinghamshire, the son of Edward, a farmer, and Martha Reeve, and baptised at Awsworth St Peter 18 December 1842. His mother Hannah Harrison was born in about 1848 at Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.

They were married on 24 September 1868 at Moorgreen Independent Chapel and had ten children, one of whom, Caroline, died in early childhood: Hannah Catherine b. 1869 and Edward Robert b. Nov. 1870 (reg. 1871 JFM) born in Newthorpe; Florence Fanny b. 1872 Eastwood; Eleanor Elizabeth b. 1873 Hollins, Derbyshire; Caroline Edith b. 1877 d. 17 Dec. 1881, Martha Elizabeth b. 1879, Arthur Harrison b. 1881, Emma Alice b. Dec. 1882 (reg. 1883 JFM), George Henry b. 1884 AMJ and Constance Lena b. 1885 who were born in Nottingham.

Three years after their marriage, Edward, a farmer of 196 acres at Newthorpe Common, was recorded on the 1871 Census with his wife and their two children, Hannah and Edward, together with two male farm servants and two domestic servants.

However, by 1881 Edward was a coal and corn merchant living at 3 St James' Terrace, Nottingham, with his wife and five of their six children; Hannah, Edward, Florence, Eleanor and Martha, together with two female domestic servants. Their youngest daughter Caroline (4) was recorded on the census with her maternal grandparents, Robert Harrison, a colliery agent, and his wife Catherine, at Newthorpe Grange, Greasley. Caroline died on 18 December the same year.

Their second son, Arthur Harrison, was born later that year (reg. AMJ) and his siblings Emma, George and Constance between 1883 and 1885.

Edward and Hannah had moved to 2 Wellington Circus, Nottingham, by 1891, and all nine children were in the home on the night of the census: Hannah (21), Edward, a coal and corn clerk, Florence (18) and Eleanor (17) and Martha, Arthur, Emma, George and Constance who were school age. Also in the household were two domestic servants.

The eldest son, Edward Robert, a coal salesman, married Minnie Gath in 1899. They had four children, Alfred Edward b. 1900 (reg. 1901 JFM), Arthur Gath birth reg. 1906 (JFM) and twins Minnie and Robert b. 1914 (AMJ) who died soon after birth (AMJ). In 1901, Edward and Minnie were living at 8 Waterloo Road, Nottingham with their son Alfred. Also in the household was a domestic servant.

Hannah Catherine, the eldest daughter, married Frederick Percy Oliver, both of Nottingham, at the Congregational Church, Cape Town, South Africa in May 1900. (Notts. Weekly Express, 11 May 1900).

Edward and Hannah were still living at 2 Wellington Circus in 1901. Two of their children, Edward and Hannah, were now married and six of their seven unmarried children were in the home on the night of the census: Eleanor, Martha, Arthur, clerk in coal merchant's office, Emma, George and Constance.

Florence has not yet been traced on the 1901 Census but she married Arthur Henry Jeffreys in 1902 (reg. Nottingham). Florence, her husband and her sister Eleanor were on a passenger list, Southampton-Capetown (SS Garth Castle), arriving Capetown June 1912.

By 1911, Edward and Hannah were living at 25 Waverley Street, Nottingham, with their daughters, Martha and Constance. Edward employed one domestic servant. Their daughters Eleanor and Emma have not yet been traced on the 1911 Census.

George Henry had probably emigrated to Canada by 1911 where he lived at White Bear, Saskatchewan.

Edward, a traveller in the coal trade, was living with his wife Minnie and their two sons, Alfred and Arthur, at 27 Burns Street, Nottingham, in 1911. Also in the household were a domestic nurse and Elaine Marie Stevenson (2) and Hewick Malcolm Stevenson (1), the children of Edward's sister-in-law, Elizabeth Stevenson (née Gath, m. Claude B Stevenson 1905, div. wife's petition 1918).

Arthur Harrison had married Helen Elizabeth Bates in Nottingham on 4 June 1908; they had two sons who were born in Rugby, Warwickshire; Arthur Lynes (b. 1909) and Philip Harrison (b. 1912). Arthur, a coal merchant's manager, his wife and their son Arthur were living in Rugby in 1911. Arthur and his family later returned to Nottingham, where Arthur was manager of a picture house. They were living at 5 Russell Place, Talbot, Street, when he attested in the Royal Flying Corps in 1917. (see 'Extra information').

Edward, Hannah and their daughters, Eleanor and Martha were living at 9 Burns Street in 1921.

Edward died on 1 December 1927 and his widow Hannah on 23 May 1936; both probate records gave their addresses as 9 Burns Street.

Of George's siblings:

Hannah Catherine died in South Africa on 30 September 1961 and was buried in Maitland Cemetery, Cape Town. Her husband Frederick had died in September 1946 and was also buried in Maitland Cemetery.

Edward Robert, a coal merchant, and his two sons were living at 21 Douglas Street, Nottingham in 1921; Edward employed a housekeeper. His wife Minnie (45) was recorded on the Census as a patient at Nottingham's Coppice Hospital ('Lunatic Hospital'). Edward and Minnie had divorced by 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled; Minnie was a patient in Mapperley Hospital and Edward was living at 35 Waverley Street, Nottingham. His son Alfred, a chartered accountant, had married Dorothy Alice Clements in 1924 and he and his wife and child were living in Burton-on -Trent in 1939; Alfred died in April 1947. Edward married secondly Constance Lottie Roe in 1940 (Nottingham Evening Post, 10 February 1940). Their son, John, was born in 1943. Edward died on 21 March 1949 at their home, 4 Gedling Grove, Nottingham; he was survived by his widow and their son John and by his son Arthur Gath by his first marriage.

Florence Jeffreys died in South Africa in 1918 aged 46 and was buried in Cape Town.

Eleanor and Martha, a railway engineer's clerk, were living at 5 Arthur Street, Nottingham, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Eleanor was still living at the same address at the time of her death in July 1961; probate was awarded to her unmarried sisters Martha Elizabeth and Emma Alice. Martha, of 5 Arthur Street, died in November the following year; probate was awarded to Emma Alice Hallack (wife of William Colin Hallack, m. 1962) and Phillip Harrison Reeve (son of Arthur), schoolmaster.

Arthur Harrison and his wife Helen had probably separated by 1939; he was living in Wimborne, Dorset, and she was living in Herefordshire. Helen died in 1946 (reg. Hereford) and Arthur in 1955 (reg. Matlock). Their son Arthur Lynes, a civil engineer, and his wife Robina were living in Ruislip, Middlesex, in 1939; he died in 1990 (reg. Norwich). His brother Philip Harrison married Mildred Lawson in 1939 and they were living in Newark when the England & Wales Register was compiled; Philip, a school teacher, was also a member of the Auxiliary Fire Brigade. He died in 1997.

Emma Alice was recorded on passenger lists UK-Capetown in 1954, 1955, 1958 (home address 5 Arthur Street) and also on a Southampton-Cape Town passenger list (SS Stirling Castle), on 1 April 1959. Emma married her widowed brother-in-law, William Collin Hallack, in 1962 (JAS Nottingham). William died in South Africa in November 1966 and was buried in Maitland. Emma died on 13 April 1969, the Probate record gave her address as 209 Sheldon Park, Howard Drive, Pinelands Cape, South Africa.

Constance, who was living with her parents in 1911, was married a few years after the census, although the record of her marriage had not yet been traced. Constance Lena (34), her husband William Collin Hallack (34), a civil servant, their two daughters, Nancy (b. 1916) and Betty (b. 1919), and Mrs Amy Hallack (60), were recorded on a passenger list sailing from Glasgow on 16 November to Cape Town (SS Aeneas, Blue Funnel Line). The couple later had a son, William George. The family made several return visits to the UK, including 1925, 1930, 1934 and 1937 with the UK place of residence being 9 Burns Street, Nottingham. Constance died on 14 March 1954, home address Main Road, Greenpoint, Cape Town, and was buried in Maitland, Cape Town.