Name
William Reeves (MM)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/09/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
265656
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Military Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
Panel 10.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial, St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey, Christ Church Memorial, Watford, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
There is some uncertainty about the pre-war life of William Reeves. Different versions are given on the ‘Bushey World War One’ and the ‘Our Watford History’, but neither appear to fully match available records. Further research has been undertaken but has not fully resolved the anomalies.
The most definitive information about William’s family links is his pension record card which names his widow as Lilian Hannah of Stanton St Quintin, Near Chippenham, Wiltshire who was born on 5 January 1898. The only wedding which appears to fit is one dated 14 September 1915 between William Joseph Reeves and Lilian Hannah Mann at St Mary’s Church in Hullavington, Near Chippenham. The ages for William and Lilian are 21 and 17 years and he is a Corporal. However, the father’s name is given as William, which does not fit with census details found for families in the Watford area, but may have been an error on the marriage record.
The first option given below is based on the Our Watford History data, but with some adjustment to fit with the pension record. Additional details some the first of which gives the nearest match between William’s age on the marriage record and that on census records.
Option 1
Born in Willesden, London on 21 February 1896, William was the son of Walter and Emily (nee Baker) Reeves. His parents were married in 1893 in the registration district of Fulham, London. Walter died in 1947, aged 78, in the Watford registration district.
On the 1901 Census, William was five years old and living with his parents and seven-year-old sister, Eva, at 36 Cecil Street in Watford. His 33-year-old father was working as a railway clerk and his mother was 29 years old. Their birthplaces were Acton in Middlesex for Walter and Hammersmith for both Emily and Eva.
William attended Callowland Board School in Watford from 7 January 1903 to 29 July 1909, although in between he also attended Alexandra School in Watford from 3 September 1907 to 31 July 1908.
At the 1911 Census, the family was still living at 36 Cecil Street. The birthplaces for Emily and Eva are now given as Kensington.
The Watford site suggests William was married to Lilian Beavers in Great Yarmouth on 16 January 1916. However, her age is 20 and her middle name is May, whereas the marriage to Lilian Hannah Mann on 14 September 1915 at St Mary’s Church in Hullavington, Near Chippenham in Wiltshire aligns more closely with the pension card details. The name of William’s father is given as William in both cases.
Option 2
Born in London on 31 December 1882 in Campden, William Reeves was the second of two sons born to Joseph and Constance (nee Irons) Reeves. His parents were married on 15th January 1880 at All Saints Church, Walworth in Southwark. They were aged 24 and 22 years respectively, living at 6 Townsend Buildings in Old Kent Road, and Joseph was working as a policeman.
William and his brother Joseph (Jnr.), who was born on 4 December 1880, were both baptised on 10 June 1883 in the Parish of St Pancras. At that time, the family was living at 55 Compton Street and his father was still employed as a policeman.
At the 1901 Census, the family had moved to Rush Dene in Harwood Road, Watford. Joseph (Snr.) was now working as a golf caddy master, Joseph (Jnr.) was a carman and William was a printer. In addition to the two sons, the family included five daughters: Emily, Alice, Ellen, Susan and Margaret. The family’s ages were given as 45, 43, 20, 18, 13, 11, 8, 6 and 4 and their birthplaces as St Pancras for Joseph (Snr.) and William, Holloway for Constance and Joseph (Jnr.) and Bushey for the five daughters.
At the 1911 Census, William’s parents were living at 59 Harwoods Road in Watford with three of their daughters, Ellen, Susan and Margaret. Joseph (Snr.) was employed as a golf attendant and was a police pensioner, Ellen was a dressmaker, Susan was working as a factory hand at a speedometer works and Margaret is at school. Also present is a boarder, James Watt, who was working as a clerk at the Admiralty.
The Bushey site suggests that William married Amy Emma Poplett in the Watford registration district in the second quarter of 1902 and, at the 1911 Census, were living at 32 Park Road in Bushey with two children: 8-year-old Gladys Selina and 3-year-old Leslie William George. William was employed as a block printer, which fits with his occupation at the 1901 Census. However, William’s pension record makes no mention of children and the name for his widow is different.
Wartime Service
William was resident in Watford and enlisted in Hertford. He served as Acting Corporal 2771 in the 1/1st Battalion of the Hertfordshire Regiment before being attached as Lance Corporal 265656 to the 4th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. He won the Military Medal, a decoration awarded to non-commissioned ranks for bravery in the field. He was presumed dead, killed in action, on 6 September 1918. He is remembered with honour at Vis-en-Artois Cemetery and is commemorated on the Bushey Memorial and at St James’ Parish Church.
The pension record for Corporal 265656, William Reeves, names his widow as Lilian Hannah of Stanton St Quintin, Near Chippenham in Wiltshire and awards a pension of 15 shillings per week with effect from 12 May 1919. Lilian’s date of birth is given as 5 January 1898.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
