Theory about Philip Reeves plausible?

[fenifur]

I have a very problematic Great grandfather, Philip Thomas Reeves.
No one else on ancestry has  it right,theyve the wrong Philip attached (I know they are wrong because the Philip they've put down is still resident in BErkshire in 1881, when the 'real' Philip is living in Croydon with my G Grandmother).

Here is the problem - The first census I have that I KNOW is him, is in 1881 when he is living with Frances Ann and is with his daughter Clara. On THIS census he gives his name as Thomas, birth place Ousden, Suffolk.

From then on, he gives his birth place as Newmarket, and his name as PHILIP Thomas. I have asked about him here before, and it seems he is also PHILIP from Newmarket in 1871, living as a lodger in Wiltshire.

1851 and 1861 are a bit of a mystery however! There is one Philip Reeves born in Newmarket in 1849, he is later living in Ely, Cambridge, though I believe.

I have since found a Thomas Reeves, born in Chevington (only a few miles from Ousden, and about 7 from Newmarket) who is in the 1851 and 61 censuses but then disappears. There is also another thomas Reeve who is born in Shudy Camps, which is 15 miles from NEwmarket who does the same thing, but I favout the first one, as it is closer.  Is it plausible that Thomas Reeve from Chevington could later be Philip Thomas Reeve from Newmarket? His middle name also seems to be quite important to him, on his childrens birth certificates he is Philip Thomas, where as his Wife, Frances Ann, is always just Frances. Let me know your thought! I can put my suspected censuses up. One thing I might also add is that Thomas from Chevington also had quite a turbulent family life it would seem from the census, and the other les likely one was an apprentice, and they often ran away.
Thanks!
Jenny

[CaroleW]

See also previous thread on this family to prevent any duplication of info etc

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,529313.msg3936941.html#msg3936941

[fenifur]

To be honest, there wasn't really any info that came out of that last thread! Only that I am now sure his Frances is Frances Watson! And the bit I already mentioned about it being a general consensus that it IS him in Wiltshire, which doesn't really help me at all, lol! 

[Nick29]

Sometimes it's more profitable to rule out who someone isn't, rather than trying to prove who he is (if you get my drift?).

Try track all the Phillip Reeves, through birth, death and marriage, and try to rule them out.  It's not uncommon for people to drop first names from the census, using the one which they are more commonly known by.

[fenifur]

Hello!
Yes this is what I've done, and these seem to be the only two left! All the others, including ALL the Philip's in 51 and 61, are married somewhere else etc. I'm starting to think that he must be one of these two, but what I'm worried about is that it's a completely fake name and he was born in a different country or something (there are rumours of venetian blood on this side of the family). The problem I have is that there is no marriage record for him and Frances, so I don't think they ever actually got married, but just 'shacked up'. This makes me think even more that maybe he had a bit of a 'dodgy' past. :S

[lidovintageimages]

Hi, I am researching the Reeves family for a friend and seem to have gone the same route as you have. Can not find her great grandfather Philip Thomas Reeves on the 1851 census. Very frustrating.   she is the granddaughter of Constance Reeves ( born Croydon ).  Who lived at 93, Old Town, Croydon. Do you have any old Reeves family photographs ?. Ken.

[fenifur]

Hello,
No, no photos at all unfortunately, there is one of Ethel with her two sons somewhere on ancestry I believe, have you seen that one?
What had your friend been told about her great grandfather (if anything)? As most grandchildren seem to have all been told something different :p
Please do ask if she'd like my email/postal address, I believe we'd be second or third cousins

[fenifur]

Here it is - from an ancestry tree.
I've heard bits and pieces that suggest my Grandfather thought there may have been Jewish ancestry somewhere, the only way this could probably be confirmed is through a DNA analysis, but looking at Ethel it doesn't seem to far fetched, what do you think? Her and therefore presumably her siblings/parents looks seem to have been passed down to my mum and her brothers and sisters, does your friend/my cousin's family look similar?

[lidovintageimages]

Hi, Thank you for posting the photograph of Ethel. I am sure that she would be delighted to get in touch with you. She did not have any information about her mothers Reeves family other than her mother Una Frances Lydia was born in Croydon. I ordered her mothers birth certificate and have been able to trace the family back on the census from her grandmother Constance.   As you know before the 1891 census it gets a bit difficult. Which of the Reeves daughters is your grandmother ?. She can remember as a child being taken to Sheffield to visit her mums's aunts and uncles who had moved there from Croydon. Ken.