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Ancestry links the 1871 census record for Jane to a Jane Smith on the Australian marriages index, to which I do not have access

Would seem logical......................

Daughter's birth ?:

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922

Name: Mary Jane Reeves
Father's Name: Henry Reeves
Mother's Name: Jane Smith
Birth Place: Lamp, Victoria
Registration Year: 1860
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration number: 10919

One of the sons:

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922

Name: Thomas William Reeves
Father's Name: Harry Reeves
Mother's Name: Jane Smith
Birth Place: Baree, Victoria
Registration Year: 1862
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration number: 10084

and the other son:

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922

Name: Henry John Reeves
Father's Name: Henry Reeves
Mother's Name: Jane Smith
Birth Place: Black, Victoria
Registration Year: 1864
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration number: 5248

Henry and Jane's marriage:

Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950

Name: Henry Reeves
Spouse Name: Jane Smith
Marriage Place: Victoria
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration Year: 1859
Registration number: 3631

There were 2 Henry Reeves of about the same age who arrived in Victoria within the right timescale:

Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839–1923

Name: Henry Reeves
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1831
Age: 26
Arrival Date: 17 Mar 1857
Arrival Port: Port Phillip Bay, Australia
Departure Port: London
Ship: Diana
Nationality: English

Name: Henry Reeves
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1832
Age: 20
Arrival Date: 25 Oct 1852
Arrival Port: Port Phillip Bay and Sydney, Australia
Departure Port: Bristol
Ship: Lady Fitzherbert
Nationality: English

There's no additional info to determine which is the right one.

(There are also quite a few others of that name who arrived in NSW).

1871:

REEVES, Henry Head M 40 1831 Wiltshire b Broad Hinton, ag Lab
REEVES, Jane Wife F 33 1838 Essex b Grays
REEVES, Thomas W Son M 9 1862 Australia
REEVES, Henry J Son M 7 1864 Australia
REEVES, Edwin G Son M 5 1866 Wiltshire
REEVES, Julia E* Daughter F 3 1868 Wiltshire
REEVES, Charles R Son M 1 1870 Wiltshire
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration District: Cricklade
Civil Parish: Lydiard Millicent

Address: Lydiard Millicent County: Wiltshire

and daughter Mary Jane with grandparents:

GLEED, Henry Head M 61 1810 Wiltshire
GLEED, Jane Wife F 60 1811 Wiltshire
REEVES, Mary Jane Granddaughter F 11 1860 Australia, b Melbourne
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration District: Cricklade
Civil Parish: Purton
Address: Greenhill, Purton County: Wiltshire

Their name definitely looks like Gleed on original so not sure how they fit in if mother was Jane Smith?

EDIT: Henry Gleed is unmarried on the 1841 & 1851. He is with wife Jane on 1861. I can't find an actual marriage between 1851 & 1861 that fits, but I suspect that his wife Jane is the mother of Jane Smith who married Henry Reeves and that's why Mary Jane is with them in 1871.

Gosh this is really turning into a mystery with some coincidences. IF it turns out to be the correct Henry what a coincidence that he marries an Elizabeth Smith followed by a Jane Smith in a completely different country. IF again, this is the right fellow, I need to determine whether or not first wife Elizabeth died possibly prior toi his departure to Australia, I will need to search for a death, which I will do this evening...... or whether he committed adultery !! I wouldn't have thought so though as he returned to the same area of Wiltshire from whence he departed and I wouldn't have thought he would dare if first wife was still alive. I need to do a lot more digging and scouting around. I will do this later this evening as other half has just come in from work and will be gasping for coffee and something to eat. Thank you all very much

Couldn't reist - looked on freebmd for deaths of Elizabeth Reeves from 1851 to 1857 and found one 1855 regd.Calne. Looked what area it covered and it includes Bremhill where the family lived. I think/hope that this could be her.

I think you mean bigamy........not adultery....lol!

Margaret, I'm not convinced that the Henry Reeves that I've provided the records for is actually the father of William Smith Reeves.

The William Reeves on the 1851 census with grandmother Johanna is 3 months old. The baptism posted for William Smith Reeves was 1849.

Also, the Henry Reeves on that census is unmarried. The Elizabeth on that census is his sister and they are shown together on the 1841.

However, I'm open to persuasion!

I have wondered about the Henry and Elizabeth brother and sister on that census return, but at the moment I am noting everything and exploring every avenue and keep an open mind but keeping my fingers crossed at the same time !!

In an endeavour to try and get to the bottom of all this, I have looked for Smith/Gleed marriages but couldn't find any. I also then decided to get on tracking Jane Smith 1838 Grays, Essex in order to find her parents and confirm her mother was also Jane (probably later Gleed). However I cannot find a Jane Smith 1838 on either the 1841 or 1851 census and as she was married by 1859 and living in Australia, 1861 is a no-go. The mystery deepens - how can she disappear completely with no trace whatsoever prior to her marriage in Australia ? I am wondering now if she was actually called 'something Jane' and used her second name although I see no reason why she would. I am now going to back-track and see if I can find her mother via her year and place of birth.

Well I have been on the hunt for Jane Smith Snr - with daughter Jane - on both 1841 and 1851 census. I only found one on 1851 with daughter Jane age 2. This is no good as the Jane (child) we need was born 1838 ! As she married in Oz in 1859, the entry on 1851 is just impossible. So now both Janes have fallen off the edges of the earth !!! Back to the drawing board.