Vivien Humber writes articles on the history of Eaton for the Eaton Parishes’ Magazine and sent EVRA an old photo of an elderly woman, two younger women and a boy standing outside the old Post Office in Eaton. The photo is probably of Anne Reeve, the Post Mistress, with other staff at the Post Office. The boy could be Charles Leyell, who was the postal messenger when there was an attempted burglary in 1910. Vivien has written an article for the parishes’ magazine (March 2022 issue) on the attempted burglary of the PO in 1910.
The Post Mistress, Anne Reeve, was born Ann Barnett in Southrepps, Norfolk, the daughter of a farm bailiff, she first married Thomas Featherstone, a Consular Constable at Tientsin (Tianjin) in Northern China, where two of her three children were born. On her return to England she set up a grocery store in Eaton and later took over its Post Office. Aged 64 she married William Reeve, a retired engineer, at Norwich’s Registry Office.
Vivien would love to know how Anne’s husband (Featherstone) took up a position as a constable at the British Consulate in China! His name is listed in an 1872 Chronicle and Directory for China, Japan and the Phillippines. It is assumed that he died out there, whereupon Anne returned to the UK with two children.
Do you know anything about the people in the photo? The older lady is probably Anne but who are the two younger women? If you can help, please contact Chris Stebbing at EVRA and we will pass your details to Vivien. Email: evra.vc@live.co.uk
The old Eaton Post Office was on the corner of Bluebell Road and Eaton Street on the site of the Winkworth Estate Agency office.
The building was located on the corner of Eaton Street and the (then) much narrower Bluebell Lane, and appears to have been demolished sometime between 1913 and 1928 as part of a road widening scheme.
Here are links to the Norfolk Picture Library and photos of the old Eaton Post Office.
https://norfolk.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=713884
https://norfolk.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=720819
Further information can also be found in the Eaton Conservation Area Appraisal: