Much of the Reffell family originated in Surrey, but by 1911 there was a lesser presence in the county consisting of the Shere Brewers. Scattered around the country were the following people who came from the Surrey branch.
William Henry Reffell had been a bricklayer living in Felday Surrey, latterly known as Holmbury St Mary. His first wife Ellen Potter had died some while ago, but three of their six girls were still around. William had then married Louisa Thornton and both her and both a boy and a girl from that marriage were in the 1911 census. The eldest daughter from Ellen’s marriage Jane Elizabeth had married Thomas Steele in 1902 and they were living at the New Lodge at Henley Park in Henley-on-Thames where he was a gardener. Two of their children Robert William and Edith Elizabeth were with them, the eldest daughter Dorothy Alice was living with her grandmother. The youngest daughter from Ellen’s marriage Florence Mabel had married Sydney Storey Harding in 1905 and they were living at 89 St John’s Road in Deptford where he working was a postman. William’s second wife Louisa was living at Widmore 24 Nightingale Lane in Bromley Kent and working from home. With her were two of her natural children William Henry Thomas & Louisa, step daughter Agnes Ellen, granddaughter Dorothy Alice and adopted daughter May Ellen Cohen
William Joseph Reffell and Emma Lavinia Smith ran the Black Horse public house and brewery in Gomshall Surrey following the outcome of his mother’s disputed will, which led to his brother Henry to move away ultimately to Bexley. William had died in 1884 and passed the business to his sons. Emma had recently died in 1906. The eldest daughter of William and Emma was Josephine Lavinia who was separated, but actually calling herself a widow and lodging at 6 Cannon Place in Brighton Sussex. Her husband Frederick William Cannon was elsewhere in Brixton. The daughter Dorothy Winifred had recently married Jabez Smith and they were at The Rosary West Clandon in Guildford Surrey.
William Joseph Reffell, brewer & coal merchant was living at Bourneside next to the Black Horse in Gomshall Surrey. He had been recently widowed after his second wife Kate Maria Boorer had died in 1909. Looking after the children was Kate’s unmarried sister Hannah. Those children were; Marjorie Lilian, Maurice Victor, Dorothy Violet & Leslie William Joseph. Eldest daughter Ivy Muriel was a student at the Goldsmiths College and living at the St. Michael Hostel in Barry Road Grove Park. The eldest surviving son Alan Herbert was training to be an engineer and boarding at 74 Devonport Road in Shepherds Bush. Alan would get his wings and fly with the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War. Another daughter Constance May was at the Ryde House Girls School in Ripley Surrey.
At the Valmas in Shere was brewer Alfred John and his wife of twenty two years Rosina Bertha Farhall. Both of their children Hilda Lavinia & Mabel Bertha were with them. The youngest son of William & Emma, Charles Arthur was a surveyor & auctioneer living at Thorney Ennismore Avenue in Guildford Surrey. His wife Ada Caroline Farhall had her sister Susan Ann living with them, together with their only son Edward Charles Fulcher.
Descended from Henry Reffell of the Shere brewers, the three brothers who previously ran the Bexley Brewery had by now left the business and there was no longer any direct family connection. John Reffell had been widowed in 1905 and was living with his unmarried sister Bertha Annie at Rowans in Godstone Surrey. Their daughter Minnie, who was to marry the following year, was visiting friends at 54 Tremain Road in Anerley Surrey.
William Robert Reffell was now retired and living at Woodcote in South Nutfield Surrey with his wife of 32 years, Mary Annie Graham Parker and their unmarried daughter Mabel Bertha. Their recently married daughter Ruby Lillian was living with new husband Harold Alexander, a civil engineer, at 17 Milton Road in Hanwell Middlesex. He was working for the Great Western Railway and ultimately was to retire in 1949 as the Divisional Engineer of the Western Division British Railways. The other brother in the brewery was Arthur Henry, who had died in 1907 aged 49.
Just two properties along from Bourneside where William Joseph Reffell and family lived, the Black Horse Inn & Brewery was still goiung strong in 1911. The landlord was Roger Robert Rawlins who came from Kensington and his wife Gertrude Louise. At that time they had only been married four years and sadly their first child had died. Living with them were two local sisters who were employed as servants, Ada Alice & Elizabeth Sarah Minns.