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My grandmother Lorna Whiting was born in Haverhill, Suffolk, in 1921 and grew up in Broad Street.
 
During the war she worked for the Air Ministry at Wratting Common, and it was then that she met my grandfather George Smith who was in the RAF and stationed at Stradishall Airfield with 214 Squadron. 
They met at a dance at the Town Hall in Haverhill and married at the West End Congregational Church, Withersfield Road, in 1941. After the war she worked as PA for William Gurteen at Gurteen Clothing Factory in Haverhill amongst other jobs, and after retirement helped out at her local history group. Talking to her about her family's roots in the town intrigued me.

Looking at early censuses I could see that the Whitings seemed to originate from one particular part of Haverhill, but how were they all related? and where did they all end up? I soon found my answers were inextricably linked with agriculture and farming, the local militia, the growing textile industry, and let's not forget the beer houses.
 
Starting with the 1841 census, this site will take an in-depth look at Lorna's Whiting ancestry in Haverhill through the generations that lived first in Burton End and then in other parts of the town.
Making reference to primary sources where possible, I hope to provide a genealogy that will be informative to Whitings and indeed anyone else with an interest in the history of Haverhill.
 
Simon Hutchison


 
                                                                                     
                        

Lorna Smith (nee Whiting), left, with cousin Lily Farrall (nee Whiting) outside 21 Broad Street. Photo taken in the mid 1990's.

 
 

AT THE BORDER - History At The Junction of the Three Counties

A book called 'At The Border', edited by local historian Dr Patrick Crouch has been published by The Haverhill Local History Group in association with Romary Books.

As an anthology featuring some really interesting articles from the group's journal the 'Haverhill Historian', it is a great introduction to the research undertaken by the History Group. 
If you have connections with a Haverhill surname, or a general interest in the town there's almost certainly something here that will interest you.
It is dedicated to my grandmother, and features a piece on her uncle Bennett Whiting.

Although not available online at present due to a limited print-run, I'm reliably informed it can be purchased from Henderson's Newsagents, 40 High Street, Haverhill. Tel: 01440 702762. They can order a copy for you, or you can contact Romary Books on 01440 714877 or Haverhill Local History Group haverhillhistuk@gmail.com for more details. Price on request.
 


Copyright © 2014 Simon Hutchison
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