Genetta Florence Whiting 1867-1941

Parents: Charles Whiting and Susannah Mason (1,2)
Born: 12th May 1867 in Queen Street, Haverhill. (1,2)
Baptised: 22nd September 1867 at St Mary's Parish Church, Haverhill.(2)
Married: Wesley Baker, 22, labourer, son of Henry Baker, labourer, on 5th November 1885 at St Mary's Church, Walsham Le Willows, Suffolk.(3,4)
Children: Wilfred Baker b.1887, Bernard Claude Baker b.1890, Genetta Blanche Baker b.1897 and Cyril Geoffrey Baker b.1909
Died: 2nd Quarter 1941 in Bury St Edmunds.(5)

Bio: Genetta was the middle daughter of Charles and Susannah, and we first see her on the 1871 census living with them and her sisters at Cross House, Haverhill Hamlet in what was at that time the Essex part of Haverhill. Charles Whiting died in 1874, and Genetta's mother married Alfred Coe of Bury St Edmunds. On the 1881 census we see Genetta living with her mother, stepfather, and sister Ethelinda at 1 Maynewater Lane, Bury St Edmunds. She is a scholar at this time.

At some point over the next four years Genetta was to meet Wesley Baker, son of Henry and Elizabeth Baker of Walsham Le Willows, a village to the north east of Bury St Edmunds. They married at Walsham Le Willows, and lived there afterwards. We find Genetta and Welsey here on the 1891 census at Cranmer Green, Walsham Le Willows. Welsey is working as an agricultural labourer and they have two sons, Wilfred and Bernard. At some time before 1897, Genetta and Wesley move to Bury St Edmunds because they have a daughter, also named Genetta, who was born there around that time. On the 1901 census, we see them living at 14 Whiting Street, Bury St Edmunds. Wesley's occupation is given as maltster's labourer. Although this is not mentioned on the census, 14 Whiting Street is now the Mason's Arms, and Kelly's directory lists Wesley as the publican of this establishment in 1900 and 1904.(5) Genetta's sister, Kate is also staying with them on this census. Wesley's tenure as publican can be traced back to 3rd November 1898 when at the Bury Borough Petty Sessions, transfer of the licence of the Mason's Arms from Mr W Scoulding to Mr Wesley Baker took place.(8)

By the 1911 census, Genetta and Wesley are still living in Whiting Street, at no.37, and Wesley's occupation remains the same. Whether or not he is still a publican too is not clear. They now have one more son, Geoffrey.

From the GRO register we see that Wesley died in 1921(7), and Genetta was to outlast him by 20 years, dying in Bury St Edmunds in 1941.

Sources:

(1) Birth Register. 2nd Quarter 1867, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 410
(2) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4/p13 of 37
(3) Transcripts of Parish Registers, St Mary Marriages 1539-1900, on CD from Walsham Le Willows History Society (ref: http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/10940600/person/-554135350/citation/121639919?pg=32768&pgpl=pid)
(4) Marriage Register. 4th Quarter 1885, Stow District, Volume 4a Page 1219
(5) http://suffolkcamra.co.uk/pubs/pub/150
(6) Death Register. 2nd Quarter 1941, Bury St Edmunds District, Volume 4a Page 1927
(7) Death Register. 2nd Quarter 1921, Bury St Edmunds District, Volume 4a Page 802
(8) Bury and Norwich Post, Tuesday November 8th, 1898, p.6, issue 6231. C19th British Library Newspapers: Part II