Albert Ernest Whiting 1895-1978

Parents:        Walter Whiting and Emily Jane Thake
Born:             20th February 1895 in Haverhill.(1,2)
Baptised:      ?
Married:         Winifred Alice Nunn, 25, spinster, domestic servant, of 92 Burton End, Haverhill, daughter of George Nunn, weaver, on 28th March 1921 at St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Witnessed by George Nunn and Arthur Charles Whiting.(3,4)
Children:       living relative?, Audrey Winifred Whiting b.1922 and living relative?
Died:              1978 in Rugby. Buried at Haverhill Cemetery (see picture, click to enlarge). (5)

Bio:                 Albert Ernest was the last child of Walter Whiting and Emily Thake and was born on 20th February 1895 in Haverhill.(1,2) On the 1901 Census he is living at 12 Wratting Road, Haverhill, with his father Walter, a plate layer on the railways, his mother Emily and elder siblings Kate, Arthur and Minnie.

Albert is not present on the 1911 census at the same address as his family, he is staying with his sister Kate Ethel Holliday, 29, at 2 Eleanor Road, Bounds Green, London. Her husband Frederick Holliday is absent as he is employed at a hotel. Albert Ernest is working as a commercial clerk at a steel merchants.

There is no confirmed sighting of Albert amongst the service/medal records of the First World War. He would have been 19 at the onset of war, so there is a fair chance he played some part in it.

The next time we see Albert is when he gets married to Winifred Nunn on 28th March 1921. Here, his occupation is given as clerk, and he and Winifred are living at 92 Burton End, Haverhill. Winifred was the sister of Beatrice Nunn, who had married Harry Whiting back in 1902. Harry was 3rd cousin once removed of Albert Ernest, so not exactly a close relative. 92 Burton End was where the Nunn family were living then, and also on the 1911 census where Winifred is living with her family and working as a nursemaid.

After their marriage Albert and Winifred went to live in London, perhaps Albert's job took him there. We can trace them on the Electoral registers. Between 1925 and 1928 they are living at 8 Brookhowse Road, Lewisham. They had three children Beryl, Audrey and Kenneth during the 1920's who were all born in London.

Some time shortly after the birth of their last child, Kenneth, they moved again - this time to Birmingham. We see them at 126 Bleak hill Road on the Electoral registers for Erdington in 1930. The 1939 Register shows the Whitings at this same address; Albert is working as a sales clerk at an Ammunition factory(8). They remained here until at least the 1950's.

Winifred died on 16th November 1963 in Birmingham.(5) She is buried at Haverhill Cemetery, and when Albert Ernest died on 11 April 1978 in Rugby he was also laid to rest at Haverhill Cemetery.(6,7)

Albert's obituary appeared in the Haverhill Echo of 11 May 1978:
"Mr Albert Whiting, who died at Jim Gillespie Abbersfield House, Rugby, on April 11 at the age of 83 was born in Haverhill and left for London at the age of 14 to work for ICI. In 1921 he married Winifred Nunn at Haverhill and they lived in London until 1928 when Mr Whiting was transferred to a company in Birmingham taken over by ICI.
Mr Whiting remained in Birmingham until seven weeks before his death, when he moved to Rugby. His wife died in 1965. They have a son and daughter, and three grandchildren.
A funeral service for Mr Whiting was held at Coventry Crematorium on April 17 attended by members of the family. The cremated ashes were brought to Haverhill and interred in the grave of his late sister, where his wife's ashes were interred in 1965.
A short service was held on April 29 by the Salvation Army captain, Major Whall."

.Sources:        

(1) Birth Register. 1st Quarter 1895, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 757
(2) date of birth from gravestone at Haverhill Cemetery.
(3) Marriage Register. 1st Quarter 1921, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 1658
(4) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Ref:578/4/p19 of 37
(5) Death Register. 4th Quarter 1965, Birmingham District, Volume 9c Page 468
(6) Death Register. 2nd Quarter 1978, Rugby District, Volume 31 Page 0223
(7) Haverhill Cemetery, Compartment S, Grave Space 427, Ref: 8957.
(8) 1939 Register. Schedule 39/1, Enumeration District: QAEE, Registration District: 384/2