Alfred Whiting 1855-1916

Parents: Henry Whiting and Mary Scott (1)
Born: 3rd October 1855 in Burton End, Haverhill. (1,2)
Baptised: 4th November 1855 at St Mary's Parish Church, Haverhill.(1)
Married: Sarah Ann Beard, 19, spinster of Haslingfield, Cambs, daughter of William Beard, labourer, on 13th October 1878 at All Saints Church, Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire.(3,6)
Children: Frances Cornelia Whiting b.1879 and Dora Jessie Whiting b.1895
Died: 1916 in Elsenham.(4)

Bio: Alfred is on the 1861 census living with his family in Burton End. On the 1871 census he is working as a farm labourer and living in Burton End still.

Like his elder brothers, Ephraim and Thomas, Alfred moved away from Haverhill to find work elsewhere. At the end of 1878 he married Sarah Ann Beard, who was born in Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire, in 1858. The marriage entry records Alfred as living in Barton at the time of his marriage.(6)

On the 1881 census we find Alfred living in Teversham with his brothers. He is in the High street, working as an agricultural labourer with wife Sarah Ann and daughter Frances, who was born in Trumpington in 1879.

The census of 1891 shows Alfred and Sarah Ann visiting Sarah Ann's parents William and Mary Ann Beard in Barton, Cambridgeshire. Daughter Frances has accompanied them. They do not appear to have had any more children.

The family relocated again, and this brought with it a change of occupation for Alfred. On the 1901 census they are in Fullers End, Elsenham, and Alfred is working for the Great Eastern Railway as a porter. Frances has left home, but they have a daughter, Dora, who is attending school. She was born in Elsenham so this gives an indication that the family must have been living there since at least 1895. They also have a lodger, Harry Noble, who is a railway clerk.

Ten years on, at the time of the 1911 census, Alfred and Sarah Ann are still in Elsenham. The are living at The Gate House, and Alfred is a gate keeper for the G.E.R. Their daughter Dora is in domestic service at home.

Alfred appears to have died in Elsenham in 1916 at the age of 60(4), and his wife Sarah Ann in 1921.(5)

Sources:

(1) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4/p12 of 37
(2) Birth Register. 4th Quarter 1855, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 314
(3) Marriage Register. 4th Quarter 1878, Chesterton District, Volume 3b Page 1019
(4) Death Register. 3rd Quarter 1916, Bishop's Stortford District, Volume 3a Page 587
(5) Death Register. 3rd Quarter 1921, Bishop's Stortford District, Volume 3a Page 595
(6) Cambridge Family History Society, transcripts of Marriage Registers for Haslingfield.