Elsie May Whiting 1908-1991

Parents: William Whiting and Elizabeth Davy.
Born: 18 March 1908 in the Risbridge district.(1,2)
Baptised: ?
Married (1): Frank L Talbot, Orsett district, 1931 (3)
Married (2): Edward Shipp, Newmarket district, 1949 (6)
Children: Dennis William Whiting b.1930(4) d.2002
Died: Jul 1991 in Brentwood district. (5)

Bio: Elsie May was born in 1908(1) in Haverhill, and can be seen on the 1911 census living at 57 Burton End with her parents and siblings. Her father William is a horseman on a farmer, and her mother Elizabeth and older sisters are machinists, presumably at the Gurteens factory in the town.

Elsie May had an illegitimate son, Dennis William Whiting on 9th February 1930 in the Risbridge district, probably in Haverhill.(4)

The 1939 Register, taken on 29th September 1939, shows Elsie May living with her father at 101 Burton End, Haverhill, and she is seen to be working as a clothing warehouse woman and is also said to be married and is referred to by the surname Talbot.(2)

Elsie May Whiting married Frank L Talbot in 1931 in the Orsett district, Essex.(3) On the 1939 Register, her son Dennis has taken the Talbot surname so it is unclear if Frank was his father or not. At some point after this, he reverted to the Whiting surname. Frank is not present in the household at 101 Burton End on the 1939 Register.

It seems likely that Frank was Frank Leonard Talbot, born in 1909 in Hundon, Suffolk (7), who appears on the 1911 census there living with parents William, a farm labourer born in Great Thurlow, and Elizabeth.

The 1939 Register was used as part of the NHS database and so included later alterations. We see that Elsie May appears to have married again, as her name changed to Shipp. Sure enough, a marriage in the Newmarket district in 1949 shows an Elsie M Whiting marrying an Edward Shipp (6).

It is unclear what happened to her first husband Frank; perhaps she divorced, or just chose to revert to her maiden name when her first husband died.

Elsie May Shipp is recorded as having died in the Brentwood district in 1991, and her birth date matches that of 'our' Elsie on the 1939 Register.(5)

Sources:

(1) Birth Register, 2nd Quarter 1908, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 921
(2) 1939 Register, Ref: RG101/6661C/013/38 Letter Code: TYDO, www.findmypast.co.uk
(3) Marriage Register, 2nd Quarter 1931, Orsett, Volume 4a Page 120
(4) Birth Register, 1st Quarter 1930, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 1428
(5) Death Register, Jul 1991, Brentwood District, Volume 9 Page 1411
(6) Marriage Register, 3rd Quarter 1949, Newmarket District, Volume 4b Page 2644
(7) Birth Register, 1st Quarter 1909, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 887