Ethel May Whiting 1881-1958

Great Wratting School – c1929

Back Row – Bill Cheeseman, Alf Ashby, Mrs Ethel May Pannell (Schoolmistress), Tom Mayes, Cyril Howard, Ron Batten, Dick Ling, Sid Cornell, Reg Batten, George Turneau, Kath Mizon, Ivy Talbot, Bessie Loveday, Ethel Cornell, Lily Ling, Doris Mizon, Miss Sherborne (Schoolteacher), Mildred Holden

Middle Row – Willie Loveday, Len Turner, Fred Elliston, Phyllis Bowers, Phyllis Ling, Doris Sizer, George Mayes, Dora Mayes, Joan Mansfield, Joyce Nunn, Freda Nunn, Len Sizer, Not Known, Stanley Mayes, Victor Gowers, Harold Sparrow, Frank Mayes.

Front Row – Bill Starnes, Ron Turner, Stan Turner, George Talbot, Harry Mayes, Cyril Turner, Eric Nunn, Alec Loveday, John Flegg, Dennis Rowlingson, Owen Batten, Bunny Bowers, John Coote, Bobby Prestwood, Hubert Ling

Thanks to Judy Stratford for permission to use this photo

Parents:       Amos Jonas Whiting and Eliza Willis.(1)
Born:            16th July 1881 at 4 Withersfield Road, Haverhill.(1)
Baptised:     4th September 1881.(8)
Married(1):        Samuel Corrie Everett, 24, son of Harold Everett, Silk Weaving foreman, on 9th October 1907 at West End Congregational Church, Haverhill.(2)
Children:      None.
Married(2):        Charles Pannell, 54, widower, shop assistant, son of Abraham Pannell, silkweaver, in 1923 in Haverhill.(5)
Children:      None.
Died:             1st September 1958 at Essex County Hospital, Colchester.(7)

Bio:               Ethel May was the first child of Amos and Eliza Whiting and she was born on 16th July 1881 at 4 Withersfield Road, Haverhill.
Her father (known as Jonas on the birth entry; it seems he preferred to use his middle name), was working as a factory hand (1).

A baptism record exists and is indexed by Familysearch,(8) but it is unclear what the source is. Her parents were married in the same year, but not before the census was taken. Ethel first shows up when they are living at 7 Nunn's Yard, Haverhill, on the 1891 census. She is at school. Her father Amos is still a factory hand, and she now has a sister, Winifred Grace.

At the time of the 1901 census, Amos and Family are living at 22 Burton End, Haverhill, and he is working as a framer at the winding and warping department of Gurteen's. Eliza is working as a cotton winder, and Ethel is now a schoolteacher.

 On 9th October 1907, Ethel married Corrie Samuel Everett, the son of Harold Everett, a silk weaving foreman who presumably worked alongside Amos at Gurteen's. The Everetts had lived near Ethel and her family in Burton End. The wedding was reported in the Haverhill Echo of 12th October 1907: "A pretty wedding took place at the West End Congregational Church, on Wednesday afternoon, the contracting parties being Mr. Corrie. S, Everett, and Miss Ethel May Whiting, eldest daughter of Mr. Jonas Whiting, both of this town. The bride was given away by her father. The Rev. T. Salibury Jones was the officiating minister. Mr Ben Everett (brother of the bridegroom), acted as best man, and Miss Winnie Whiting (sister of the bride) and Miss Lilly Everett (sister of the bridegroom), as bridesmaids. The bride was an assistant mistress in the Infant's Department of the Council Schools, and on relinquishing her duties there, was presented with a barometer by her colleagues and a hall bracket and brushes by the infant scholars. She was also a teacher in the West End Congregational Sunday School... The honeymoon is being spent at Hastings."

On the 1911 census we see Ethel May Everett living with her husband at the Brewery House, Violets Lane, Furneaux Pelham, Hertfordshire. Corrie is working as a brewery clerk. They don't have any children.

Sadly, Ethel's husband was to die the next year on the 21st September 1912 at Addenbrookes Hospital at the age of only 29.(3) He is buried next to his father-in-law Amos at Haverhill Cemetery. Ethel was granted £188 17s 3d in Probate.(4)

After only four years of marriage it must have been tough for Ethel to handle. Details concerning his death and funeral appeared in the South West Suffolk Echo of 5th October 1912: "The death occurred at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, on Saturday week, of Mr. Corrie Samuel Everett, of Furneaux Pelham, Herts., and son of Mr and Mrs Harold Everett, of this town. Deceased was well-known in Haverhill, having been in Messrs. Green King & Sons stores for something like five years prior to being transferred to Bury St.Edmund's, from whence  he proceeded to Furneaux Pelham to represent the firm at the brewery there. At that place he was greatly respected and esteemed by his employers and fellow workers, as well as the residents generally. For some months his health had given cause for anxiety, and on his doctor's advice he was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital, where death took place as stated. At Furneaux Pelham deceased was a member of the Parish Council and the Cricket Club, and also officiated as Secretary of the Working Men's Club."
Corrie was also been a member of Vine Lodge, L.O.A.S. (The Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds was a Friendly Society which started in 1826. It's objects were "to relieve the sick, bury the dead, and assist each other in all cases of unavoidable distress, so far as in our power lies, and for the promotion of peace and goodwill towards the human race" )
His funeral took place  at Haverhill Cemetery on 28th September at 2.30pm. 

On the 1921 census, Ethel, a widow, was shown living at her parent's house at 22 Burton End, Haverhill. She was working as a School Mistress at Great Wratting Elementary School for West Suffolk Education Committee (9).

It was some time before Ethel married again, but she did so around ten years after Corrie's death.  Her second husband was Charles Pannell, who she married in 1923(5).
Charles, like Ethel, was from Haverhill and he was a clothing shop assistant. Like her too, he was also widowed - having been previously married to Rosalie Jessie Mizon, who had died aged 38 in 1908.

Another thing Ethel and Charles had in common was that neither of them had children from their first marriages, and they were to remain without offspring after getting together.

Ethel continued to work as a teacher at Great Wratting, as well as becoming Honorary Librarian at Little Wratting for West Suffolk County Council Library (10).

When Ethel retired from Great Wratting school, this was noted in this article from South West Suffolk Echo of 11th October 1941: "Teacher's Retirement:- On Tuesday afternoon, September 30th, Mrs E. M. Pannell relinquished her position as head teacher of Great Wratting Council School, with which she has been connected for 25 years. Rita Mayes, the senior girl, presented Mrs Pannell, on behalf of the scholars, past and present, and many of their parents, with a Waterman fountain pen as a parting gift. Mrs Pannell was also the recipient of a further useful present from the teacher, Mrs D. English, of a number of Pheonix glass ware dishes. The Rector of Great Wratting (The Rev. Bacon) was present during the proceedings, and expressed the appreciation of all, for Mrs Pannell's services, and the interest she had taken in the school. Mrs Pannell thanked all concerned, expressing the hope, that the school would continue to make good progress as the years rolled on."

It seems she and Charles  made 37 Broad Street their home, for this is where Charles died on 14th July 1948.(6)
The death was announced in the Saffron Walden Weekly News of 23rd July 1948: "The funeral took place at Haverhill on Saturday of Mr Charles Pannell, of 37 Broad Street, who died on the previous Wednesday, at the age of 73. Though he had not been well for about a month, the end came unexpectedly. He was twice married, and he leaves a widow, but no children. Mr Pannell was for a long period employed at the clothing an outfitting establishment in High Street, known as the 'Golden Boot', and during his time he served three proprietors . It was a a lad of 12 on leaving school, that he took a situation as errand boy with the late Mr William Atterton. In course of time he became an assistant in the shop, and eventually manager, in which capacity he served successively  Mr A.J. Hill and Mr. C. Baker. On the death of the latter he took over complete charge of the business  for the widow, and retired only three years ago. Both his wife and himself were kind supporters of the Liberal cause"

Probate of £966 4s 8d was granted to Ethel on 2nd October.(4)

Ethel survived Charles by ten years and remained at 37 Broad Street, although she died at Colchester Hospital on 1st September 1958, (7)
exactly 23 years to the day after her father Amos: "Mrs E.M. Pannell. - The death has occurred in the East Essex Hospital, Colchester, of Mrs Ethel May Pannell, aged 77, of 37, Broad Street, Haverhill, who for many years was a school teacher at Great [Wratting], Suffolk. For many years she was a leading member of the local division St. John Ambulance, was a worshipper at the West End Congregational Church, and had been a member of the Women's Liberal Association" (11)  A 'typo' in this newspaper notice put Great Bradley instead of Great Wratting.

Ethel left £7507 19s 4d to Boris Richard Apps, consultant engineer, who was her nephew, and Philip Charles Pavey, a solicitors managing clerk from Haverhill.(4)  

Thanks to Judy Stratford for her contributions to this page

Sources:  

(1) GRO Birth Certificate. 3rd Quarter 1881, Risbridge District, Mother's maiden name: WILLIS. Volume 4a Page 518.
(2) Marriage Register. 4th Quarter 1907, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 1603
(3) Death Register. 3rd Quarter 1912, Cambridge District, Volume 3b Page 453
(4) Ancestry.com. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
(5) Marriage Register. 3rd Quarter 1923, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 2159
(6) Death Register. 3rd Quarter 1948, Newmarket District, Volume 4b Page 725
(7) Death Register. 3rd Quarter 1958, Colchester District, Volume 4a Page 472
(8) England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, Index, FamilySearch, Batch No.103809-1, Film No.1657479
(9) 1921 Census. 22 Burton End, Haverhill. RG15, Piece 9277, Schedule 129, Enumeration District 6. Findmypast.
(10) West Suffolk Echo, 19 Nov 1927.
(11) Saffron Walden Weekly News, 19 Sep 1958.