Florence Ethel Whiting 1896-1966

Parents: Charles Whiting and Ada Smoothy
Born: 5th April 1896 in Haverhill.(1,2)
Baptised: ?
Married: William Albert Hockham, 3rd Quarter 1921, West Ham district (3,4)
Children: Florence I Hockham b.1922 d.1922, Living Relative
Died: Cambridge district in 4th Quarter 1966.(4)

Bio: Florence was the only child of Charles and Ada Whiting, and was born not long after her parents had married in 1895. Sadly, her father died when she was about three and she was brought up by her mother and grandmother. On the 1901 census she is living at 34 Mount Road with Susannah Smoothy, her grandmother, and Ada her mother, along with her two aunts Esther and Bessie.

When Ada remarried in 1902 to David Poole, Florence stayed with her mother and stepfather and on the 1911 census all three are living at 11 Chauntry Row, Haverhill. Florence is a dressmaker and her parents are both hair cloth weavers.

Ada and David relocated to West Ham, and Florence married William Albert Hockham in 1921 in West Ham.

William was born on 21st December 1892 in Plaistow, West Ham, Essex and was the son of William A Hockham, a house painter, originally of Rye, Sussex, and Sarah Ann Cox, of Birmingham. (8,9)

William served as driver No.965855 in the Royal Field Artillery during WW1 from 26th May 1915 and served in France from 27th January 1916 to 17th September 1918. He was discharged with nervous strain and debility as a result of active service and received a silver war badge. (10,11)

Florence and William had a daughter Florence who was born in 1922 but who died in infancy, and a son born in 1924.

On the 1939 Register, Florence and William can be seen living with Ada and David Poole at 29 Ling Road, West Ham. William is a road repairs labourer.(2)

Florence and William retired to Cambridge in around 1960(6) and lived at 41 Vinery Road, Cambridge. Florence died at Addenbrookes Hospital in 1966 (4). She was buried at Cambridge Cemetery on 7th October.(5)

William died ten years later aged 84 and was buried at Cambridge Cemetery on 21st October 1976. (7,8)

Sources:

(1) Birth Register. 2nd Quarter 1896, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 733
(2) 1939 Register, Ref: RG101/1041, Schedule No.132, Enumeration District: CBUJ, Registration District: 188/4. www.ancestry.co.uk
(3) Marriage Register. 3rd Quarter 1921, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 927
(4) Death Register. 4th Quarter 1966, Cambridge District, Volume 4a Page 293
(5) Deceasedonline.com, Cambridge Cemetery, Register of Burials, p.180, Entry No.21723, 7 Oct 1966, Grave class:D number:14382.
(6) Cambridgeshire, Burgess Rolls and Poll Books, 1722-1966, Cambridgeshire Archives; Cambridge, England; Cabridgeshire Electoral Registers; Reference: Camb/1960, www.ancestry.co.uk
(7) Deceasedonline.com
(8) Death Register. 4th Quarter 1976, Cambridge District, Volume 9 Page 697
(9) 1901 Census, 11 Ordnance Road, West Ham, Class: RG13; Piece: 1576; Folio: 76; Page: 10. www.ancestry.co.uk
(10) British Army WW1 Pension Records, TNA, WO364; Piece: 5303, www.ancestry.co.uk
(11) WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, TNA, Class: WO 329; Piece Number: 254, www.ancestry.co.uk