Frank Whiting 1866-1939

Parents: Charles Whiting and Eliza Tatt.
Born: 1866 in Haverhill.(1)
Baptised: 27th January 1867 at Old Independent Church, Haverhill.(8)
Married: Priscilla Iron, 21, spinster of 3 Eden Road, Haverhill, daughter of George Iron, labourer, on 5th August 1890 at St Mary's Parish Church, Haverhill. Witnessed by Frank Whiting and Annie Whiting.(2,3)
Children: Cecil Frank Whiting b.1891, Ethel Whiting b.1892, Stanley Charles Whiting b.1894, John William Whiting b.1897
Died: 20th January 1939 at 17 Barry Road, Willesden, Middlesex.(4,9)

Bio: Frank features on the 1871 census living in Queen Street with his parents and siblings as lodgers of his grandmother and her second husband. He is there again on the 1881 census, and is working as a grocer's porter. When he marries Priscilla Iron in 1890, he is working as a milkman and living at 21 Duddery Road with his now widowed mother, sister Mary Ann and her husband Albert Ives.

It is interesting to note that Priscilla was the half-sister of Emma Spicer, who married another Frank Whiting, and the sister of Eliza Iron who married Henry Whiting.

Frank and Priscilla are living at no.1 Duddery Hill, Haverhill on the 1891 census, and they have a 2 month old son, Cecil Frank Whiting. Frank is a Farm stockman, and Priscilla is working as a drabbett weaver. They must have remained in Haverhill until around 1898, because their next three children were all born there. Then, most likely in connection with Frank's job, they moved to Witham, Essex. They are here on the 1901 census, living in Chess Lane. Frank is a stockman on a cattle farm.

On the 1911 census, Frank and Priscilla and their three sons are living on the old Brentwood road near Garlesters Farm in Bulphan, Romford, Essex.

Frank, Cecil and Stanley are cowmen on a farm. A boarder, Albert Cole, 20, groom, is also living with them. Daughter Ethel has left home and is working as a domestic servant at the home of Farmer James Stobo and family at Asheton Farm, Tysea Hill, Stapleford Abbotts.

Son Cecil Frank Whiting joined the Royal Garrison Artillery as Gunner 67865 at the onset of the Great War, and died of wounds fighting in France with the 81st Siege Battery on 17th November 1916. By this time the rest of the family must have moved to 17 Barry Road, Stonebridge Park, Willesden, as this address is mentioned on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site.(6) They are also recorded here on the Electoral Registers in 1924 up to 1936, when their son John was still living with them.(5)

Frank worked as a night watchman for the Park Ward car and coach-building firm until retirement(10). He died on 20th January 1939(4) at 17 Barry Road, Stonebridge Park, and left effects of £662 0s 9d(9) to his widow Priscilla Whiting, who died the next year.(7)

Sources:

(1) Birth Register. 1st Quarter 1866, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 417
(2) Marriage Register. 3rd Quarter 1890, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 901
(3) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4/p28 of 37
(4) Death Register. 1st Quarter 1939, Willesden District, Volume 3a Page 456
(5) Ancestry.com. London, England, Electoral Registers, 1835-1965
(6) http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=111823
(7) Death Register. 4th Quarter 1940, Willesden District, Volume 3a Page 795
(8) Baptism records. Old Independent Church, Haverhill. Thanks to Lauraine McPhee for transcriptions.
(9) Ancestry.com. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
(10) from Gerald Whiting's written reminiscences about his father, courtesy of Crispin Whiting.