Frederick James Whiting 1883-?

Parents: Joseph Whiting and Alice Lucy Moore (1,2)
Born: 27th July 1883 in Withersfield, Suffolk. (1,2)
Baptised: 16th September 1883 at St Mary the Virgin Church, Withersfield. (1)
Married: None.
Children: None.
Died: ?

Bio: Frederick James was born in 1883 when his parents were living just north of Haverhill in Withersfield. He was baptised at Withersfield Church in the same year. The family went to live in Haverhill where Fred's two younger brothers Herbert and John were born in 1885 and 1886.

Sometime after 1887 John's parents Joseph and Alice took the family down to live in London because their fourth son Reginald is born at 21 Hurstway Street, Kensington in 1890.

On the 1891 census Frederick is living at 22 Hurstway Street, Kensington, with his parents and three brothers Herbert, John and Reginald. Father Joseph is working as a general labourer.

He is listed as 'blind' on this census, and this is something that recurs on later ones. We are unsure of the exact degree of his visual impairment.

The next census in 1901 sees the family still living in Kensington, at 12 Hurstway Street. Joseph is now a horse keeper, and John and Herbert are working as van guards. Frederick is still at home.

On the 1911 census Fred is still at the same address. He is working as a Newsagent (paper seller). The section for disabilities shows him as 'part blind', a clue to the extent of his problem. It obviously didn't prevent him from finding work.

When Frederick's father died the next year in 1912, Fred remained at 12 Hurstway Street. He was to stay here with other members of the family including his brothers and mother until she died in 1926.

On the Electoral Registers of the late 1920's he is shown living there with his recently widowed sister-in-law Eliza (Herbert's wife) and then in 1936 to 1939 we see him still at 12 Hurstway Street with his nephew Albert Henry. The 1939 Register(3) lists him as blind, living in this household with his nephew, shows he is single and gives his date of birth. This confirms the sighting (no pun intended!) on the Electoral Register.

It is not clear when Frederick died, or whether he moved away from the Kensington area. It doesn't seem as if he ever married.

Sources:

(1) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 653/4/3
(2) Birth Register. 3rd Quarter 1883, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 540
(3) 1939 Register, Ref: RG101/0324G/006/24 Letter Code: AMPC, Findmypast.co.uk