Kate Baines 1870-1939

Parents: Harriet Baines, father unknown.
Born: 1870 in Haverhill.(1)
Baptised: ?
Married: Albert Lewis Whiting, 25, batchelor, factory hand, of Burton End, Haverhill, son of John Whiting, gardener, on the 11th October 1890 at St Mary's Parish Church, Haverhill. Witnessed by John and Charlotte Claydon.(4,5)
Children: May Lily Whiting b.1891, Emily Kathleen Whiting b.1902
Died: 15th January 1939 at 14 Chainey Pieces, Haverhill.(8) Buried on 19th January at Haverhill Cemetery.(6,7)

Bio: Kate seems to have been the illegitimate daughter of Harriet Baines (or Baynes) of Crowland, Haverhill, and was born in 1870.(1)

She appears on the 1871 census aged 8 months living in the household of her Grandmother Ann Baines, widow, 73, at Crowland, Haverhill. Ann's daughter Harriet, who we assume was Kate's mother, is living there aged 19, and working as a sewing machine hand. Harriet's brother William, 18, a silk weaver, also resides in the house.

Kate's grandmother Ann appears way back on the 1841 census as a widow living in Burton End, Haverhill. Her husband, Robert Baines had died in 1835 aged 33, and was buried at St Mary's Church on 19th April.(2) Robert had married Kate's grandmother, Ann Poulter, on 18th September 1826 at All Saints Church, Horseheath.(3) As Kate's mother Harriet was born around 1852, she must have had her illegitimately.

Ann Baines died aged 89 in 1880 and was buried at Haverhill Cemetery on 17th July.(2)

Kate cannot be found on the 1881 census, but she was to marry Albert Lewis Whiting on the 11th October 1890.

The 1891 census sees them living in Burton End where Albert is a dyer, and Kate a machinist.

At some point they moved to 14 Chainey Pieces, Haverhill. This is where we find them on the 1901 census. They now have a daughter, May, and Albert is working as a general labourer. Kate is a tailoress.

Their second daughter, Emily, was born on 21st October 1902, and the family remained at the same address. The 1911 census shows Albert working as a drabbet weaver, Kate as a clothing worker and eldest daughter May is a domestic servant.

Kate suffered from ill-health for around the last twenty years of her life. She had problems with deformity of her joints and brittle bones, and had been bed-ridden for around 16 years when she broke her tibia whilst being helped out of bed and whilst recovering succumbed to heart failure on 15th January 1939 with her husband and daughter Emily present. Mr H R Walrond, deputy coroner for the Liberty of Bury St Edmunds conducted an inquiry into the death and a brief report appeared in the local paper.(8)

Kate was buried on 19th January at Haverhill Cemetery.(6,7)

Thanks to Lauraine MacPhee for newspaper extracts relating to Kate's death.

Sources:

(1) Birth Register. 3rd Quarter 1870, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 414
(2) Suffolk Burial Index 1538-1900, SFHS.
(3) Camps Registers, Horseheath Marriages 1558 to 1949, CFHS.
(4) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4/p28 of 37
(5) Marriage Register. 4th Quarter 1890, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 1129
(6) Death Register. 1st Quarter 1939, Newmarket District, Volume 4a Page 1306
(7) Haverhill Cemetery, Compartment S, Grave Space 95, ref. 5594. http://www.haverhill-uk.com/pages/burial-records-137.htm
(8) Haverhill Echo, 21st January 1939.