Ruth Whiting c.1789-1866

Parents: Robert Whiting and Mary Hazlewood(1)
Born: c.1789
Baptised: 27th May 1792 at the St Mary's Church, Haverhill (1)
Married (1): John Dorrington, bachelor, on 19th October 1806 at St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich, Greenwich. Witnessed by Edward and Ann Smith (2)
Children: Amelia Dorrington bpt. 28 Feb 1808, John Dorrington bpt.14 Jan 1810, Robert Whiting Dorrington, bpt. 27 Jan 1811, Ruth Dorrington bpt. 30 Aug 1812 died in infancy.
Married (2): William Fleming, bachelor, on 20th February 1828 at St Nicholas' Church, Deptford, Greenwich. Witnessed by Samuel Ya?man and John Taylor (3)
Children: None
Died: 26th August 1866 aged 77 in Woolwich Road Workhouse, Greenwich.(7,10)

Bio: Ruth Whiting was the youngest known daughter of Robert Whiting and Mary Hazlewood and was baptised at St Mary's Church, Haverhill, on 27th May 1792. Not long after this, Ruth and her parents and siblings moved from Haverhill to Woolwich.

Ruth married John Dorrington on 19th October 1806 at St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich, by banns (2). This was only 14 years after her baptism, and so the suggestion here is that the baptism occurred several years after her birth although this is not specifically indicated on the baptism register (it was not compulsory to do so). The witnesses at the marriage were Edward Smith and Ruth's elder sister Ann, who had married Edward in 1797.

John and Ruth had several children baptised at St Mary Magdalene including one, Robert Whiting Dorrington, named after her father.

John Dorrington died aged 44 at Green Hill, Woolwich, around Christmas 1823 and was buried on 28th December 1823 at St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich(4). Ruth married again, this time to William Fleming, bachelor, on 20th February 1828 at St Nicholas' Church, Deptford. It is not thought that Ruth and William had any children together, but they are seen living in Chapel Row, Woolwich Dockyard, on the 1841 census(5). William is a labourer, and Ruth's mother Mary is living with the couple.

On the 1851 census Ruth and William can be seen at 8 Marshall's Grove, Woolwich Dockyard(6). William is a labourer, and Ruth is working as a dressmaker and is shown to have been born in Haverhill, Suffolk, on this census. Her age is hard to make out - either 50 something or 60 something. She has a 'mystery' sister living with her, a widow called Amelia Mollison, whose life will be traced on a separate page. There is also a lodger living in the household, an Irish stone sawyer called William Hogan who does not appear to be connected with the rest of the householders.

William Fleming of Marshall's Grove, died aged 70 in March 1857 and was buried at St Thomas' Church, Woolwich, on 8th March 1857(8).

Ruth is shown on the 1861 census as a widow living at 1 Paradise Place, Woolwich. Her birthplace is given as 'Suffolk', and no employment is listed for her(9).

Discharge records for Woolwich Road workhouse show that Ruth died here on 26th August 1866(7,10). It is notable that her age was given as 77, here, which suggests she was born in 1789. This would fit in much better with the year of her first marriage in 1806, suggesting she was 17 at this time.

Sources:

(1) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4 of 37
(2) London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: p97/mry/025. www.ancestry.co.uk
(3) London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: p78/nic/020. www.ancestry.co.uk
(4) London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: p97/mry/039, p.176.
www.ancestry.co.uk
(5) 1841 Census, Chapel Row, Woolwich Dockyard, Charlton next Woolwich, Greenwich. Class: HO107; Piece: 493; Book: 4; Civil Parish: Charlton Next Woolwich; County: Kent; Enumeration District: 5; Folio: 33; Page: 11; Line: 17; GSU roll: 306884. www.ancestry.co.uk
(6) 1851 Census, 8 Marshall's Grove, Woolwich Dockyard, Greenwich. Class: HO107; Piece: 1588; Folio: 112; Page: 50; GSU roll: 174825. www.ancestry.co.uk
(7) London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, Woolwich Road Workhouse, Greenwich, 1865-1868, Discharges, London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: GBG/250/4. www.ancestry.co.uk
(8) London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: p97/tms/016, p.66. www.ancestry.co.uk
(9) 1 Paradise Place, Woolwich, Kent. Class: RG 9; Piece: 404; Folio: 57; Page: 7; GSU roll: 542631. www.ancestry.co.uk
(10) Death Register. 3rd Quarter 1866, Greenwich District, Volume 1d Page 476.