Sarah Whiting 1830-1900

Parents: Joseph Whiting and Rebecca Cole (9)
Born: 14th February 1830.(9)
Baptised: 10th August 1830 at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House, Haverhill.(9)
Married: Thomas Nunn, bachelor, labourer of Beggars Row, Haverhill, son of David Nunn, labourer on 1st November 1851 at St Mary's Parish Church, Haverhill. Witnessed by Edmund Whiting and Susan Webb.(1,2)
Children: John Jabez Whiting b.1849, Thomas Nunn b.1853, Elizabeth Nunn b.1854(4), Joseph Nunn b.1856(5), Emily Ann Nunn b.1858, Rebecca Nunn b.1862 (3), Harriet Anne Nunn b.1862 (3), James Nunn b.1868, Henry Nunn b.1870, Jane Nunn b.1868 and Ellen Nunn b.1874
Died: 16th April 1900 at 9 Chapel Street, Bethnal Green. Buried at Manor Park Cemetery on 18th April 1900.(8,13)

Bio: Sarah first appears on the 1841 census living with her parents and siblings in Burton End.
It seems she had an illegitimate son, John Jabez Whiting, who was born on 25th June 1849 in Haverhill.
At the time of the 1851 census she and her son were still living with her parents and siblings, this time in Chauntry Croft. She is working as a slop maker - 'slop' was a term for ready-made clothes that were starting to appear for the mass-market around this time.

Sarah married Thomas Nunn on 1st November 1851 at St Mary's Church. Thomas' father was noted on the marriage entry as David, but this is probably a clerical error. Judy Stratford, who has Thomas in her family tree notes that his father was probably James Nunn and baptism and early census records would seem to agree.

It appears that after they married Thomas and Sarah continued to live in Haverhill until the end of the 1850's, as Elizabeth and Joseph seem to have been born there(4,5) and Emily Ann was baptised at St Mary's Church on 6th October 1859 when they were living at Crowland, Haverhill.(10)

Sarah, Thomas and family aren't traceable on the 1861 census - there are known problems with pieces being missing on this census for the London area which is where they moved to.

Although on the 1871 census all the children are listed as being born in Middlesex, London, Elizabeth and Joseph appear on later censuses as having been born in Haverhill (the census data was referenced with marriage records for both). (6,7) It seems that Rebecca and Harriet were born here too in 1862.(3) It is unclear where they were until the next census.

For the 1871 census, Sarah and her husband Thomas and Family appear to be living in Bethnal Green, London at 12 Princes Court. They are listed as 'country born'. His occupation is 'navigator' and the job of their sons Thomas and Joseph is cabinet maker. When Joseph marries Elizabeth Dunnage on 23rd February 1874 at St Thomas Church, Bethnal Green, his occupation is listed as chair maker, and his address 4 Rose Place. Thomas is referred to as a labourer.(11)

Daughter Elizabeth married Edward Hoy at St Thomas' on 24th June 1879, the family address is 6 Virginina Row, Bethnal Green.(12)

On the 1881 census Sarah is living with husband Thomas at 6 Virginia Row, Bethnal Green, London with several other families. They have two children, twins Rebecca and Harriet Nunn, 18, who were born in Haverhill. They are working as button makers. The other two children, Jane and Ellen, 13 and 7 respectively, were born in Bethnal Green. Sarah is listed as a widow on the 1891 census. It appears Thomas Nunn died in Bethnal Green in the 2nd Quarter of 1881. She has resumed work, as a scent maker, and she's living with the twins Rebecca and Harriet (who are now upholsterers) at 17 Wilks Place, Shoreditch, London.

Sarah doesn't seem to be found on the 1901 census. I suspect she is the Sarah Nunn who died in Bethnal Green in 1900. The records of Manor Park Cemetery show that Sarah Nunn, aged 67 (close, if not exact) was buried here on 18th April 1900. She had been living at 9 Chapel Street, Bethnal Green.(8)

Sources:

(1) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4/p24 of 37
(2) Marriage register. 4th Quarter 1851, Risbridge district, Vol 12 Page 775
(3) Birth register. 3rd Quarter 1862, Risbridge district, Vol 4a Page 363
(4) Birth register. 3rd Quarter 1854, Risbridge district, Vol 4a Page 323
(5) Birth register. 2nd Quarter 1856, Risbridge district, Vol 4a Page 361
(6) Joseph Nunn, 1881 census. Class: RG11; Piece: 2472; Folio: 54; Page: 28; GSU roll: 1341595.
(7) Elizabeth Hoy, 1891 census. Class: RG12; Piece: 242; Folio 5; Page 6; GSU roll: 6095352.
(8) Death register. 2nd Quarter 1900, Bethnal Green district, Vol 1c Page 102
(9) Non-conformist Registers, RG4/1845/16, www.bmdregisters.co.uk
(10) Suffolk Baptism Index, SFHS, 1813-1900
(11) London Metropolitan Archives, Saint Thomas, Bethnal Green, Register of marriages, P72/TMS, Item 011.
(12) London Metropolitan Archives, Saint Thomas, Bethnal Green, Register of marriages, P72/TMS, Item 017.(13) Burial Register, Manor Park Cemetery, Folio 640 No.166106, 18th April 1900, Sarah Nunn, aged 67, Square 12 grave 620. Deceasedonline.com