William Whiting 1839-1897

Parents: John Whiting and Elizabeth Poole
Born: 1839 (1)
Baptised: ?
Married (1): Eliza Clark, spinster, of Burton End, Haverhill, daughter of John Clark, Labourer, on 22nd July 1862 at St Mary's Parish Church, Haverhill. witnessed by William Mead and Harriet Beavis. (2,9)
Children: None.
Married (2): Mary Smith, 49, widow, sewing machinist, of Helions Bumpstead, daughter of Edward Tilbrook, in 1877. (3)
Children: None.
Died: Feb 1897 at Union House, Kedington. Buried at Haverhill Cemetery on 20th February 1897. (4,6)

Bio: On the 1841 census William is living with his parents John and Elizabeth in Burton End. In the 1851 census he is 'at home' living with his parents, step-brother John Poole and brother Moses in Chauntry Croft, Haverhill. By the 1861 census he now has a job as a Silk Weaver and again is living with his parents John and Elizabeth and brother Moses, this time back in Burton End. On the 1871 he lives next-door to his brother Moses and family in Burton End, with his wife Eliza and a lodger Polly Poole, 16, a factory hand - who we could guess is a relative on his mothers side. He is still working as a Silk weaver. In May 1874 his wife Eliza dies childless aged 33 and is buried on 9th May 1874.

William remarries to Mary Smith, widow of Thomas Smith, who is living in Queen Street with two children. She is originally from Helions Bumpstead, Essex, and had the maiden name Tilbrook.(5) Mary is 10 years his senior and so with her child-bearing years behind her. On the 1881 census they are living together in Queen Street, Haverhill. He is a Silk weaver and she works as a finisher of jackets. They are living at 44 Queen Street on the 1891 census. When William dies in early 1897, he is in the Union Workhouse in Kedington. His age confirmed as 57 and his occupation as silk weaver. He was buried in Haverhill Cemetery.(4) I believe his wife Mary survived him, for a Mary, widow of William is listed as being buried at Haverhill Cemetery on 7th October 1905 and her age is given as 77 which would tally.(7,8)

Sources:

(1) Birth Register. 1st Quarter 1839, Risbridge district, Volume 12 Page 363.
(2) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4/p26 of 37
(3) Marriage Register. 4th Quarter 1877, Risbridge district, Volume 4a Page 849.
(4) Haverhill Cemetery, Ref. 2322. http://www.haverhill-uk.com/pages/burial-records-137.htm
(5) Marriage Register. 4th Quarter 1847, Risbridge district, Volume 12 Page 799.
(6) Death Register. 1st Quarter 1897, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 405.
(7) Haverhill Cemetery, Ref. 3058. http://www.haverhill-uk.com/pages/burial-records-137.htm
(8) Death Register. 4th Quarter 1905, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 739.
(9) Marriage Register. 3rd Quarter 1862, Risbridge District, Volume 4a Page 535.