HAVERHILL
WHITINGS

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My grandmother Lorna Whiting was born in Haverhill, Suffolk, in 1921 and grew up in Broad Street.

During the war she worked for the Air Ministry at Wratting Common, and it was then that she met my grandfather George Smith who was in the RAF and stationed at Stradishall Airfield with 214 Squadron.

They met at a dance at the Town Hall in Haverhill and married at the West End Congregational Church, Withersfield Road, in 1941. After the war she worked as PA for William Gurteen at Gurteen Clothing Factory in Haverhill amongst other jobs, and after retirement helped out at her local history group. Talking to her about her family's roots in the town intrigued me.

Looking at early censuses I could see that the Whitings seemed to originate from one particular part of Haverhill, but how were they all related? and where did they all end up? I soon found my answers were linked with agriculture and farming, the local militia, the growing textile industry, and let's not forget the beer houses.

Starting with the 1841 census, this site will take an in-depth look at Lorna's Whiting ancestry in Haverhill through the generations that lived first in Burton End and then in other parts of the town.

Making reference to primary sources where possible, I hope to provide a genealogy that will be useful to those with connections to Whiting ancestry and anyone else with an interest in the history of Haverhill.

Simon Hutchison

Lorna Smith (nee Whiting), left, with cousin Lily Farrall (nee Whiting) outside 21 Broad Street. Photo taken in the mid 1990's.

ASK AGRA: Family History Question Time podcast project

If you need some extra help with your family history, check out these free podcasts from The Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives. The free AGRA PODCASTS are available to all, and feature panels of AGRA experts in discussions led by Moderators such as Sarah Williams of Who Do You Think You Are? and Helen Tovey of Family Tree magazine.

The latest broadcasts are:

Discovering and Navigating Archives: June 2023, Heraldry: May 2023, Commissioning Research from Abroad: April 2023, Poor Law, Settlement Records and Workhouses: February 2023, Researching Liverpool Ancestors: January 2023

Recent Updates

2025
26 Jan
Update to Jabez Whiting c.1829-? - Has this elusive marine who vanished without trace after serving time in jail for theft aboard ship finally been tracked down?!
New information has come to light, thanks to Judy Stratford. DNA results pointed her to a possible match in James Whiting, a seaman, born about 1830 in Haverhill who married in Portsea on the south coast in 1856. A lot of his details match, including the father's name on the marriage entry. Who knows, we may soon be able to cross another 'Missing Whiting' off the list!
2024
31 Dec
Update to Sarah Ann Whiting (1862-1927) - corrections to children's births, thanks to John Orchard.
25 Dec
Merry Xmas!
2023
28 Dec
Update to James Whiting 1785-?. DNA evidence suggests that James may have moved to Canada in the late 1810s. Census records and Land Concession information in Canada Archives certainly seems to back this up.
25 Dec
Merry Xmas all!
15 Oct
Update to Susan Whiting 1871-1961. 1939 Register entry show her in White Lodge, Newmarket. Thanks to John Orchard.
19 Sep
Updates with Obituaries from Haverhill Echo and South West Suffolk Echo: Albert Ernest Whiting 1895-1978, Frank Whiting Snr 1851-1934 and Frank Whiting Jnr 1882-1952
27 Jun
Update to Ethel May Whiting 1881-1958. Ethel taught at Great Wratting School, and Judy Stratford has kindly supplied some more information about her life.
20 Apr
Update to Edith Whiting 1866-1960. Son George Barrett born 1901, not 1891. Thank to John Orchard for pointing this out.
20 Mar
New page for Elsie Whiting 1915-2000. Thanks to John Orchard for spotting Elsie, a missing daughter of Frederick Whiting 1878-1951.
10 Mar
Update to William Whiting 1881-1939. 1921 Census shows he was working as an 'Ag Lab' for Mr Jabez Gurteen at Wilsey Farm. Update to William Whiting 1870-1943. 1921 Census reveals he was living at 31 The Pightle and working for Atterton & Ellis Iron founders. Update to William John Whiting 1903-1977. On the 1921 census we see him working as a tailors outfitter, and living at 15 Croft Row, Haverhill.
7 Mar
Correction to typos on death dates for Elizabeth Whiting 1841-1904 and Mary Ann Whiting 1809-1875, thanks to John Orchard.
27 Feb
Update to Mary Ann Whiting (Farrant) 1865-1926. Funeral notice and 1921 census details thanks to Judy Stratford. Update to Catherine Elizabeth Whiting 1836-1841. Confirmation of her death details.
8 Feb
Update to Jesse Whiting 1842-1909. Birth date from GRO for unnamed son of Joseph Whiting and Rebecca Cole matches his birth year from censuses.
1 Jan
Happy New Year everyone!
2022
24 Dec
Merry Christmas all!
23 Dec
Dr Steve Whiting, great great grandson of Joseph Henry Whiting in Australia, has found a number of DNA matches which suggest that Joseph Henry was Joseph Whiting 1844-1927 as suspected.
8 Sep
Rest in Peace, ELIZABETH II 1926-2022
2 Aug
Update to Samuel Whiting 1818-1896 and Haverhill St Mary's Burials. He had a daughter, Emily b.1847, not previously recorded, who died aged 18 weeks on 20 September 1847 at Burton End. Amy Mead was present at the death.
1 Aug
Update to Joseph Whiting 1808-1868 and Haverhill St Mary's Burials. Had a son Joseph Whiting b.1847, not previously recorded. who died of pneumonia on 3rd May 1848 at Chauntry Croft. Phoebe Basham was present at the death.
26 Jul
Update to William Whiting c.1782-1866. Death certificate shows he died of old age and Sarah Buttle was present at the death. She was probably Sarah Whiting, who married Thomas Buttle. Sarah was perhaps a neighbour, possibly a relative, or maybe both...
Update to Ethel Winifred Evelyn Whiting 1902-1980. She shows up on the 1921 census working as a sewing maid at Leeds City Hospital for Infectious Diseases.
25 Jul
Update to John (Jabez) Whiting b.1849. Birth record seen. It looks like he is the illegitimate son of Sarah Whiting, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Whitiing. His mother married a chap called 'Nunn', so he may have used that surname later in life. Still on the 'missing' list for now..
New entry for Phoebe Whiting b.1844, and another person for the 'missing' list. From her birth certificate, we see Phoebe is the daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Whiting, but she doesn't appear on the 1851 census with them and there is no death record for her.
22 May
Update to Emily Whiting 1858-1906. Thanks to John Orchard for additional information on children and husband's second marriage after her death.
12 May
Update to Charles Whiting 1891-1962, Hilda Agnes Irene Whiting 1893-1949 and Ethel Whiting 1892-1981. Thanks to John Orchard for contributions. Thanks to Judy Statford for funeral notices for Lewis Albert Whiting 1864-1943 and Joseph Whiting 1869-1943.
13 Feb
Update to Arthur Whiting 1880-1953; funeral notice for wife Emily, update to William Whiting 1875-1909, funeral notice for wife Hannah. Update to Rose Lily Whiting 1886-1951, funeral notice.
11 Jan
Update to Sarah Whiting c.1866-1944. The 1921 Census helps take her off the 'Missing Whitings' list.
1 Jan
Happy New Year to all!
2021
18th Dec
Update to Emma Farrant 1854-1937 and Annie Maria Cracknell 1867-1937; funeral notices courtesy of Judy Stratford
14th Dec
Updates to Ann Maria Cracknell 1867-1937; details of her mother, and John Whiting 1870-1937; funeral notice.
30th Oct
Updates to Frederick Whiting 1845-1929, William John Whiting 1903-1977, Arthur Clemson Whiting 1904-1977 and Amos Jonas Whiting 1858-1935. Articles from South West Suffolk Echo, thanks to Judy Stratford.
20th Sep
Update to Grace Edith Whiting 1888-1962. Spotted by Judy Stratford in an article in South West Suffolk Echo that reveals she was deaf.
22nd Aug
Update to Hilda Agnes Whiting 1893-1949 and Albert James Whiting 1898-1957 - marriage dates and news items concerning these. Thanks to Judy Stratford.
5th Aug
Taken off the 'Missing Whitings' List, Lily Jane Whiting 1877-1920 has been tracked down in London later in her life, and William John Whiting 1903-1977 lived in the north of England and died in Northampton. Thanks to Judy Stratford.
1st Aug
Update to Alice Laura Whiting 1870-1909 and Grace Edith Irene Whiting 1888-1962. Grace's father identified as Ernest Gillings in an article from Haverhill Echo about maintenance payments. Thanks to Judy Stratford.
25th April
Update to David Spencer Whiting 1892-1915, who died at Gallipoli. Details from WW1 Pension Index cards about his wife and a daughter born after he died. Update to Bertie Whiting 1899-1973. Details of his two marriages.
2nd March
Just when you think you've got them all, two new photos from Haverhill cemetery thanks to Judy Stratford. George Whiting 1867-1940 and Alice (Cornell) and Frederick Whiting 1845-1929 and Sarah Jane (Backler)
1st January
Happy New Year all - Here's to a better one than the last!

2020
25th December
Merry Xmas :)
18th October
Update to Edith Whiting 1866-1960. Her burial entry was located courtesy of Judy Stratford, and she can now be taken off the 'Missing Whitings' list.
13th October
Update to Martha Elizabeth Whiting 1874-1930. Thanks to Judy Stratford for identifying what happened to her after the 1911 census.
3rd October
Some further information on the military service of Joseph Jabez Whiting 1873-1950, and also his sons. Thanks to Andrew Whiting for another photo and more information.
26th July
An alternative marriage for Elizabeth Whiting (born c.1776) to John Loveday in 1798 at Little Wratting church has been flagged up by John Orchard, rather than the marriage to John Smith in 1802 as previously thought. There is some indication that DNA evidence might back this up.
12th June
Update to David Whiting c.1793-1876. His baptism date revisited, with some comments.
11th June
Updated death details for several Whitings courtesy of some GRO PDF death certs from Judy Stratford.
29th May
Update to Harry Whiting/Whybrow 1861-1940. Thanks to some great detective work by Judy Stratford, it has been pointed out that Harry married Jane Kiddy, not Jane Bacon as was previously thought.