Does anyone want a challenge?

[West Yorkshire Maggy]

I'm trying to find out information about my husbands great grandfather.

I have his marriage certificate (19 Mar 1908, Darnall Parish Church, Sheffield, Yorkshire) and I have him on the 1911 census living in Sheffield, but apart from that I have nothing. He doesn't seem to exist before he got married.

His name was John Ernest Whiting born C1880. His marriage certificate gives his father as John, an engineer, and his address as Fair Ground, Main Road, Darnall (Sheffield). They were travellers, which I think is part of the problem! On his son's birth certificate the father is given as John E Whiting and their address then was Maltby Road, Bramley (in 1910)

I did find them on the 1911 census eventually (transcribed as Whitney!) It gives
John Ernest Whiting, 31, Roundabout Proprieter, born Deptford, London S. E.
Mary Ellen Whiting, 28, born Darnall, Sheffield
Eliza Ann Whiting, 2, born Stairfoot, Barnsley
John Ernest Whiting, 8 months, born Bramley, Rotherham.
They were living in a caravan on what looks like Bamforth Street, Penistone Road, Sheffield, which I know is the area they lived in.

I did find the baptism of a John Whiting in the Deptford area, with a father John, but on the 1911 census he is still living with his parents in Deptford.

I have searched on every census, using every combination that I can think of, but nothing.

Anyone got any bright ideas please

[West Yorkshire Maggy]

Forgot to say he died 17 Mar 1946, in Sheffield aged 66.

[samesizedfeet]

There's this family - but the father is a coal porter not and engineer

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?...c=&pid=3996969

[samesizedfeet]

ignore that - John junior is still there in 1911

[Merry]

I only have a few mins so am copying down entries from the 1901 that might be connected if only cousins or whatever! Or maybe not connected at all!

John Whiting 17 b Derbys living Chesterfield Nottingham Selston occ Travelling Showman

John Whiting 49 b Norfolk Born In A Travelling Van Not Known living Lancashire Urmston occ Traveller To Fairs

James Whiting 22 b Chesterfield Derbyshire living Lancashire Urmston occ Traveller To Fairs

Gervase Whiting 20 b Derbys Chesterfield living Nottingham Selston occ Travelling Showman

Bother - don't have time for any more......

[kiterunner]

I don't suppose the witnesses at John's wedding are any help?

[Phoenix]

Births Mar 1881

WHITING Jarvis Chesterfield 7b 720


Marriages Jun 1918
Whiting Jarvis Riley Sheffield 9c 984



The above is Merry's Jarvis, I think - so could be a connection, as he looks like John's brother. Trouble is, their Dad is sometimes Samuel, sometimes William, and has a lot of occupations, including operating swing boats!

[Phoenix]

http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/histo...ter/knuts.html

iF IT IS THE RIGHT FAMILY, there are various links on this site.

[West Yorkshire Maggy]

Thanks for your interest everyone.

Firstly Zoe, the John Whiting that you found in 1901 living in Deptford was the one that I got really excited about! Then, like you say, he is living with his parents still in 1911, which is a real shame because I have found lots of information on his family on ancestry, including baptism records

I'm still checking up on the ones you found, Merry. The travelling showmen ones sound promising, but none of them seem to have a father called John. I'm sure they are connected somehow though. Will go back to the 1901 census and have another good look at them all, thanks. Another family member found the ones based in Norfolk and was convinced they were the right family, until I found them on the 1911 census, where John Ernest said he was born in Deptford. Something not quite right here I think

Kiterunner, I didn't think of the marriage witnesses! One of them is his sister in law, but I will have a good look to see if I can link the other one in somewhere. His name is James Holmes.

Thanks for the link to the Sheffield University site Phoenix. I knew they had showmen and travellers records there, but didn't realise they had a website. I will have a good look at that one.

Thanks everyone for your imput. Another pair of eyes does sometimes help and you have all given me something to follow up, so thanks again for that.

[Phoenix]

That Norfolk family press so many of the right buttons, especially Samuel's son marrying in Sheffield.

Can anybody find John senior in 1881? I certainly can't, nor a convincing birth for John junior.

If John is hideously mistranscribed then, it may still be the right family.