HENRY WHITING 1869 – 1952
ALICE WHITING 1874 – 1966
ALICE MARGARET GRIFFITHS 1916 -1992
DOUGLAS HAIG GRIFFITHS 1917 – 1944
Henry Whitting Jnr was born 6 December 1869 in Brecon, he was the son of Henry Whitting and Elizabeth Williams from Brecon. The name changes over the years.
His father was from Rushden, Northampton and was a soldier. In 1871 Henry Snr was in the District Battalion 2 Royal Welch Fusiliers 23 Rgt, and was at Gillingham, Kent. Elizabeth and Henry were lodging with a family in Chatham.
By 1881 the family had moved to the Barracks in Wrexham, 23rd Brigade Depot where Henry Snr was a Private. They had 4 more children by then, Lewis 7, Rose 5, who were both born in Ireland , Grace 4 born Aldershot and Fred 1 born in Wrexham. In 1883 Henry Snr was given a pension, left the Army and became the licensee of the Anchor. (This pub was one of the many in town later known as “Lager” pubs.
29th September 1883 Wrexham Advertiser.
ENDORSEMENTS. The license of the White Lion beerhouse, Mount Street, was endorsed in the name of George Jones, and the Anchor Inn, Mount-street, in the name of Henry Whitting.
Elizabeth died in 1890 at the Anchor and Henry was there until his death on 24 February 1894. His probate states his son Henry was a leather worker.
In 1883 Henry Jnr had enlisted with the RWF when he was aged 14, but he also became a leather worker and was lodging at various addresses in town from 1891 onwards.
He enlisted again in 1914 and was in the Royal Engineers.
Henry married Alice Brannan in 1915 and on 20 April 1916 ther daughter Alice Margaret was born.
Alice Brannan was born in Wrexham, she was the daughter of Patrick Brannan from Stockport, and her mother was Bridget Murray who had been born in Ireland. In 1881 Patrick was a plasterer and the family were living in Crescent Place. By 1891 Alice was working as a servant and in 1901 she was with her mother Bridget who states she is a widow. Bridget died in 1902.
In 1911 Alice was living in Caia Road with her niece Catherine Gibbons, both were employed in the leather works.
After their marriage and birth of Alice Margaret in 1916 nothing is known of the family until 1939 when they are they were in Caia Road, Henry had retired, and their daughter Alice Margaret was at home, she was an assistant in a hosiery shop.
In 1940 Alice Margaret married Douglas Haig Griffiths who was a butcher’s assistant living in Saxon Street. He was the son of John Griffiths. Douglas Haig joined the Monmouthshire Regiment and was a Private in the Infantry. He was killed on 5 August 1944 at Caen, in Normandy aged 26.
Henry Whiting died aged 82 in 1956. Alice Whiting died aged 92 in 1966
Alice Margaret never remarried; she died in 1992 and is buried with her parents. Douglas Haig Griffiths is also remembered on their gravestone in Wrexham.
Researched by Annette Edwards. June 2019. Grave ref: Wrexham Cemetery C-15745
