Mary Jane (McCutcheon) Whittington (1871)

Born 17 Oct 1871 in Richmond, County Dublin, Ireland

Wife of George Thomas Whittington — married 9 Apr 1894 in Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland

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Biography

Jane (McCutcheon) Whittington was born in Ireland.

Jane (McCutcheon) Whittington migrated from Ireland to England.

Mary Jane, generally known as Jane, McCutcheon was born on 17th October 1871 at Golden-bridge, Richmond in county Dublin. She was the daughter of Samuel McCutcheon, labourer, and Mary Jane, his wife.^[1]

On 9th April 1894, she married Lance Corporal George Whittingon, of the 1st Royal Sussex Regiment, at Fermoy in county Cork.^[2]

Two children were born in Ireland: George Thomas, jun., in 1894, and Violet Maud in 1896, both in Fermoy. The family removed to England where John McCutcheon Whittington was born at Chichester in Sussex in 1898.

In February 1900, Jane's husband was posted with his regiment to South Africa to fight in the Boer War.^[3] Two more children followed: Frederick Stephen later in 1900, and Bernard in 1902,^[4]† both at Broadwater (near Worthing) in Sussex. † See research note, below, re: birth of Bernard in 1902.

In July 1902, Jane's husband received permission from his regiment to reside in South Africa.^[3]

Within a few years, Jane was having to send their children either to America to live with her sister, Eleanor Quinn, in Boston, or as Dr Barnardo's "home children" to work on farms in Ontario. The first to leave was John Mc., who left with a large party of Dr Barnardo's home children in November, 1907.^[5] A year later, George, jun., aged 14 years 10 months, travelled by himself directly to his Aunt Eleanor.^[6] In June 1911, Fred S. and Bernard, aged ten and nine years respectively, were sent with another party of Dr Barnardo's home children to Ontario.^[7] And finally, Violet Maud left the Lavant Training School for Girls in Chichester and travelled to Boston.^[8] Eventually, the "home children" of the family made their way from field work in Ontario to their aunt Eleanor, too.^[9]

The fate of Jane has yet to be discovered. The last trace found (to date) was on the 1908 passenger list for her son, George, jun., when he provided his mother's address as no. 22, Gratwicke Road in Worthing, Sussex.^[6]

1901 census (England)

• Jane Whittington, head, married, age 27, wife of a Corporal, 1st Sussex; born in Ireland
• George T., son, age 6, born do. [ditto]
• Violet M., daughter, age 4, born do.
• John M., son, age 3; born at Chichester, Sussex
• Frederick S., age 5 months; born at Broadwater, Sussex
• census place: Broadwater St., Broadwater, Sussex^[10]

Research notes

• Recommend consulting Poor Law records in an attempt to find Jane Whittington née McCutcheon. Her last known residence having been Broadwater, she might have presented to the Union Workhouse at East Preston. The West Sussex Record Office holds guardians' minutes (1869–1930) and death records.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ United Church of England and Ireland. Baptisms Solemnized in the Parish of St Jude in the County of Dublin. Extract: Mary Jane McCutcheon, born 17th October 1871, daughter of Samuel McCutcheon, labourer, and Mary Jane of Richmond, Golden Bridge; baptised 15th November 1871 by the Rev. Thomas[?] Mills. Archival ref. parish register pg. 31, no. 1. Digital image online at IrishGenealogy.ie, churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie, record identifier DU-CI-BA-11068, image filename d-278-2-1031 (accessed 2020-10-02).
2. ↑ General Register Office, Ireland. Civil Registration of a Marriage. Extract: George Thomas Whittington, age 22, bachelor; occupation: Lance Corporal, 1st Royal Sussex Regt.; resident of Fermoy at the time of marriage; father: Stephen Whittington, occupation: bailiff. Jane McCucheon, age 23, spinster, resident of Fermoy at the time of marriage, father: Samuel McCutcheon [occupation not stated]. Marriage solemnized in the Methodist church in the parish of Fermoy, county Cork, on 9th April 1894, by licence, by the Rev. W.M. Wilson; witnesses: W. Tickhurst, Anne Penfold. Archival refs. Registrar’s district of Fermoy, no. 16/05848814/309. Digital image online at Irish Genealogy, hosted by the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, www.civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie (accessed and extract by Alison Kilpatrick, 2020-10-02).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} British Army Service Record. Extract: George Thomas Whittington, born c.1874 at Arundel, parish of Angmering, Sussex; service no. 3945, regiment: The Royal Sussex, attested at Chichester on 16th February 1892; description: 18 years one month, 5ft 4-1/2in., 123lb., dark complexion, grey eyes, dark brown hair, religious denomination: Church of England; given permission to reside in South Africa, 17 July 1902; served at home 7 years 361 days (15 Feb 1892 to 10 Feb 1900), in South Africa 4 years 4 days (11 Feb 2000 to 14 Feb 1904), discharged 14th February 1904; awarded the South Africa medal; father: Stephen Whittington, Egdean Farm, [near] Petworth. Original record held by The National Archives (UK); archival ref. WO97, Chelsea Pensioners, box 6231, record no. 160. Digital images online at findmypast.co.uk (accessed by subscription, 2020-10-01).
4. ↑ General Register Office of England and Wales. Index of Civil Registrations of Births. Index entry: Bernard Arthur Whittington, 1st quarter ending 31st March 1902, East Preston RD (Sussex), vol. 2b, pg. 318. Transcript and digital index online at FreeBMD, freebmd.org.uk (accessed 2020-10-02).
5. ↑ Canadian Passenger List. Extract: S.S. Dominion, sailed from Liverpool on 20th February 1907, arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 3rd March 1907. Dr Barnardo’s Party … [amongst pages and pages of young children’s names:] Jno M Whittington, age 9, reads and writes, child, born in England, destination: Toronto. Original record: Passenger Lists, 1865–1935. Microfilm Publications T-479 to T-520, T-4689 to T-4874, T-14700 to T-14938, C-4511 to C-4542. Library and Archives Canada, n.d. RG 76-C. Department of Employment and Immigration fonds. Library and Archives Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Archival ref. LAC roll no. T-501. Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by subscription, 2020-10-03).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} State of Massachusetts (USA). List of Manifest of Alien Passengers for the United States Immigration Officer at Port of Arrival. Extract: S.S. Cymric sailing from Liverpool, 30th December 1908, arriving at port of Boston on 8th January 1909. Extract re George Thomas Whittington, no. 1487, age 14 years 10 months, male, single, reads and writes, nationality: British, race or people: English; last permanent residence: Worthing, England; name and address of nearest relative or friend: Mother Mrs Whittington, 22 Gratwick[e] Rd., Worthing; final destination: Dorchester, Mass.; passage paid by friends; relative in the United States: Uncle Mr. E. Quinn, 43 Saxton St., Dorchester, Mass.; desciption: 5ft. tall, dark complexion, dark hair, blue eyes; born at Fermoy, Ireland. Original record: Boston, Massachusetts. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, 1891-1943. Micropublication T843. RG085. 454 rolls. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Archival ref. NARA roll no. 129. Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by subscription, 2020-10-02).
7. ↑ Passenger List for the Sicilian (Allan Steamship Lines, ship officiial no. 111225, D. Tannock, master), sailing from London, England on 29th June 1911 to Québec, Canada. Passengers included F.S. Whittington, age 10, and B.A. Whittington, age 9. Digital image online at findmypast.co.uk (accessed by subscription, 2020-10-02); record set: “Passenger Lists Leaving UK, 1890–1960.”
8. ↑ State of Massachusetts (USA). Boston Passenger Lists, 1820–1943. Extract: List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for the United States Immigration Officer at Port of Arrival. S.S. Arabic sailing from Liverpool, 21st November 1911. No. 14. Whittington, Maud Violet, age 16 years 4 months, female, occupation: school, reads and writes, British citizen, languge: English; last permanent residence: Chichester, England; address in country whence came: Miss Kemble, Lavant Home, Chichester; final destination: Dorchester, Massachusetts; passage paid by aunt, Mrs Quinn, in possession of £2; relative or friend at destination: aunt Mrs Elenor Quinn, 27 East St., Dorchester; description: 5ft. 2in., pale complexion, black hair, grey eyes; born at Worthing, England. Original record held by U.S. National Records and Archives, pub. no. T843, roll no. 172, film no. 1404297. Digital images online at ancestry.ca (accessed by subscription; extract by Alison Kilpatrick, 2020-10-03).
9. ↑ U.S. 1930 Census. Household of Eleonor Quinn, with nephews, Frederick and Bernard Withington [Wittington], and Frederick’s wife, Katherine [Catherine], in Arlington, Massachusetts. Original record: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. Archival ref. enumeration district no. 9-163, supervisor’s district no. 10, sheet no. 17-B, dwelling no. 190, family no. 385, enumerated 24th April 1930. Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by subscription; extract by Alison Kilpatrick, 2020-10-03).
10. ↑ England 1901 Census. Household of Jane Whittington, wife of Lance Corporal, 1st [Royal] Sussex [George Thomas Whittington], with four children, in Broadwater, Sussex. Original record: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives, 1901. Archival ref. piece 957, folio 21, pg. 34, household no. 238; registration district: East Preston, sub-district: Worthing, enumeration district no. 1, civil and ecclesiastical parish of Broadwater. Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by subscription; extract by Alison Kilpatrick, 2020-10-02).
11. ↑ Higginbotham, Peter. The Workhouse: The Story of an Institution. ["East Preston, Sussex."