Willen People

Henry Whiting, Farmer

Whiting children

Harry Whiting employed several servants including a governess, Caroline Benson, who educated his young children at home. Once they were a bit older, the Whiting boys were probably educated at boarding school.
Certainly, their cousins, the sons of Uncle George, were sent to Bloxham. The photograph shows the cousins standing round their grandparents with the older boys wearing their Bloxham boaters. They all look very serious, but the mass of pet dogs show they had a lighter side too.
We don't know what happened to all his children, but Harry's first son, also Harry, worked in London (possibly in the dairy business there), served as a naval officer during the first world war and then became a motor engineer in Woburn Sands.
His second son, Joseph Benjamin (also known as 'Old Ben') eventually took over Caldecote Farm. At least two other sons fought in WWI. Philip Harold who later went to Rhodesia, and Arthur who, as a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, died at sea in 1917. He is commemorated on the war memorial.
Of his daughters, Constance married a London Architect, Nellie married Jack Price a miller in Newport Pagnell, Alice married a farmer from Sevenoaks and Florence married Fred Taylor. He was a member of the Taylors who ran a mustard business and a chemist in Newport Pagnell. Little Doris Kate was the last to be born, in 1894. Unfortunately, she died when only a couple of months old.