Arthur Edward Catling

Arthur Edward was the son of John and Hannah Laud Catling (née Fitzjohn). His parents were married in 1885 and had at least five children who were born in Eastrea, Whittlesey: Carrie b. 1885, James Fitzjohn b. 1888 (J/F/M), Martha b. 1890, John William b. 1892 and Arthur Edward b. 1895. In 1891 John and Hannah were living in Eastrea with their three children Carrie (5), James (3) and Martha (1). John was born the following year. Hannah died in 1895 (O/N/D), the same year as her son Arthur was born (J/A/S). She was buried in Holy Trinity churchyard, Coates, Cambridgeshire. The family was living in Whittlesey in 1901; John was a bricklayer's labourer. All five of his children were in the home on the night of the census: Carrie, James, Martha, John (8) and Arthur (5). John married secondly Elizabeth Ann Willimot (b. 7 March 1870) in 1901 (A/M/J Whittlesey). Elizabeth was the daughter of William and Susan/Susannah Willimot. She had a daughter, Mary Ann Willimot, who was born in Coates, Whittlesey, in 1897 (O/N/D), and in 1901 Elizabeth and Mary Ann (3) were living with Elizabeth's parents in Whittlesey. John and Elizabeth had four children who were born in Eastrea: Harry b. 1902 (reg. J/F/M), Annie Elizabeth b. 5 February 1904, Leonard b. 1906 (reg. J/F/M) and Gertrude Lizzie b. 1908. John died in 1910 and his widow Elizabeth was still living in Eastrea in 1911. Also in the home on the night of the census were her stepsons James and Arthur, who were both general farm labourers, her daughter Mary Ellen (Catling) and Harry (9), Annie Elizabeth (7), Leonard (5) and Gertrude (3). Carrie has not yet been traced on the census, but Martha was a domestic servant in Hampstead in the household of John South Shedlock, and John was a baker's assistant in Eastrea in the household of Elizabeth Wilson, a provision dealer and baker, and her family. According to a newspaper report of Arthur's death in a Mansfield newspaper, his step-mother was living at 7 Cooper's Yard, Warsop, and also gave this as Arthur's address. However, another Mansfield newspaper reported that Arthur had lived in Eastrea, working as a farm labourer, for three years before he enlisted at Whittlesey. This suggests that Arthur had only lived in Warsop for a short time. Elizabeth Catling was living at 30 Church Street, Warsop, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Also in the household were her married daughter Annie Elizabeth Kaine and her husband Charles who had married in Mansfield in 1924 (A/M/J). Arthur's brother John William also served in the war and was killed in 1917 (see 'Extra information') and there is a record of a James F Catling who served in the Suffolk Regiment (16896 Private). Of Arthur's siblings: Carrie married Joseph Small on 11 September 1919; she died in 1958. James married Mabel Plummer in 1917 (Hampstead); he died on 12 September 1956. Martha married Percy R Grainger in 1914 (Romford Essex); she died in 1981.