Guy Marriott Whitby
The soldier:
Guy Marriott Whitby enlisted in to the army in Norwich, Norfolk. He was assigned to the Norfolk regiment and given regimental number 16216.
He was ‘killed in action’ on the 22nd October 1917, at the age of 30, whilst serving as a private in that regiment’s 8th Battalion.
Guy’s name is inscribed on Panel 34 to 35 and 162A of the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. It also appears on both Snettisham’s memorials and its ‘roll of honour’.
The man:
Guy Marriott Whitby was born on the 5th November 1886 in Snettisham, Norfolk. His parents were Henry (aged 31) and Ellen Elizabeth Whitby (aged 27 – nee Wright) who had married on the 7th December 1878 in St. Mary’s Church, Snettisham.
He was baptised on the 6th February 1887 in St. Mary’s Church, Snettisham. All of his siblings also being born in Snettisham and baptised in this church.
Guy had older siblings; Thomas George (bn. 4th March 1879) and William Arthur (bn. 4th September 1891).
By the 1891 census the Whitby family were still living in Snettisham. Henry was working as a ‘general labourer’. Thomas and William were at school and Guy was 4 years old. A younger daughter Elizabeth Ann had joined the family in April 1889.
Sadly Elizabeth Ann died in April 1891 at the age of 2.
Like all his siblings before and after him, Guy Marriott Whitby attended Snettisham School between 1st June 1894 and the 6th October 1899 (this school still in existence as Snettisham’s primary school).
By the 1901 census the Whitby’s had moved and were living at Alma Place, Snettisham. Henry was now 43 and employed as a ‘Carrstone quarryman’. Thomas and Guy were both at home. Guy was now 14 and was working as a ‘bricklayer/labourer’. Two further daughters had joined the family; Agnes Muriel (bn. 4th January 1895) and Evelyn Susanna (bn. 6th June 1897).
A further brother Henry Alan was born on the 3rd April 1901.
By the 1911 census the Whitby’s had moved once more and were now living at Kings Farm Cottage, Snettisham. Henry was now 54 and working as a ‘farm labourer’. He and Ellen had now been married over 32 years. Living with them were William (now 29) who had returned to the family home, Guy (now 24), Evelyn and Harry. Guy was recorded as being ‘single’ and working as a ‘bricklayer’.
Following his death, Private 16216 Guy Marriott Whitby’s personal effects were forwarded to his mother ‘Ellen E Whitby’ clearly linking this soldier to the Snettisham Whitby’s.
Guy’s father Henry died locally in September 1945 at the age of 89. his mother Ellen passed away 3 years later in 1948, aged 88.
