Biography of Ernest Augustus HARDING
[Ref. P.250]
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Index for HARDING |
Biography of Ernest Augustus HARDING
[Ref. P.250]
| Ancestors | |
Profile | |
Index for HARDING |
Ernest Augustus Harding was born at Sidbury in Devon on 2 February 1838, being the sixth of the eleven children of John and Mary Ann Harding.
According to the 1841 census the family were living in Church Row at Sidbury in Devon. However, at the time the census was taken that year, Ernest's father and brother Thomas were nearby in Core Moor. By 1844 Ernest and his brother George had moved to Littleton near Winchester in Hampshire, working as stable boys at the training stables of William Dilly and the census of 1851shows Ernest still there at that time. An article shows that in 1852, at the age of 14, not 12 or 13 as reported, Ernest won The Cambridgeshire Handicap on one of William Dilly's horse Knight of the Shire.
When the census of 1861 was taken, Ernest was living above the stables at Spring Cottage in Norton near Malton in Yorkshire. He was a groom at the stables of William I'Anson who was a racehorse trainer.
On 17 December 1865, Ernest married Charlotte Elizabeth Sturley, daughter of James Sturley. The wedding took place at the parish church of Holy Trinity Micklegate in York.
The couple were living at Dringhouses when their daughter Florence Elizabeth was born on 2 April 1867. Their son Albert Augustus was born in 1869 followed by daughter Gertrude Ellen was born in 1870. Sadly, Albert died in 1871. The 1871 census confirms that the family were still in Dringhouses. More daughters followed, Lily Augusta in 1872, Edith Emily in 1873, Agnes Minna in 1875 and Mabel Rose in 1877. Son George Ernest Sturley was born on 6 June 1880 but only survived until 22 September. Another child may have been born in 1882 but no record of a name can be found thus indicating a possible stillbirth.
At the census of 1881, the family were living at Mill Street in Norton near Malton in Yorkshire and Ernest's occupation was listed as Groom. Ernest's wife Charlotte passed away in 1888 following which his daughter Florence kept house for him. By 1891, his occupation is listed as Trainer of Horses.
Ernest took a second wife when he married Mary Elizabeth Carr at St.Peter's church at Norton-juxta-Malton on 1 October 1899. She was twenty years his junior and had previously kept house for her parents, Smith and Alice Carr. The census of 1901 shows the couple living at 27 Mill Street in Norton and a neice staying with them. In 1908, when Ernest drew up his Will, his address was 66 Castlegate in Malton.
Ernest's health declined due to heart problems. These became acute and painful and he sometimes became delirious and on 21 September 1910 he resorted to cutting his own throat and passed away the following day. An inquest was held at Malton Court House at which the Coroner's verdict was that "Heart failure accelerated by the deceased cutting his throat whilst temporarily insane". A column in the Malton Messenger of 1 October 1910 reported the inquest and his funeral. He was buried with his first wife Charlotte at Norton cemetery where a gravestone bears their names.
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