George Charles Harding was orphaned in 1852 when he was about nine years old.
His parents were George Charles Harding 1st who was born in Poplar in 1823 and Susannah Cook born 1821 in Stepney.
Silhouette image of Susannah Cook.
George Charles 1st and Susannah
were married on 3rd November 1842
at St Dunstan's Church,
Stepney High Street.
George Charles 2nd was born in 1843 in Poplar and christened at All Saints Poplar. George Charles 1st was listed as a Coachman both on his marriage certificate and his son's baptism record.
We do not know where George Charles and Susannah were living at the time of their marriage or afterwards with young George. However, in 1850 they were living at 34 Cambridge Road, [sub-district The Green] Bethnal Green which was the “Carpenters Arms” Public House.
George Charles is listed in the Trade Directory for 1851/2 as being a Victualler at this address and Susannah died there in 1850.
‘Phthisis pulmonatis’, probably TB.
George Charles 1st died 30th October 1852 and is buried at Bow Cemetery.
The address on his death certificate is hard to read but was in the district of Stepney MEOT.
On 10th November 1856, aged 13 years, George Charles 2nd was living at Prospect House, Prospect Street, Hythe, Kent. Family members have a school workbook from Prospect House Academy belonging to George Charles, he may have been attending this school from the time he first became an orphan but we do not know. In 1857 he was attending Brabourne North School in Kent. In the Poll Book of 1865 it says Brabourne School was built in 1846 for 140 children - no records of pupils exist for 1857. In 1861 George Charles 2nd is listed on the census as living in Standford, Kent. He is apprentice to a carpenter, William Petts and living next door to George Steadmans and family including his daughter Orlo, George Charles future wife.
George Charles & Orlo Stedmans were married at All Saints Church, Stanford on 27th June 1865.
They had fourteen children: George Charles 3rd, born 1866 in Folkstone, Maude Emma 1868 in Ashford, Orlo Susannah 1869 in Willesborough, Arthur Raymond 1871 in Ashford, Rosalie Adsey 1873, Charlotte Amy 1875, Jessie May 1877, Wilfred James 1879, Gertrude Irene 1881, Herbert Keeler 1883, Alfred Frederick 1885, Walter Benjamin 1886, Mildred Emily 1890 and Marshall John 1892 all in South Croydon. Harding family photograph: Probably taken in the back of No 17 Haling Road, South Croydon. c1883. Five more children were born after this photo was taken. Left to Right at back: George Charles 3rd, Maude Emma, Orlo Susannah, Arthur Raymond. Left to right at front: Orlo Steadmans, Charlotte Amy, Gertrude Irene, Wilfred James, Jessie May, Rosalie Adsey and George Charles Harding 2nd.
George Charles Harding 2nd with Walter, ...
George Charles Harding 2nd
and Orlo Steadmans.
George Charles Harding 2nd
at The Homestead he built in Lenham, Kent.
Information from family members regarding George Charles Harding and family:
George Charles 2nd was left thirty pounds in the will of his Grandfather, John Cook,
who died in 1882. His main occupation was as a builder. One of the houses he built was 9 Carlton Road, South Croydon where there is a plaque over the front bay window ‘GCH 1898’. Whilst the Hardings were at Ashford, George Charles may have worked in the railway coach building business.
Later in life, George Charles owned houses in Croydon and London from which he collected rents. He had a little black notebook in which he recorded some very useful information including names with birth and death dates.
In this book he has written “Uncle James Keeler died at Stowting 31st March 1883, buried in the churchyard - Aunt Charlott (sic) Keeler died at Aldington Kent 5th July 1898, buried at Stowting 8th July 1898”. 1841 Census for Stowting Kent, shows James and Charlotte Keeler living in the School House next to the Rectory of St Mary’s Church. We have been unable to find out how the Keelers are related to the Hardings and/or Stedmans.
Addresses for George Charles Harding 2nd:
Poplar 1852
Prospect Academy, Hythe in 1856
Brabourne North School, Kent in 1857
Stanford, Kent living with William Petts as apprentice carpenter -1861 census
2 Grace Hill Cottage, Folkestone, Kent 1866
2 Hardinge Road, Ashford, Kent 1868
Hunters Road, Willesboro’, Kent 1869
Tufton Road, Ashford, Kent 1871
2 Taylors Cottages, Brighton Road, South Croydon, Surrey 1873
Upland Road, South Croydon 1875
3 Brighton Place, Haling Road, Sth Croydon 1877
17 Haling Road, South Croydon 1879-1886 (inc on 1881 census)
174 Selsdon Road, Sth Croydon 1890-1892
8 Haling Road, South Croydon 1893
33 Helder Street, South Croydon 1897
‘The Homestead’ Warren Street, Lenham, Kent 1908
‘The Homestead’ Josephine Ave, Lower Kingswood, Nr Reigate Surrey 1913
Documents from George Charles Harding 2nd:
To be continued . . .