British Bostonian

[Mark1966]

OK - the military records arrived and it all matches up!

Private Charles James Harding served with the 2/48th Battalion (Infantry) and was at Tobruk when he was wounded in action on 13 August 1941. He died of his wounds on 20 September 1941 in Egypt and is buried there at Alexandria.

Now that I've ordered and received a copy of the records you can see a digital version of the records on-line here.

On the second page of the records there is even a photo.

So there we have it. I really do have, as my children keep reminding me, a dead man's razor. Unfortunately the antique store where I brought this fram didn't have any records of how they acquired this razor. Obviously it never went to war from its condition, he probably left it with his new wife. What happened to her I don't know. Did she remarry? Did she keep this razor until her death as a reminder of her husband? I'm not sure I'll ever find out.

If you are ever at the Australian War Memorial you can see his entry in the Roll of Honour. I'll certainly be stopping by next time I'm there and pay my respects.

Thanks to those who contributed to this story - it is much appreciated.

There is a thread with more details of this razor and how I acquired itin the GSL discussion group here. next post.

 

[Luc]

This was copied from the Great Southern Land Social Group and following Mark's last post, here's the information

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Mark1966 - 03-27-2011, 02:15 AM
Adelaide has a special place in my heart.

My wife and I got serious about going out when going to at a friends wedding in the Clare Valley. She had driven my car to Adelaide with a girlfriend as I couldn't get time off work until closer to the wedding. I can still remember getting off the air-conditioned plane and walking down onto the hot asphalt of the airport tarmac and into the tin shed that was the departure and arrival hall. [sigh]

But more recently I have another reason to love Adelaide. I was there last week for work and after being picked up at the airport and grabbing some lunch my SA colleague, who knows my interest in razors, asked whether I'd like to pop into a couple of antique shops on the way to our meeting. It was a no brainer really although after having a washout in 5 shops in Sydney a few weeks ago when a meeting finished early I wasn't hopeful.

Walked in the door of the first shop, there immediately on the right in a cabinet was that distinctive British Aristocrat case. Open it up - a British Aristocrat #15! Now it was dealer prices so not a real bargain but OK and I hope it will clean up nicely. I left the straights untouched

At this stage I was pretty pleased and wasn't expecting the second store to outdo that. Asked at the second store and was shown a case with some Valets, a GEM (nice box) and a Darwin moustache razor and a Bostonian case with some engraving on the top. Now I have a Bostonian and if it wasn't for the engraving I may not have even picked it up. But it was engraved with:

'Presented to C. J. Harding Best & Fairest Player for S.A v N.S.W. Jubilee Oval Aug 17th 1929'

Now if you want the rest of the story of the razor you will need to check out the thread (and pics) on it here(See post 1 of this thread). Just let me say though that it was the better of the two scores IMHO - I love it

I'm wondering though if anybody can help with tracking down:

• Who C. J. Harding was,
• What sport they were playing in August 1929 (I don't know if SA played rugby nor NSW played Aussie Rules and it seems too early in the year to be cricket), or even
• Which Jubilee Oval (there was one in Adelaide and Sydney) this match was played at.

Any suggestions for research warmly welcome.

Needless to say when I'm next in Adelaide I'll be keeping my eyes open.....

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DerFly - 03-27-2011, 05:22 AM
Glebe (where Jubilee Oval lies) Rugby League Club was one of he very first. It later amalgamated with either Newtown or Balmain, probably in the 30's.

Glebe Greyhounds is the still active Hockey side and has a long and illustrious history too.

Not sure if this answers your question but two fields field further research?

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lenard - 03-27-2011, 06:27 AM
My guess its Aussie rules, according to wikipedia it was fairly common in NSW from 1870. As for the location Jubilee Oval in NSW opened in 1936, so its probably the Adelaide University oval which is now a car park.

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Mark1966 - 03-27-2011, 07:25 AM
Lenard,

Thanks for that - my assumption was that it was the Adelaide Jubilee Oval and a brief google picked up the SA Australian Rules teams playing there - I wasn't aware of NSW playing.

So now maybe I have a venue and sport - just need to track down some details. I presume that the National Library might have microfiche of the Adelaide Advertiser from back then so a day trip there may be in order.

Very nice score in any event - love my [oops - can't say here what it is - you need to look at the pics in post 1]!

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DerFly - 03-27-2011, 07:42 AM
Jubilee Park on Glebe has been gazetted so since 1899. AFL or Cricket my guess.

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Mark1966 - 03-27-2011, 08:43 PM
... and the winner is - SOCCER!

According to an article in the August 17 1929 issue of The Register news-pictorial an interstate soccer match was held on that day at the Jubilee Oval in Adelaide between SA and NSW for the Australian Junior championship.

The match report from that evening’s issue of The Mail indicates that ‘an excellent exhibition of soccer was witnessed’ with NSW the victors 3 goals to 2. The Advertiser carries a picture of the game.

According to the report in The Mail Harding scored the first goal for South Australia and ‘Harding was playing good football for South Australia, but his inside men failed to take advantage of his centres’. It seems that he was in the thick of it because it is also reported that ‘Harding was unlucky not to score from a hard drive across the goalmouth’.

So the mystery is cleared up - go and have a look at the beautiful pics!

The report concludes by indicating that ‘Trophies given for the best player on each side were won by Harding (South Australia) and Boddan (New South Wales)’.

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CptBlueBear - 03-28-2011, 01:51 AM
Mark,

some more info. I turned up the following from the Adelaide Advertiser of 25 Sept 1941:

CASUALTIES

PRIVATE ADVICES

Advice has been received by the wife of C. J. Harding that he died of wounds on September 20. He was married to Audrey, only child of Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Rush, of O.G. Hotel, Klemzig, on October 17, 1940, two months before he sailed for overseas. He was the only son of Mr. J. G. and the late Mrs. Harding, of Gilberton, and was educated at Pulteney Grammar School. He was a keen Soccer player, and before he enlisted was employed by News Ltd.

Follow this link for the original.

The timing, location and interests all match up. Another casualty list says he was 31 when he died. Before I saw your last post I'd figured he'd have been too old for active duty 12 years later, but if it was a junior match the timing works out.
Blue Bear

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Mark1966 - 03-28-2011, 02:39 AM
@ Capt BlueBear -WOW!

Your post reminded me of something else I'd read somewhere. So I tracked down this link which is from the previous day and outlining the teams, including:

'C. Harding (Pulteney Old Scholars) has had experience In senior league football and is the best wing man playing junior soccer to-day. He Is fast, and his ball control and shooting make him a most useful man'

So C. J. Harding is almost certainly the same person as in your link - soccer, age and school all match. Now to track down his military history.....

My kids have often talked about me shaving with a 'dead mans's razor' - now with this one that saying is coming to life. I'm not sure I'll ever use this one now.

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Legion - 03-28-2011, 02:51 AM
Cruise down to the War Memorial on your day off. They have a research room that should be able to furnish you with his military records.

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Mark1966 - 03-28-2011, 02:57 AM
@ legion - Yep. My father has done the family history thing and tracked down service records so I'll pick his brain - or get him to do it!

OK, online search through the National Archives brings up this information (the only Harding with initials C J):

HARDING CHARLES JAMES : Service Number - SX7796 : Date of birth - 03 Mar 1910 : Place of birth - HARTFORDSHIRE ENGLAND : Place of enlistment - ADELAIDE SA : Next of Kin - HARDING JAMES

This matches the age at date of death and the next of kin could be his father Mr J. G. Harding. Unfortunately his service records are not digitised and available online. So I've requested a copy (only $25) which will also be posted online but could take 90 days! My curiosity is really aroused.

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fidjit - 03-28-2011, 03:59 AM
Sweet Mark, this is turning into a very interesting story

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lenard - 03-28-2011, 05:32 AM
Good work guys.

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CptBlueBear - 03-29-2011, 07:10 AM
The service number matches, too. I'm interested to know what unit he served with and what theatre.

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Mark1966 - 03-30-2011, 07:29 AM
Once I get the service records I ordered they will also be available on-line so will post details and a link - but it could take 90 days!

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ghostknife - 03-31-2011, 02:06 AM
That's Adelaide for you, strange things happen and you bump into people (or razors) from the oddest places sometimes.

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Mark1966 - 04-13-2011, 03:28 AM
OK - the records arrived and it all matches up!

Private Charles James Harding served with the 2/48th Battalion (Infantry) and was at Tobruk when he was wounded in action on 13 August 1941. He died of his wounds on 20 September 1941 in Egypt and is buried there at Alexandria.

Now that I've ordered and received a copy of the records you can see a digital version of the records on-line here.

On the second page of the records there is even a photo from his enlistment.

So there we have it. I really do have, as my children keep reminding me, a dead man's razor. Unfortunately the antique store where I brought this fram didn't have any records of how they acquired this razor. Obviously it never went to war from its condition, he probably left it with his new wife. What happened to her I don't know. Did she remarry? Did she keep this razor until her death as a reminder of her husband? I'm not sure I'll ever find out.

If you are ever at the War Memorial you can see his entry in the Roll of Honour. I'll certainly be stopping by next time I'm there and pay my respects.

Thanks to those who contributed to this story - it is much appreciated.

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ghostknife - 04-13-2011, 05:08 AM
I was trying to find some information on his wife and relatives without much luck (Edit: more specifically without paying money) so far except I found his wife's fathers death notice

RUSH, Edgar Stanley died 17 September 1948
Advertiser Tuesday 5 October 1948

Mr. Edgar S Rush, of Gilberton, who died suddenly recently was the licensee of the OG Hotel, Klemzig, for 25 years. He leaves a widow, Mrs. Nellie Rush, and a daughter Audrey (Mrs. Harding).

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Cont. Edit: I believe I found the Family tree, marriage and Death records for his wife on ancestry.com.au however you can't view them without signing up and paying money, just if anybody really wants to find out you probably can. There is no death record for Audrey Harding (or Rush) anywhere else either so either she left the country (I also searched UK) or she remarried and changed her mane which is probably more likely. Cheers.

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rm71 - 04-13-2011, 05:42 AM
Fascinating stuff

This should be a sticky!

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Mark1966 - 04-13-2011, 06:40 AM
Quoting Ghostknife:

'Cont. Edit: I believe I found the Family tree, marriage and Death records for his wife on ancestry.com.au however you can't view them without signing up and paying money, just if anybody really wants to find out you probably can. There is no death record for Audrey Harding (or Rush) anywhere else either so either she left the country (I also searched UK) or she remarried and changed her mane which is probably more likely. Cheers.'


Bugger - I was searching there using their 14 day free trial but when I didn't find anything I cancelled the trail and now they will not let me back in



A search of deaths and burials notices here - http://www.saghs.org.au/graves.htm gives two listings for the given names Emily Audrey in their (incomplete) 1973 - 2010 newspaper listing database:

Surname: COOMBE
Given name(s): Emily Audrey
Source date: A2001

Surname: GRIFFIN
Given name(s): Emily Audrey
Source date: A1997

If I had access to ancestry.com I'd check them out too....

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ghostknife - 04-13-2011, 07:22 AM
Don't know if this link will work but that tree might lead onto Audrey if you can access it (EMERY - WALKER FAMILY TREE )

http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-b...prox=1&db=&ti=5544&ti.si=0&gss=angs-b&srchb=t

Jeez this just gets weirder, I rang my mum OS and asked her because I vaguely remembered some Harding name in our family somewhere (and my mum/grandma used to live on Harding St) but she said no and that my Grandma had some really good friends called Harding, wouldn't surprise me it it was the same family. Also she said that my great grandfather also used to Run the O.G Hotel at an earlier time period...Seriously I told you Adelaide was weird.

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Mark1966 - 04-13-2011, 07:25 AM
The link works to give you the three family trees but going further needs a subscription or trial

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ghostknife - 04-13-2011, 07:55 AM
Jeez this just gets weirder, I rang my mum OS and asked her because I vaguely remembered some Harding name in our family somewhere (and my mum/grandma used to live on Harding St) but she said no and that my Grandma had some really good friends called Harding, wouldn't surprise me it it was the same family. Also she said that my great grandfather also used to Run the O.G Hotel at an earlier time period...Seriously I told you Adelaide was weird.

Lol, I was trying really hard to somehow claim rights to said razor by family association......FAIL!

 

[ERVARGASNY]

Nice find mark and good Eye for sure. I never seen one like it . Congrats

 

[Mark1966]

Nice find mark and good Eye for sure. I never seen one like it . Congrats

Thanks mate