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George E Hardie (1871 - 1945)

George E. Hardie, the fourth son and the eighth and youngest child of William Hardie and Jessie Stoddart. He was born on 3 November 1871 in Gladsmuir, East Lothian.

Little is known about the families movements during the period from 1871 to 1879. In 1879 George emigrated to Australia with the rest of the family (minus Christina and William). They travelled aboard the Oakland, which arrived in Adelaide, South Australia on 23 September 1879. Immigration records give his age at the time as 7.

George travelled to Maryborough with the rest of the family some time after 1881.

George Hardie was married on 6 September 1899, at age 27, to Joan Kitching. The marriage took place in St Matthews Church Howard, Wide Bay, Queensland. It was witnessed by Adam Kitching (Joans Brother) and Isabella Aitkin.

Joan Kitching, the third child and eldest daughter of Joseph Charles Kitching and Lillias Cockburn, was born on 15 February 1879 in Pentland Mains, Lasswade, Edinburugh. Joan was poorly educated, barely able to read or write, so it is likely she started working in the mines at an early age.

George and Joan produced eight children (4 boys and 4 girls):

  • George Hardie Born. 11 July 1900 Ipswich, Queensland ; Died. 22 February 1904.
  • Lillian Hardie Born. 25 April 1902 Ipswich, Queensland ; Married John Cree McCrindle
  • David Hardie Born. 8 May 1904 Ipswich, Queensland ; Married Pearl Howard
  • Esther Hardie Born. 24 November 1912 Ipswich, Queensland; Married Leonard Collins
  • Alexander Hardie Born. 20 May 1906 Ipswich, Queensland; Married Doreen Edwards
  • Charles Hardie Born. 8 August 1908 Ipswich, Queensland ; Married 1 - Dorothy Isobel Watt on 21 December 1946 ; married 2 - Esther Bridget Malloy Died. 29 January 1980 ;
  • Robert Hardie Born 28 June 1910 Ipswich, Queensland ; d. 27 July 1943 Ipswich, Queensland.
  • Walter Sydney Hardie Born. 18 Dec 1914 ; Married Peggy ? .
  • Douglas James Hardie Born. 28 February 1917 Ipswich, Queensland ; Married Doreen Bain on 21 October 1944
  • Ruth Hardie Born. 19 December 1919 ; Married Eric Roach
  • George Norwood (Foster Child)

George and Joan moved to Ipswich with the rest of the Hardie family some time around 1905. Joans parents Joseph and Lillias had moved to Lindsay St, Bundamba in 1905. Lindsay St is near the present day location of the near the Bundamba Racecource. At the time of the 1906 census George and Joan were living with Joans parents at Lindsay St.

In the period from 1910 George worked as an Engine Driver. The engine driver runs the engine house. He is in charge of the winding engine.It is unknown whether he worked in his brothers mining operation, but this is quite likely, as many other members of the family did.

Some time before 1917 George and Joan moved to Borehole Estate (near Bundamba) with the rest of the Hardie Family, where they built a house.

George was an active alcoholic until he found religion. He joined the Exclusive Brethren Congregation (which is quite a closed society) and never touched a drop of alcohol again. Apparently this new found religion caused a rift in the family. The nature of the Brethren church meant that George 'separated' from his family, and from this point onward, he had only limited contact with his siblings.

George's children do not remember the family as being 'close', but they do remember visiting the 'top Hardies' - the family of John Stoddart Hardie, so called because they lived on top of the hill.

George E Hardie and Joan continued to live at the house on ? street until George's death in Ipswich General Hospital, Ipswich on 17 April 1945, he was 73. He was buried on 18 April 1945 in Ipswich Cemetery, Ipswich, Queensland. His death certificate indicates that he was buried by the Brethren minister - J McCrindle (his son in law) and witnesses to the burial were H J Marshal and O Kopelke

Joan lived on at the family home until her death on 22 March 1951. Upon her death, the public curator distributed her estate, which totalled £410 95p. A total estate after funeral expenses and dispersements of £358 pounds 46 pence was split equally among 8 surviving children. Each child received £43 pounds, which had the equivalent purchasing power of $2000 in 2013.

Associated Documents

  • Birth Certificate - George E Hardie
  • Marriage Certificate - George E Hardie  and Joan Kitching
  • Death Certificate - George E Hardie
  • Immigration Record - George E Hardie
  • Electoral Records - George E Hardie and Joan Kitching
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