William Stoddart Hardie 1855 - 1935

William Stoddart Hardie (1856 - 1935)

William Stoddart Hardie was born at 4:30am on Feb 12 1856 in Macmerry Gladsmuir, East Lothian, the eldest child of William Hardie and Jessie Stoddart. He was born a full 22 months before his parents marriage, which explains the use of Stoddart on his baptismal certificate. His father was likely in Trapain working at the time, and his mother returned to her home in Macmerry to give birth.

His family lived in 

Some time around ? the family moved to Penston, and at the time of the 1871 census he was working as a miner. 

Both of his grandmothers, as well as his aunt and cousin were living with the family in Penston. His paternal grandmother - Euphemia Jaffray - and his aunt - Christina Falconer - both passed away in 1875. His sister Christina emigrated to Australia in 1877. Then his maternal grandmother - Christina Smith passed away in February 1878.

About a month later, William made his way to Greenock - near Glasgow - where she sought selection for sponsored emigration. On 31 Mar 1878 he boarded the Nairnshire at Springfield Quay in Greenock and arrived in Brisbane on 24 Jun 1878. Nairnshire was a 965 ton ship in the charge of Captain Walter B Niven. It was under contract fromThomas Law and o to the Queensland government, and on this journey included 340 emigrants - 110 single men, 70 single women and 70 married couples and their families. Applicants were selected by the shipping agent for inclusion in the program. The emigrants were taken upriver by the steam Setter and landed at Queens Wharf just after 8pm on 24th Jun. They were made available for engagement on the morning of 25 June.

As an experience coal miner it is not suprising that William ended up in Ipswich, coal was first discovered there in 1827 and the first coal mine opened at Woodend in 1848. by 1865 there were mines in Goodna, Tivoli Redbank. In 1877 the Bundamba mines opened, so it is likely around here that he found employment. 

We know that in 1881 William is living at Moores Pocket in Ipswich, as it is here that he marries Margaret Perry Dilley on 25 December 1881. Margaret was born in 1859 in ?, she was the daughter of Frederick Dilley and Elizabeth Perry.

William and Margaret had seven children:

• Eliza Hardie Born 1882 Died 1972 Married William Llewellyn Davies Salked
• William Hardie Born 1883 Died 1969 Married Elizabeth Thomas
• Jessie Hardie Born 1885 Died 1954 Married David Scott Anderson
• John Hardie Born 1887 Died ? Married ?
• Thomas Perry Hardie Born 1889 Died 1948 Married Pearl Tapp
• Janet Hardie Born 1892 Died ? Married ?
• Margaret Perry Hardie Born 1898 Died ? Married ?

In 1882 William first appears on the Electoral Roll for Bundamba, and by 1885 the family were living in Borehole . Some time before 1885 William and Margaret took in Bennet Pringle Hardie - the illegitimate son of Williams sister Christina. Apparently they raised their nephew as their own child. He was enrolled at Bundamba School in 1885 aged 5. On the Bundamba School Records his father is noted as a pitman - so we know that by this time William was definately working in the mines.