John Hardy

John was the fifth son of Herbert and Emma Hardy (née Buckle). His father was born in Mansfield in 1851 and his mother at Holbeck, Leeds, in 1854. Herbert and Emma were married at Holbeck in 1873 (reg. A/M/J) and had eleven children, one of whom died in infancy: Benjamin b. Holbeck 1875, Martha b. Carnforth Lancashire 1876 d. 1876, Frank b. Carnforth birth registered 1878 (J/F/M), Mary Ellen b. Carnforth 1879, Sarah Emma b. Carnforth 1881, Herbert b. Nottingham birth registered 1884 (J/F/M), Harry b. Nottingham birth registered 1886 (J/F/M), John b. Mansfield 1887 (O/N/D), Sybil Kate b. Mansfield 1890, William b. Mansfield 1892 and George Arthur b. Mansfield 1895. Herbert and Martha's first child Benjamin was born in Holbeck, Leeds, in 1875 then their subsequent four children were born in Carnforth, Lancaster, between 1876 and 1882. In 1881 Benjamin (30), a railway engine driver, and Emma (27) were living in Carnforth with their three children Benjamin (6), Frank (3) and Mary Ellen (1). Their eldest daughter, Martha, had died in 1876 and their third daughter Sarah was born in Carnforth at the end of 1881. Their next two children, Herbert and Harry, were born in Nottingham in 1884 and 1886 respectively but they had moved to Mansfield by the time of the birth of their ninth child, Sybil, in 1890. In 1891 the family was living on Portland Street, Mansfield. Herbert was now a boot dealer and insurance agent. He and Emma had eight children: Benjamin a druggist's clerk, Frank an errand boy, Mary, Sarah (9), Herbert (7), Harry (5), John (3) and Sybil (1). Herbert and Emma were living on Portland Terrace, Portland Street, in 1901. In the home on the night of the census were eight of their ten children: Benjamin a Poor Law clerk, Sarah a wrapper (jam factory), Herbert a haberdasher's assistant, Harry a sadler's apprentice, John an errand boy, Sybil, William (9) and George (5). Frank, a tailor's traveller, was recorded in Tibshelf, Derbyshire, a visitor in the home of William and Mary Ann Sugars whose daughter Ada he was to later marry. Mary was a hospital nurse at the Union Workhouse, Horninglow, Burton upon Trent. John joined the Grenadier Guards three years later in 1904 and was discharged to the Army Reserve in 1907. Herbert snr. died aged 57 in September 1908. His widow, Emma, was living at 29 Portland Road, Mansfield, in 1911. Also in the home on the night of the census were five of her children: Herbert was a clothier's shop assistant, Harry a saddler and harness maker (employer), Sybil Kate of no occupation, William a grocer’s shop assistant, and George a tailor’s errand boy. Of her other five children: Benjamin married Elizabeth Slack in 1902 and they and their three children were living in Huthwaite. Frank married Ada Sugars, also in 1902 and they and their three children were living in Mansfield. Mary Ellen was a district nurse living in Acklington, East Chevington, Northumberland, a boarder in the home of another district nurse. Sarah married Ernest Mann in 1902. John married Cecilia Ethel Burton (b. 1882 Sedgebrook Lincolnshire) on 17 August 1910 and they had two sons, Jack Lionel (b. Huthwaite 1911) and Geoffrey John (b. June 1918). In 1911 John, a stoker, Cecilia and their son Jack were living at 14 King Street, Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Cecilia and her son Geoffrey were living on Sherwin Road, Nottingham. She died in 1977. Emma died aged 61 on 1 February 1915. John's brother George served in the East Surrey Regiment and was killed in 1917. A newspaper report of George's death recorded that one brother had been permanently disabled as a result of war service [John], two of his sisters were nursing in England - Mary Ellen and Sibyl Kate who in 1939 was assistant matron at a hospital in Wakefield, Yorkshire - and two brothers [Harry and probably Herbert] and a brother-in-law were also serving. The report of John's death in the local paper in March 1918 recorded that 'One brother [George Arthur] has been killed in action, and there are two others in the army [Harry and probably Herbert]. Two of his sisters [Mary and Sibyl] are nurses, and there is a brother-in-law in France.' Harry attested on 16 December 1915 and transferred to the Army Reserve the following day. He was mobilised on 13 October 1916 and served with the Royal Field Artillery; the army had confirmed his qualifications as a saddler and harness maker. Harry was married in October 1915 and his wife made an enquiry in August 1919 about obtaining a passport to visit her husband in Germany so it can be assumed that he served with the army of occupation. Harry was demobilized in September 1919. The other brother to serve was probably Herbert (b. 1884). The two other brothers, Benjamin and Frank, were in their late thirties when war was declared.