On familysearch.org, of the several results of the search, there was one belonging to an individual I had not seen before. England Births and Christenings 1538-1975 has:
Ann Symons Hardman baptized 28 Apr 1824 at Holy Trinity, Frome, Somerset
parents: William and Elizabeth
Expanding the search for any Hardman, baptized in Frome, Somerset, I found:
Matilda Hardman 17 Mar 1826 parents: William and Elizabeth
Jane Hardiman 17 Jun 1821 parents: William and Elizabeth
Ann's middle name Symons seems likely to be a mis-spelling or spelling variant of Symonds, the maiden surname of William's mother. Matilda is surely Ann Symons Hardman's sister, and Jane also, given her parents names and the lack of other Hardiman baptisms at this place around this time. I was already looking for a Jane Hardman, since the marriage of Elizabeth Frances Hardman to John Green Winter was witnessed by a Jane Leicester, noted on the document to be a sister of Elizabeth.
I already have four children of William Hardman and Elizabeth Willis, among them John Hardman, Captain of the Mizzen Top (and my3xgreat grandfather). These all have a record of baptism at Swithin Worcester. And here, potentially, are three more, but from Frome, Somerset. William Hardman, the father, was born in Hereford, so these baptisms would indicate a move to Frome, before subsequently settling in Worcester.
The ancestry.com search was even more intriguing, since it showed me some pictures attached to a public member tree. These pictures were documents associated with Ann Symonds Hardman. They placed her in Australia. All these documents are held by Graham Smith in Australia, a descendent of Ann Symonds Hardman; and I am thankful to him and his family for treasuring and preserving them.
First, there is an official copy from 1877 of a certificate for a marriage originally solemnized on 16 January 1855 at Trinity Church, Adelaide, South Australia.
Groom: George Kurn / 38 / Mariner / Bachelor
Bride: Simmonds Hardman / 30 / / Spinster
This is only encouraging through its containing the name Simmonds Hardman. But there's more, an official copy from 1877 of a certificate for a marriage originally solemnized on 24 November 1869, also at Trinity Church, Adelaide, South Australia:
Groom: Wm Thos Smith / 34 / Bachelor / Mariner / Lefevris Peninsula
father: Robt Smith
Bride: Ann Simmonds Kurn / 44 / Widow / / Lefevris Peninsula
father: Wm Hardman
signed: William Thomas Smith and Ann Simmond Smith
witnessed: T Reid / Shipwright / Port Adelaide
J Leicester / / Port Adelaide
This confirms her father's name of William Hardman, and the possibility that, in addition, she shares with Elizabeth Frances Hardman a sister named Jane Leicester. But there's even more, a transcript of a declaration made in 1877 by Mrs. Ann Simmonds Smith for which the above were supporting documents:
I, Ann Simmonds Smith (formerly Hardman) in Port Adelaide in the province of
South Australia, wife of Thomas Smith of the same place, Master Mariner, do
solemnly and sincerely declare and state as follows that I, Ann [am] the daughter of
William Hardman late of Worcester Provisions Merchant deceased and Elizabeth,
his wife (formerly Elizabeth Willis) deceased.
That there were issue of my father William's marriage to his wife Elizabeth, ten
children viz: William, Mary, Elizabeth, Jane, (me) this declarant Ann Simmonds
Smith, Matilda, James, Thomas, John and Eliza.
That my brother William and my sister Jane died some time since, the latter who
had previously married James Isaac George Leicester late of Seferres, New South
Wales, aforesaid Engineer died Twenty First day of July, One Thousand Eight
Hundred and Seventy One. (21/07/1871)...
Which finally confirms that Ann Simmonds Smith (nee Hardman, widow Kurn) is the sister of Elizabeth Frances Hardman, and therefore John Hardman, Captain of the Mizzen Top. The list of siblings also contains all the names I have so far found as children of William Hardman and Elizabeth Willis, plus three additional names: William, Mary and Eliza. Interestingly, the names on the list from Jane through John are in their birth order, but Elizabeth (Frances) should be the youngest. this leads me to suspect that they are mixed up in the list, and that the missing siblings are the three oldest. If so, and assuming 2-3 years between births, then I would expect to see baptisms for William, Mary and Eliza between 1812 and 1819. And I do see one in Hereford for William in 1814, with parents William and Elizabeth, which tentative identification I include below. Here is the list, with their baptismal dates and location:
William 18 Apr 1814 St John Baptist, Hereford, Herefordshire
Mary
Eliza
Jane 17 Jun 1821 Holy Trinity, Frome, Somerset
Ann 28 Apr 1824 Holy Trinity, Frome, Somerset
Matilda 17 Mar 1826 Holy, Trinity, Frome, Somerset
James 30 Nov 1827 St Swithin, Worcester, Worcestershire
Thomas 11 Oct 1829 St Swithin, Worcester, Worcestershire
John 5 Sep 1831 St Swithin, Worcester, Worcestershire
Elizabeth 9 Aug 1833 St Swithin, Worcester, Worcestershire
The wording of Ann's declaration implies that of the ten siblings, only two of them died to her knowledge. One of them is Mrs. Jane Leicester, for whom, in addition to Ann's declaration, the Australia Death Index 1787-1985 has:
Jane Leicester; date of death: 21 Jul 1871; age: 50; residence: Norwood
place of registration: Adelaide, South Australia; Page 102 Vol 102
Of the others in 1877:
Ann is still alive (obviously, since she's making the declaration)
James is in Clifton, Bristol in 1881
Thomas is in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire in 1881
John is in Milton near Gravesend, Kent in 1881
Elizabeth is in Partick, Lanarkshire in 1881
So far, nothing from William, Mary, Eliza or Matilda. However, there is evidence for William Hardman, born in Hereford about 1814. England, Select Mariages, 1538-1973 records the marriage of William Hardman and Susan Mitchell at St Peter the Great, Worcester on 28 Jul 1844, corresponding to:
BMD Marriage Index Sep1844 Worcester 18 563
The 1851 England Census at the Taylor Building, Worcester St Nicholas has:
William Hardman Head Mar 37 Painter and Glazier Journeyman Hereford
Susan Do Wife Mar 30 Worcester City St Swithins
Elizabeth Do Daur U 7 Do Do
Eliza Do Daur U 3 Do Do
William Do Son U 9 mo Do Do
And in 1861 at 4 Fish Street, Worcester St Helens:
William Hardman Head Mar 47 Painter and Glazier Hereford
Susan Do Wife Mar 40 Whitbourne Herefordsh
Elizabeth Do Daur Un 17 Gloveress Worcester
Eliza Do Daur 13 Scholar Do
Sophia Do Daur 5 Scholar Do
By 1871 at 45 Dolday, Worcester All Saints:
Susan Hardman Head Widow 50 Gloveress Herefordshire
[New page]
Elisa Hardman Daur Unm 23 Gloveress Worcester St Helen
Sophia do Daur do 14 do do St Swithin
George do Grandson 2mos do All Saints
William Hardman's death is presumably that reported by:
BMD Death Index William Hardman Jun1866 Worcester 6c 203 Age:52
This series of documents is consistent with William being the sibling known to Mrs. Ann Simmonds Smith to have died before 1877. At this point I am still on the lookout for more documents relating to Matilda, and any documents to Eliza and Mary. But I do believe I have the names of all the children of William Hardman, Provision Merchant of Worcester, and his wife Elizabeth Willis.
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