Cudgegong Valley History Project

SAD SUICIDE James Harding, a single man, about 40 years of age, committed suicide at Tabrabucca, near Cudgegong, yesterday morning. Not turning up to milk the cows, his brother went to see what was wrong, and found him on the floor of the house, shot with a gun. Sergeant Capewell, of Rylstone, accompanied by a doctor, went out and held a magisterial inquiry. Deceased was held in great respect, and was in comfortable circumstances. No reason is assigned for the rash act. Mudgee Guardian, Thursday 3 December 1908, p. 14. James Harding Suicide

MRS. HARDING. The following are further particulars (supplied by a correspondent) of the death of Mrs. Harding, reported at the time of its occurrence in the "Guardian" : - An octogenarian in the person of Mrs. Harding passed quietly away at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Edward Briggs, on Tuesday, July 17. The old lady had been living with her children for many years, she having been widowed in 1888, but the major part had been spent with the above-named daughter, who resides near Ilford. The 88th anniversary of her birthday occurred the day previous to her demise. The weather at that time was exceptionally boisterous, with cold wind and driving showers, but, nevertheless, the funeral was well attended. She was interred in the Church of England portion of the Cudgegong Cemetery, the Rev. Mr. Penty, Rylstone, officiating at the grave. The old lady had retained her faculties in a remarkable degree till the past three years when her sight failed, and she was debarred her erstwhile principal pastime of reading, and her memory for recent events became deficient. She suffered no regular illness, but became weak, and on the day of her death she undressed and retired to bed. A few minutes before 6 a.m. she called out, and on her daughter proceeding to her room she announced herself as dying, and expired immediately. She is buried alongside her husband and her deceased sons, James and George Harding. She leaves a numerous family of descendents to mourn their loss. Mrs. Harding comes of a good old English stock. She emigrated to Australia with a sister, Louisa Strains, which latter was her maiden name. They arrived safely in port in Sydney, but while about to disembark her sister met with a terrible death. She unaccountably became entangled in the revolving paddle wheels of the steamer, and was mutilated. Her body was never recovered, Mrs. Harding, or, as she was then, Miss Strains, was but 20 then. She lived first at Hartley, where she married. She left Hartley in 1875 for Tabrabucca, after 26 years' residence, having arrived in the colony in 1849. Her husband died here in 1888, and the balance of her life, except for visits to relatives, was spent in this vicinity. The marriage had issue four sons, George (deceased), James (deceased), Jesse (Tabrabucca), and James (a lately retired teacher, now residing at Rylstone), four daughters, Elizabeth Cummins, Charlotte Ambrose, Mary Pike (Sydney) and Louisa Briggs (Ilford), the two former being long dead. There are 31 grandchildren - Cummins 8, Ambrose 7, Jesse Harding 7, while the families of Mrs. Briggs, Mrs. Pike and Joseph Harding consist of 3 each. There are also 39 great-grandchildren - 25 through the Cummin's branch, 11 from the Ambrose's family, 1 from Pike's and 2 from the Brigg's family. The 3 great-great-grandchildren descend through the Cummin's branch. The following grandsons are at the war :- Victor and Bert Harding, sons of Mr. Joseph Harding, Riverstone; Allan and Chris Cummins and Alfred Ambrose, and likewise one great-grandson, in the person of Norman Jacobs, son of Mr. Jacob Jacobs (Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, Thursday 16 August 1917, page 8).