George Rogers Harding
[1] His father, also George Rogers Harding, was the vicar at the Rectory of Gittisham, a parish situated on the road between Honiton and Exeter, in county Devon, England.
The church, which still stands today, is a fifteenth to sixteenth century building with an attractive stone edifice and the river Otter flowing through its village.
On leaving the university, he entered chambers with R. G. Welford, a well-known equity draftsman and conveyancer, who later became a County Court Judge in the Birmingham District.
[3] He was a member of the Royal Toxophilite Society, which had grounds in Regent Park in London (tennis courts occupy the site today).
By the time that Harding left England, the numbers had reached over two hundred and the venue had been changed to the hall of Lion's Inn (which was later demolished).
The Hardings departed on 21 July 1866 from England and sailed aboard the Queen of the Colonies arriving in Brisbane on 14 October 1866.
They were Emily Georgina, Frances Flora Elizabeth, Rose Mary,[12] Ada Ethel, George Rogers, Josephine Mehetabel, Walter Charles, Francis Arundel, Gwendoline Winnifred, Lucy Gertrude, Maud Matilda, and William Thomas Amyas.
[13] Daniel Rowntree Somerset, Registrar of Pensions, leased Portions 164, 165 & 381, which included St John's Wood (known now as Granite House from the materials used in its construction) to George Rogers Harding in May 1868.
The young Princes are reported as having spent most of their leisure at St John's Wood and Ashgrove, riding through the country and fishing on Enoggera dam with the Harding children.
[21] They attended the Ministerial Picnic that was held at Enoggera Reservoir 19 August 1881 along with two hundred other guests, who enjoyed the boating and lunch in the large marquee.
[22] There is no evidence that on their return to Government House that they visited the Harding residence although they would have passed by the property along Waterworks Road.
Even without Royal patronage George Harding's professional status in the community would have made the many functions at his home well attended by Brisbane society.
[23] He was considered a fair and conscientious man and these qualities lead to him being appointed as Acting Chief Justice in the absence of Sir Charles Lilley from 1883 to 1884.
Taylor reported descriptively on the Judge's chamber, which gave a clear picture of the room in which the respected gentleman was to spend his last days.
The judge died intestate and his assets were placed under the administration of George Frederick Scott, the manager of The Union Trustee Company of Australia, Limited on 5 November 1895.
Harding was not alone in his land speculation as many others also bought up holdings of twenty or thirty properties at a time and secured large profits for them.
[31] Her sister, Barbara Jane, was married to Edward Robert Drury, a banker and soldier who became the Manager of the Queensland National Bank Limited and made advances without consulting the directors and concealing accounts from the board.
[35] At three o'clock that afternoon Mr. Justice Beal, who had taken over the summation from the ill judge was advised by the doctors attending Harding that he was no longer to have communication with the Court office.
He was buried at Toowong Cemetery (beside Emily) on Sunday afternoon, 1 September 1895, after a public funeral that was attended by every class in the community.
[36] The eulogies recorded in The Brisbane Courier after his death extolled his work ethic, his intellect, his friendliness and his kindness although it was mentioned that he did have peculiarities and eccentricities that would fade with time from people's memories.
[38] The judicial bench and the legal profession paid their respects to Mr. Justice Harding in the Supreme Court on 3 September.
He was not prepared financially or personally for his death, leaving large debts[40] and no will, which caused the disintegration of most of the achievements that he had worked for, in his new country.
