Alfred John Harding, 1869-1946
Francis Collinson noted ‘The Big Plum Pudding’ in Great Chart, 28th June 1944, from a singer whose name he recorded only as “Harding”. If the singer had been female, he would almost certainly have recorded her name as Mrs or Miss Harding so, on this assumption, the singer is most likely to have been Alfred J. Harding who in 1939 lived at 2 Leacon Cottages, Great Chart.
He was born at Maidstone on 26th December 1868, and baptised the following day at Holy Trinity, Maidstone. His parents were Alfred Thomas Harding and Annie, née Simmonds; their residence was given as Ramsgate, and their occupation as “Strolling Player”. In 1871 the census found them at Station Road, Frindsbury, North Aylesford, the parents’ occupation listed as “Theatrical”.
Ten years on, in 1881, at the time of the census, they were lodging at the Wheat Sheaf Inn, Bexhill, in Sussex. Alfred Senior appears to have remarried. His occupation is now given as Photographer; his wife Ellen is listed as “Photographer’s wife”; while 13 year old Alfred is shown as “Photographer’s son” – presumably this means that he and Ellen were assisting in his father’s business.
At the age of 22, on 14th June 1891, Alfred married Eliza Ann Ifield, at St. James’ church, Egerton. The occupation of both him and his father was given as “Marrionette Performer”.
In 1901 they were living at Liverton Street, Lenham, with 3 sons and a daughter (their eldest son, also Alfred, aged 9, appears to be living with his grandparents in Egerton). Alfred appears to have given up the entertainment business – or perhaps it was simply that it was no longer his main source of income; his occupation is now listed as “Ordinary agricultural labourer”.
Eliza died in 1909, but Alfred quickly remarried: on 26th July 1909 he was married at St Mary the Virgin, Ashford, to 22 year old Mabel Harriett Maria Wilson. The 1911 census shows them living at 16 Rugby Gardens, Ashford. There were now 8 children in the household: 5 from Alfred’s first marriage, a new baby, and 2 shown as stepson and stepdaughter (presumably illegitimate, since Mabel was listed as a spinster when marrying Alfred). Both Alfred and his 19 year old son William were listed as “Marionette showman”.
Alfred’s activities as a marionette performer led to at least one brush with the law. The Kentish Express, 28th December 1907, reported on a case at Ashford Police Court concerning a performance at The Foresters’ Arms, South Ashford (literally a two minute walk from his home in Rugby Gardens) on the night of 25th and 26th November. Walter Crittenden, the landlord, was summoned for using his premises for a stage play without a licence, while Alfred Harding was summoned for presenting the stage play. PC Bryerley, who visited the pub on the two nights in question, stated that 2d was charged for admission; forty people were present, including some children, and intoxicating liquors were served. On the second night Sergeant Payne, accompanied by Sergeant Fowle and Detective McGovern, “went upstairs to the long room, where there was a small stage with a drop scene. A performance by marionettes was being given”. The sergeant proceeded to give a summary of the plot of the play – it concerned a man who had left his home in Switzerland to fight against the Peruvians (laughter in court), saved the life of his commanding officer and was raised to the rank of major (renewed laughter), but when the officer’s wife was murdered “eventually the crime was brought home to the dark villain (roars of laughter)”. The case hinged on whether a marionette performance should be classed as a “stage play”. Alfred Harding “said he did not have a licence as he did not think he required one for a marionette performance. He had performed, he added, in many places in Kent and had never received a complaint”. Mr Bracher, appearing for the defence, brought up various cases in support of the defendants’ plea of not guilty, and asked where the line should be drawn – if a marionette show was in breach of the 1843 Act, might not also the performance of a monologue, or a reading from Shakespeare? “He failed to see any difference between a gentleman giving a Shakespearean reading and the defendant, who with his dollies portrayed the wonderful events so vividly described by the police sergeant”. The lawyer said that his client “had performed during the last twenty-one years in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, and had lately been employed by Lady Harris at Belmont”. The report continued
The defendant, Alfred Harding, then went into the witness box and described his marionette show, mentioning that he started when a little boy, learning it off his father. The witness caused some amusement by producing one of the puppets, holding it high in order to show how the arms and legs moved. – Mr. Bracher: They have no life? – Witness: They are made of wood, the only life they had was when they belonged to the tree.
The magistrates dismissed the case against both defendants – “they did not think for one moment think the defendants willingly acted against the law”, and “As regards the complaint against Harding no case had been made out”. They did however express the opinion “that this performance should not take place on licensed premises”.
The 1921 census lists the family at The Leacon, Great Chart. There are now twelve in the household, including another five children born since the previous census. The three older sons are working for local farmers, while Alfred is now an Auxiliary Post Man. In 1939, his occupation is “General Labourer Retired”. He and Mabel are living at 2 Leacon Cottages, Great Chart. Their youngest son, Leslie, is working as a Cowman, and still living with his parents.
Alfred died on 15th December 1946.
Songs
- The Big Plum Pudding (Roud 21896)