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Story received from Alan Goodchild

Percival James Harding born about 1872.

Percival's father was  George Percival Harding b28/6/1839 Winterbourne

George's parents were James Harding 1803-1877  Winterbourne and Elizabeth Upton 1812-1898.

We dont know who Percival's mother was or what happened to his father George Percival but believe Percival was adopted and studied medicine but his stepfather could not afford the costs and he travelled to India probably in mid 1890's and initially joined the British India Shipping Navigation Company (B.I.S.N.)

Percival also had a sister who also went to India and married a tea planter but we dont know her name or husbands name.

The Harding family lived in Pye Corner.

The surname was changed to Hardinge after Percival arrived in India and he also changed his name to Percival Mobly Hardinge in 1925 for some reason. We have no idea where Mobly came from.

Percival is my wife's grandfather and the family were all living in Rangoon when the Japanese invaded in April 1942, so all records including photographs were lost when they fled the city. Percival died shortly before that at the Lashio Railway Station where he went to join his son Kenneth Hardinge who was working in the Burma Railways at the time. Unfortunately Kenneth probably was executed by the Japanese in Lashio.

Alan Goodchild
Australia

Percival James Harding

This photograph may have been taken in Bristol before he departed for India.