Harriet Stonex

Signed family name

Stonex

Signed given name

Harriet

Given address

Auckland

Sheet number

378

Town/Suburb

No suburb given

City/Region

Auckland

Notes

Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert

Harriet Ray Green was born in Stepney, London to Frederick, a wheelwright, and Mary Ann Green (nee Garrard). Frederick and Mary Ann and two small children immigrated to Victoria, Australia around 1853. Another two children were born in Geelong, Victoria before they moved to Auckland before 1870.

William Stonex was born in Norfolk, England in 1844, a son of William and Mary nee Gex. Both William’s parents died before he was 20. And in 1867 William arrived on the Electric from London.

On Christmas Day in 1871, 'at the residence of the bride's father, Vincent-street, Auckland … William Stonex, youngest son of Mr W Stonex, of Norwich, England, to Harriet Ray Green, eldest daughter of Mr. Frederick Green, late of Geelong, Victoria. Victorian, and Home papers please copy.'

William and Harriet lived in Ponsonby and William worked as a carter. They had eight children:

Frederick William (1872–1935)
Albert Edward (1874–1918)
Margaret Edith (1876–1878)
Joseph Henry (1878–1917)
Alfred Bernard (1881–1957)
Clara Alice (1882–1884)
Marion Rose (1885–1968)
Sydney Walter (1891–1981)

Two of the daughters died young. Margaret Edith at aged two and Clara Alice aged 15 months. In 1899, William died, aged 55, of Mount Roskill, and late of Ponsonby. He was buried at Waikumete Cemetery. Harriet took in boarders to support her family. In 1900 she let the property they occupied in Mt Roskill, 18 acres, good house 6 rooms, 20 shillings a week. And in 1903, she was 'of John-street Ponsonby, half minute from tram, has vacancy for 2 men, share room, 16 shillings, washing and mending included.'

Harriet then re-married in 1904 to George Hardcastle, a railway employee. He was a Yorkshire man, a widower with six grown children. They lived in various addresses around central Auckland. Two of William and Harriet’s sons died before her. Joseph died in 1917, aged 39 years, in an accident at a dairy factory in Newton, Auckland. Son Albert was a partner in the engineering firm Stonex and White died in 1918, aged 44, of illness.

Harriet herself, died in 1921 at Orakei, Auckland, and was buried with her first husband William. Her second husband, George Hardcastle died in 1931, aged 80 years and was buried in the same cemetery with his first wife.