Ernest Hardwick, b1893, Gateshead, death info

[Sailormannn]

Looking for info on Ernest Hardwick b23/9/1893 Felling, Gateshead. Served with 18th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers from 1914-19, #18/905. Also Merchant Navy 1925-45 #R131083.

Have not been able to find a death record. Last known address was the Station Hotel in Gateshead in 1945 where his brother Herbert was the manager.

Any help finding a record after 1945 much appreciated.

[CaroleW]

freebmd has a couple of deaths matching his name/birthyear but not in Gateshead.  Do you know for certain he died in Gateshead?

Was he married?  Children??

[Sailormannn]

freebmd has a couple of deaths matching his name/birthyear but not in Gateshead.  Do you know for certain he died in Gateshead?

Was he married?  Children??

Thanks for the reply. Not sure where he died but his roots were in Gateshead and this was his last known address. Have looked through various online resources including freeBMD and found matches on name and "year" of birth but no exact matches on name and "month, day and year" of birth.

He was married in 1919 but separated by 1925. His ex and a child left Gateshead in 1925 travelling to the USA and settling in Canada. Hardwick entered Merchant Navy ~1925 and worked on various ships out of Newcastle until 1945. The rest is a mystery.

His brother Herbert Hardwick b Jun10,1888 d 1970 was manager of the Station Hotel in Gateshead. If there was an obituary that might provide a clue but have not been able to find one.

[Ruskie]

It may be worth checking the near matches. It is not unusual for people not to know their birth dates, nor is it unusual for informants at someone's death to get details wrong.

Did you get his exact date of birth from his birth certificate?

Not everyone would have had a newspaper notice of death or an obituary.

Have you looked for his Merchant Seaman's Records?

[Sailormannn]

It may be worth checking the near matches. It is not unusual for people not to know their birth dates, nor is it unusual for informants at someone's death to get details wrong.

Did you get his exact date of birth from his birth certificate?

Not everyone would have had a newspaper notice of death or an obituary.

Have you looked for his Merchant Seaman's Records?

Hi there. Yes. We have his exact date of birth from his birth certificate.

We have tried wider searches but nothing so far lines up. We have his history in the Merchant Navy up to Oct 20, 1945 when he was released. It's a mystery after that. His brother Herbert was the Manager of the Station Hotel (now called The Old Fox) in Gateshead and his last known address.

Understand there may not have been an obituary. Hoping for some clues.

[mirl]

Having been in the Merchant Navy for twenty years he would have had the opportunity to visit numerous other ports.  Is there one or two that he visited more than others that would suggest an attachment locally?

Have you tried searching for the son to see if they met up again?  Post WWII the son would have been in his mid-twenties and wanting to reconnect.  If he had served he may have been in the UK for the war.

What about the sons from his wife's previous marriage?  Could have had an attachment to them and sought them out too?

[Sailormannn]

Having been in the Merchant Navy for twenty years he would have had the opportunity to visit numerous other ports.  Is there one or two that he visited more than others that would suggest an attachment locally?

Have you tried searching for the son to see if they met up again?  Post WWII the son would have been in his mid-twenties and wanting to reconnect.  If he had served he may have been in the UK for the war.

What about the sons from his wife's previous marriage?  Could have had an attachment to them and sought them out too?

Thanks. All good suggestions.

We have reviewed some of his MN records and most of the ships he worked on were based out of Newcastle. We haven't found any evidence he settled abroad but perhaps we need to look more closely at the ports angle and see if there could be a connection. His last crew agreement in 1945 shows his address in Gateshead.

We don't think the son had contact even while serving overseas. The son was in the UK briefly before landing in France in July 1944. The other sons from the previous marriage likely did have contact with Hardwick in Gateshead. Unfortunately all of the relations are now deceased and info on Hardwick appears to have not been passed on at least as far as we know. We were hoping to find a death record for Hardwick in the UK but have so far come up empty. There are many Ernest Hardwick's deceased in England but none with the same birthdate. We also explored the idea that he may have tried to seek out the son travelling to North America but haven't found any evidence he travelled to the USA or Canada.

So the search continues. All ideas and suggestions much appreciated.

[Ruskie]

Electoral rolls ? 1939 register (unless he was serving)?

[mirl]

A death registration is only as good as the information provided by the informant so if that person wasn't close to the deceased then information given is likely to be inaccurate.  Even close family members often get things wrong.

On the other hand, I think a probate or a will is more likely to contain accurate information as it came from the deceased.