Trafford

Born during the September quarter 1877 in the Altrincham R.D. - ref:
8a/180, the son of Richard & Jessey Hardwick (nee Knox).

1881 Census - Wood Heys Grange, Ashton on Mersey.   Son - aged: 3 - born:
Sale, Cheshire.     Head of household - Richard Hardwick - Married - aged:
59 - occ: Woolen & Stuff Merchant (Dealer) - born: Shropshire.   Also
Jessey Hardwick - Wife - aged: 46 - born: London.     Plus 8 siblings and 7
servants.

1891 Census - 2 Oxford Road, Birkdale, Lancashire - Boarder (Boarding
School) - aged: 13 - born: Manchester.   His parents were then residing at
The Avenue, Ashton Upon Mersey.     Head of household Richard Hardwick -
Married - aged: 70 - occ: Merchant - born: Stanton Lacy, Shropshire.    
Also - Jessey Hardwick - Wife - aged: 50 - born: London.   Plus 8 siblings,
but no servants.

The school that Donald was attending in 1891 at 2 Oxford Road, Birkdale is
now a school for the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

His father - Richard Hardwick died in 1893, aged; 71.

Traveled to South Africa in the middle of December 1900 with the object of
buying a farm at Buluwayo.   Finding that he could not reach his
destination, thanks to De-Wet who had destroyed the railway, he decided to
join Lord Kitchener's Scouts.

He attested at Maitland, South Africa on the 17th January 1901 and gave his
mother's name as next of kin, residing at Park Gate, Timperley.  His age
was recorded as: 22 and his trade: Engineer.

1901 Census - His widowed father - aged: 79, is now residing at Broad
Green, Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire.

Family gravestone in Sale (Brooklands) Cemetery - Ethel Napier - died at
Bulawayo, Rhodesia on the 06/07/1898 - aged 22 years.    She was the
daughter of Richard Hardwick J.P. and sister of Donald Hardwick above.  
Family grave situated at the point of Section 'U'.

No Trace WO126/89.

Death reported in the 09/03/1901 edition of the General Advertiser.   
Reported as the son of Richard & Mrs. Hardwick of Park Gate, Timperley.  In
the course of an engagement at Klip Kraal on the 27th February 1901 near
Richmond, he was one of a small band of eighty who were surrounded by the
Boer.   Donald was one of 20 troopers that were killed.