Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: C96458D005844DB2A5C7D08FA8C0802BBB47
• Census: 31 Mar 1901, Bridlington, , Yorkshire, England; Wyke Dene, Trinity Road
• Census: 2 Apr 1911, Bridlington, , Yorkshire, England; 1 Trinity Road

Notes:

Robert Harker (his son) wrote in his family history notes in May 1990 :

He married Ellen Watson Greenlees Sommerville of Moniave, Dumfries, Scotland in 1917. Ellen Sommerville was the third daughter of William J. Sommerville ( who died 11th November 1896, aged 50 years) and Mary Colville Greenlees ( born 23rd april 1850 ; died 28th February 1913 aged 62 years) of "Bardanach", Moniave.
They are buried at Moniave, the incription on their grave reads " John Sommerville, died 11 Nov 1896 age 50 and our dear mother Mary Colville Sommerville died 28 Feb 1913 age 62 and their youngest son Robert Greenlees Sommerville L/Cpl H.L.I. Glasgow Highlanders died in service in Flanders 18th July 1915 and their daughter Ellen Watson Greenlees wife of K.F.Harker Lt. R.F.A who died at Bridlington, Yorks. 11th November 1917 and interned here."
My uncle Robert , after whom I was christened , is named in the Regimental Roll of Honour kept at Edinburgh Castle.

Dad served as a Lieut. In the Royal Field Artillery, East Yorks Yeomanry, part of the time in Salonica during the Great War. Kenneth was a trooper in the East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry and was granted a commission in the 2nd Northumbrian Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.
He then joined his father (Henry) in the ship broking firm of Harker, Shield & Co, based in Hull, and then the Argo Shipping Agency based in Hull and Breman, which bought out Harker,Shield & Co..

{Note: The outbreak of WW2 killed off the firm as its major business was between the UK and Hamburg in Germany}

During WW2 he was called to work in the United Kingdom Commercial Corporation,a Government body that organised supplies to the war areas. He was involved in projects in Egypt, Persia, the Middle East, including the building of the road across the desert from from Basra (Iraq) to Russia, and the N Africa landings.
Kenneth was awarded the C.B.E for his wartime work.

Between the wars and during my childhood Dad tought me a vast amount about, sailing, riding, hunting, showjumping and horse management.
In 1929 he was Vice Commodore and in 1932 Rear Commodore of the RYYC Royal Yorkshie Yacht Club )

Kenneth, and son Robert, won many cups with the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club. We owned, at various times the yachts: Lethe, Lalage, Piccanny, Yilt, Prudence, and a small motorboat.

After the war ( WW2) Dad spent some time in India with the India Steamship Co.Then, in about 1946, he went to Sydney, Australia, as a business consultant.

In 1947 Kenneth married Elizabeth D'Ardley, the ex wife , I believe, of a US Senator.

Kenneth and Elizabeth had a daughter Wendy whilst living in Australia.
Kenneth and Elizabeth's marriage broke up about August 1960.

Kenneth and Wendy returned to England in about 1960 and came to live at Sissinghurst, Kent, where he took up dairy farming.

He had a stroke on Boxing day 1969 and died 3 days before his 74th birthday."
Kenneth is buried at the Parish Church, Goudhurst, Kent.


Census:
«i»Henry Harker (32), head, Lamp Manufacturer.
Elizabeth, his wife, aged 30
Lawrence H Harker (9), son
Seymour C Harker (7) son
Kenneth F Harker (5) son
Theodore O Harker (0)(5 months), son
Annie Clayton (18) Niece,
and 2 servants Katherine Brown aged 27 and Emily Sampson aged 21 years.«/i»

Census:
«i»Henry Harker (43), head, Merchant General, born Hull
Elizabeth, his wife, aged 42 years, born Hull
Lawrence Henry Harker (19) son, born Hull
Seymour Caley Harker (17), son, born Hull
Kenneth Farr Harker (15), son, born Hull
«b»Theodore Oliver Harker (10), son, born Bridlington
«/b»and 1 servant Marian Sellers aged 20 years.

Kenneth married Sommerville, Ellen Watson Greenlees on 26 Jan 1917 in Wellington U.F. Church, Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland. Ellen (daughter of Sommerville, William John and Greenlees, Mary Colville) was born about 1890 in Moniave, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, England; died on 11 Nov 1917 in District Bridlington; was buried in Moniave, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Kenneth married Mansfield, Mary "Molly" "Molly" in Apr-Jun 1935 in District Westminster. Mary was born about 1911; died on 15 Dec 1939 in Hutton Nursing Home, Croydon, , Surrey, England; was buried on 19 Dec 1939 in Cemetery, Hessle, , Yorkshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Kenneth married De Ardely, Elizabeth H. in Jan-Mar 1947 in District Westminster. Elizabeth (daughter of Living) was born on 19 Sep 1916; died on 12 Jun 1982 in District Haymarket. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: 60BE861BD26A4C9CB4655B640660A9BC866E

Notes:

Bob was educated at Bridlington Grammer School and went to Wrekin College, Wellington.

Bob enjoyed sailing with his father off the coast of Bridlington and horse riding, in which he became proficient. The family had a large stables and riding school in Bridlington.

After school Bob went into the Army. He went to the Royal Military College at Woolwich. The RMA trained cadets to be officers in the Royal Artillery. Bob was commissioned in the Royal Artillery in 1937.

In September 1940 he went to France and Belgium with the 2nd Medium Regiment RA as part of the British Expeditionery Force BEF. In the early days - the Phoney War - the BEF hung around waiting to see what would happen next. Dad appears to spent much time gambling at Poker and trying to relieve the French of their stocks of grand wines.
The war started in earnest on xxxxxxxx for dad. He recalled knocking off a few church spires with his troop of guns and being machine gunned by German fighters whilst in retreat with the rest of the BEF. He recalled losing a friend who was riding a motorbike behind the vehicle he was travelling in.
In xxxxx 1941 he was evacuated from Dunkirk in Northern France.
In xxxxx 1941 Bob started Flying. He joined No1 EFTS at Reading one of the first 6 Army pilots to join the experimental unit of the Air OP (AOP). The idea was to take experienced gunners into the air to observe and direct gunnery against the enemy. This job was normally performed by the RAF who lacked the appropriate gunnery skills.

Bob had a couple of minor crashes in this early period but most importantly met a young girl Kathleen Campigli (my mother).

On 9th December 1941 he had his 3rd prang. He crashed into the Isle of Wight. This was a serious crash and he was unconscious for many days, nearly losing his leg which was saved by pioneering surgery undertaken by an American surgeon. Thereafter one leg was shorter than the other.

Bob came out of Hospital in June 1942.

Credit: Charles Kenneth Sommerville Harker

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]