George Edward GARDINER (1842-1897)

George Edward Gardiner (1840-1897) was the brother of Caroline Florence Mourilyan (née Gardiner), who was the sister-in-law of Eugénie Sladden (née Mourilyan). 

George was born in 1840 at Bath, Somerset, the eldest of nine children of George Gregory, a Clerk in Holy Orders, and his wife, Frances Mary (née Touchet).  He was baptised on 9th December 1840 at Walcot St Swithin, Somerset.  The family then lived at 12 Cavendish Place, Walcot.

When he was 11 years old, the family moved to Bonn when Reverend Gardiner was appointed the English chaplain.  In 1859 the family moved to Paris, where Reverend Gardiner had accepted a post as Chaplain of the English Protestant Chapel in Avenue Marboeuf.

In 1860, George entered Brasenose College, Oxford, gaining BA in 1864 and MA in 1867.  Following in his father’s footsteps, George entered the church.

On 2nd August 1870 he married Bridget Downing Bowles Stancomb at Melcombe Regis, Weymouth, Dorset.  The wedding ceremony was conducted by the Lord Bishop of Guiana, assisted by the Rev G G Gardiner, MA, of Paris (George’s father).

In 1871, George and Bridget were living at Coleorton, Leicestershire, where he was Curate.  They then moved to Buxton, Norfolk, where George was Vicar for a short time.  George and Bridget had two children:  George Austin (1872-1912) born at Coleorton and Bridget Edith Alberta (1874-1959) born at Buxton.  Shortly after Bridget’s birth, they moved to Box, Wiltshire, where George was now Vicar.  A letter of 9th July 1880 reveals that his sister, Florence Mourilyan, and her husband, Fred, went to stay with them at Box.

Reverend Gardiner died at Hastings on 10th July 1840, aged 57, and was buried in Hastings Cemetery.