Introduction
Herbert Goldring lived at Hardington for about seven years before the First World War. He served in the army during the war and later worked as a civil servant. The war took a heavy toll on his mental health, which was further exacerbated by the loss of his brother and his mother’s suicide. In his sixties, a combination of finding love and retiring brought buried trauma to the surface. Although he married at the age of 63, this relationship led to an intense fear that he might lose control and harm his wife. In 1965, he took his own life while suffering from depression.
Childhood
Herbert was born at Yetminster on 30 June 1897, the younger of two sons born to George and Mary Goldring.[1] His father, George, was a dairyman.
The family moved to Corscombe in about 1900 and to Hardington in about 1907.
On 4 February 1907, Herbert and his brother, Frederick, were admitted to Hardington School. In May 1907, they were among the fourteen village children who passed the diocesan temperance examination.[2] In June 1911, they took part in games to celebrate the coronation.[3]
By the age of 13, Herbert had left school and was working in his father’s dairy.
First World War
Both Herbert and Frederick joined the army, causing their mother to worry constantly about their safety while they were at the front. On 12 September 1916, she hanged herself after receiving news that Frederick had been severely wounded in both legs.[4] He died from his injuries five days later.[5]
Civil Service
Herbert survived the war and found work as a clerk with the Ministry of Labour in London. By June 1921, he was boarding at 48 Stratford Road, Kensington, and by September 1939, he lived at 21 Bolingbroke Road, Hammersmith.
Throughout most of his civil service career, he remained single, but in his sixties, he found a life partner.[6]
Marriage
In 1960, Herbert married Marjorie Mabel Elvin Abrams in the Marylebone district. At the time, Herbert was 63 years old, and Marjorie was 49.
Marjorie was a clerk in the Civil Service and originally came from Grimsby.
They lived in an impressive four-bedroom semi-detached house with large bay windows at 60 East Acton Lane.
Death
Herbert struggled with mental health issues. On 1 April 1965, Marjorie gave him breakfast in bed before leaving for work. Afterwards, he made his way to Brighton and jumped off the cliffs near Roedean. His body was discovered later that day on the undercliff walk.
During the inquest, Marjorie testified that Herbert had shingles in 1958 and subsequently received treatment at a hospital for nervous disorders. He worried about everything and suffered from depression. Two weeks before his death, he had been in an extremely agitated state and expressed fears that he might harm her. The inquest jury reached a verdict that he took his life while the balance of his mind was disturbed.[7]
References
[1] Civil Registration Birth Index; 1939 Register; Yetminster baptism register.
[2] Western Chronicle, 31 May 1907, p.6.
[3] Western Gazette, 23 June 1911, p.4. The report only mentions the name Goldring with no first name, but both brothers were probably present.
[4] Western Chronicle, 22 September 1916, p.3.
[5] Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.
[6] In the 1960s, male civil servants generally retired at the age of 65, but Herbert may have retired earlier or slightly later. He was retired when he died.
[7] Acton Gazette, 8 April 1965, p.1.