Parish of Leatherhead

Derek Harding
died 6 April 2021, aged 98

Derek Harding died on April 6th 2021 at the age of 98. His faith was the mainstay of his life, and for many years he was Head Server at the parish church. He was born in Southsea, moving to Jersey and Canterbury, and came to Epsom via Canterbury and Jersey. He grew up in Epsom, and attended St. Barnabas church. In the war he served as a wireless operator in military intelligence in North Africa and Italy. After the war Derek continued working for the Ministry of Defence and retired with the equivalent rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His reason for moving to Leatherhead was to build his own house! Troy Homes, champions of small housebuilders, had bought some fields above the Royal School for the Blind, and in the 1950s encouraged ‘amateurs’ to build their own homes, to help in post-war regeneration. So for several years Derek spent weekends and holidays on site in Yarm Close, working on building the estate houses. His wife Veronica, known as Mick would often go along with other wives to make refreshments for the men. Sandra would accompany her and remembers seeing men in scarlet jackets standing in Highlands Road as they went past the Blind School – the Chelsea Pensioners were evacuated there until 1956!

Having achieved such a mammoth undertaking, the Hardings enjoyed living in Yarm Close for over 40 years, until Derek moved to Fetcham following Mick’s death in 2001. From the highest point in the town he now found himself in danger of flooding in Cannon Grove on Christmas Eve 2013.

He and Mick worked as volunteers for many years with the Leatherhead Swans sports club, helping with swimming for people with disabilities of any age. They responded to Dr. Margaret Birtwhistle’s request to her patients to befriend others in the medical practice. He also helped in the monthly churchyard working parties.

After the church fire in 1990 Derek was one of the Churchwatch stewarding team. It was here that he and Mollie Canning got to know each other well, a source of great joy to both, especially when they lived only a field apart! Their main topics of conversation: their faith, and books.

Sandra describes her father as “a good Christian – no saint, but we none of us are, are we?” It’s a description I would be happy with.

Alison Wright
Leatherhead Parish Bulletin May 2021

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