Caroline Ellen Barnett

Caroline Ellen Barnett was born in Bethnal Green, September 14, 1885.*
*Source: Death registration (1981)

In the 1901 census her name is given as 'Ellen' and presumably in both Caroline (and Mary Ellen Barnett)'s case, the 'Ellen' middle name was inspired by Edwin Barney's Irish wife, Ellen (nee Flynn) who was alive at the time of both births.

In my family, Caroline was known as 'Nell', or 'Aunt Nell' (as I remember her being referred to.)

A postcard exists from her mother and is addressed to 'Nelley Barney' - 'Nelley' being 'Ellen' spelled backwards, with a letter 'y' appended.

Like her siblings, she inherited the 'Barnett' surname first adopted by her father sometime before his marriage. But Caroline appears to have reverted to the orginal 'Barney' family name by the time of her marriage to William 'Will' Hardy, in Bethnal Green bet. April-June 1912. This is confirmed by the marriage registration.

William & Caroline had the following children:

William S. Hardy (b. 1913)
Edward A. P. Hardy (b. 1914)
Ernest E. Hardy (b. 1916)
Frederick J. Hardy (b. 1920)
Eileen M. Hardy (b. June 15, 1923 / d. April 7, 2003  Burbank, Los Angeles, USA) - Married Julian L. Friedman (in Norwich area) Bet.January-March 1945. Emigrated to Florida, USA ?
Denis* H. Hardy (b. 1926) *My father knew of him as 'Denny'.
John P. Hardy (b. 1929)

Caroline died in Southend-on-Sea, Essex bet. July-September 1981