Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1965), Friday 21 May 1926, page 8


THE HORDERNS & WINDSOR

(For the "Windsor and Richmond Gazette")

(BY GEO. G. REEVE)

Anthony Hordern (II.) the actual founder of Australia's biggest business, at the Hay-market, Sydney — nowadays it is at Brick-field Hill, where the firm has concentrated its interests — is closely associated with the Hawkesbury district. Anthony, junior, was one of two English born sons (twins) of the pioneer Anthony Hordern and his wife, Ann, arrived at Sydney by the 'Phoenix' 16th June, 1824, as free settlers, but seeing more profits in drapery, bonnets and corsets, the

couple went into business at 12 King-street, Sydney. Anthony Hordern, the younger, was married by special license, on the 17th July, 1841, at St. Matthew's Church, Wind- sor (N.S. Wales) to Miss Harriett Mars-den, only daughter of Samuel Marsden, Esq. a master tanner of the old town, and the tanner's daughter was a niece of then deceased Thomas Marsden, of Marsden and Flower, merchants, of Sydney. The latter gentleman was married to Miss Jane Cath-erine Marsden, fourth daughter of the Rev. Samuel Marsden. Mr. Thomas Marsden died at the early age of 21 years at O'Con-nell, near Bathurst, on the 11th August, 1837. A son of the Marsden-Marsden marriage was the first Bishop of Bathurst. Anthony Hordern, the third, was born at Melbourne, Victoria, 24th July, 1842, whither his parents had gone and were thriving ex-ceedingly in business. The second son of Anthony Hordern, and Mrs. Harriet Marsden Hordern (II.) was Samuel Hordern, father of Sir Samuel Hor-dern. Samuel Hordern was born 1849, and   died 13th August, 1909, aged 60 years. There  was also a son to the Hordern-Marsden couple named Thomas Gilbert Hordern, born 1853, who died on the 29th August 1858, in Sydney, aged 5 years. It was the genius and financial capaci-ties of the gentleman who was married by the Rev. H. T. Stiles, M.A., at Windsor, that created the immense Hordern interests in Sydney and N.S. Wales generally. There is a glorious stained -glass window, richly illuminated in St. Matthew's Church of England, Windsor, depicting "The Stone Rolled away from the Sepulchre" to the memory of Harriet Hordern, wife of An-thony Hordern (II.- G.B.) who died at Genoa, Italy, January 21st, 1872, aged 51 years. There is also a memorial to the "Cur-rency Lass" born at Windsor, N.S. W. (Mrs. Harriet Hordern) at St, James's Church, King-street, Sydney, which reads: — "Erect-ed in memory of Harriet Hordern. By her loving Husband and Children." Mrs. Ann Hordern, the foundress-mother of the Australian Horderns died 18th Janu-ary, 1871, aged 79 years, and is buried at St. Jude's Churchyard, Randwick, Sydney That lady bore in all a family of six child-ren to Anthony Hordern (I.) respectively (5 sons) Anthony (II.), Lebbeus, John, Edward, and William Hordern, the latter of whom settled in Melbourne and became a solicitor: and one daughter who became Mrs. Clowes. This lady returned to England and died there.