Peter John Harding
Birth 19 DEC 1947
According to the Registers of Electors 1969 - 1970 the Bonta family lived at 48 Muschamp Road, Carshalton.
Presumed father and mother, Albert J and Edna M Bonta of Susan E Bonta.
Peter J Harding was also living at the same address. The Y before his name indicates that he is not entitled to vote until after 1st October 1969.
The Representation of the People Act 1969 (c. 15) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that lowered the voting age to 18 years. This statute is sometimes called the Sixth Reform Act.
The act extended suffrage to 18-year-olds, the first democratic nation to lower its age of franchise to include this age group. Previously, only those aged over 21 were permitted to vote.
Section 27(1) of the act provided that sections 1, 2 and 3 and so far as relates to qualification of voting at local government elections, section 15, of the act, would come into force as to have effect with respect to the registers of electors for the year 1970.
Section 27(2) of the act provided that section 23 of the act so far as it relates to the age for voting at ward elections or to sections 1 or 3 of the act would come into force as to have effect with respect to the ward lists for the year 1970.
Section 27(3) of the act provided that the act would come into force on a day or days appointed by the home secretary by statutory instrument.
The Representation of the People Act 1969 (Commencement) Order 1969 (SI 1969/630) provided specific commencement dates for acts enactments listed in the schedules to the statutory instrument.
The Representation of the People Act 1969 (Commencement No. 2) Order 1971 (SI 1971/544) provided that section 18(1) of the act would come into force on 1 July 1971.
The Representation of the People Act 1969 (Commencement No. 3) Order 1976 (SI 1976/2064) provided that the rest of the act would come into force on 1 February 1977, namely paragraph 4 of part II of schedule 2 to the act.
On 1st October 1969, given a date of birth of 19th December 1947, Peter J Harding would have been, 21 years, 9 months, 13 days including the end date.
The electoral roll was evidently prepared prior to the change in the voting age, which is both understandable and consistent with the starting dates of the Act.
The entry of a Y on his record is not inconstant with his date of birth of 19th December 1947.
The absence of a Y before Susan's name indicates that she was older than Peter and already eligible to vote.
There is also a Eva M Murdoch living at number 48. Currently I have presumed that this is Edna's mother.
It would therefore be reasonable to assume that Susan's mothers maiden name would be Murdoch.
An extract from the Q2 1950 Birth Index
Name; Bonta, Susan E. - Mother's Maiden Name; Murdoch - District; Surrey N.E.
However, this gives rise to a problem.
There is no annotation on the Register of Electors for Bonta, Susan E. suggesting no restrictions due to age. Stated date of eligibility is 10th October 1968, hence 21 years of age before that date, for date of birth, i.e.. 11th October 1947.
To be resolved.
Harding, Peter J. married Bonta or Bunta in Sutton district Q4 1968. Vol 5E Page 383
Bonta, Susan E. married Harding in Sutton district Q4 1968. Vol 5E Page 383.
This entry resolves the previous Bonta or Bunta as Bonta. Both proceeding and succeeding entries are Bo.
The marriage occurred in the 4th Quarter 1968 so could easily be after the Qualifying date of 10th October 1968.
A Peter J Harding divorced Susan on 3 Nov 1983 at Pinellas, Florida, USA
The record comes up as Ancestry hints in both Peter's and Susan's profiles.
I have yet to find records of travel or emigration to USA.
Some Ancestry Trees have Peter J Harding as marrying a person called Parsons in 1990 in Australia.
I have yet to find evidence.
'Gerald W and Jill M Parsons had a daughter Unknown Parsons Birth ABT. 1959 • Fulham, London, England'
It is the marriage to the daughter of Gerald W Parsons and Jill M Parsons nee Page that brings Peter J Harding into my tree.
Some Ancestry Trees have Peter J Harding as having died on 4 June 2024 at Torrevieja, Alicante, Pais Valenciano, Spain.
