Walter Harman, known as 'Bob' the son of Frank and Doris Harman was born on 31st August 1883 at Packhams Hill and was baptized at the parish church of St. Denys on 11th November 1883.

George Groombridge, a local farmer, who was a member of another large family in Rotherfield, had a daughter. Ellen Sophia who was born on 17th January 1886 and it was she that Walter married on 25th August 1906 in St. Denys church.

They had a large family. Most of who were born at Shernfold Meadow Cottage in Frant where they moved to from 'Cackle Row' near Town Row in Rotherfield. Ellen had a very hard life, as did most mothers at that time. During the hop picking season, she would load the children on to a pram and walk miles out to paddock wood, pick hops all day and then walk all the way back home to cook the tea on the little valor stove. After this she would do the other household chores like washing the clothes and cleaning the house. The money earned from hop picking would be added to that earned by the children who did little jobs before and after school together with their pay for singing in the church choir, and would be used to buy boots and clothes for the children as sometimes, especially during the winter. Their father would only be able to work for two or three days in the week. Walter was a very talented man and, on leaving school, started helping his father in his building trade. He quickly gained the skill of bricklaying and, in later life, was well-known for his expertise in all forms of brickwork. He also had a talent for water divining and it was with this expertise that he built a well when he was working for Messrs Luck and Co. at Wadhurst. He also built a well at his home, Shernfold cottage, which was sixty feet deep and was bricked up as it was dug. Another of his specialist skills was in building old-fashioned stone walls, which he learnt from his father. At that time there were very few people who could do this craft and so his services were in very great demand. In fact, his fame spread to London where special work needed to be done and his firm was asked if they could loan him to carry out this work. They obliged and so he built up his reputation far away from Sussex. Later he worked for the firm of Harry Field in Frant.

When he was sixteen years of age. He ran away and joined the army to serve in the Boer war saying that he was eighteen. He made it to the war, but his true age was found out and he was sent to Bermuda where he was charged with helping to look after the prisoners that were sent there. Later he served in the first world war as a sapper in the Royal Engineers and was wounded in the trenches. He did active service in France and Belgium.

On his return from the war, he took up his trade again and helped to build Crowborough waterworks among other places. He was a busy man with always more work in hand than he could cope with. When he was fifty-four years old he was taken very ill and went into hospital for a major operation. He recovered although the illness never fully left him. A few months before he died in 1942, he suffered another bout of ill health which led to his death. Walter (or Bob as he preferred to be called) and Ellen had eight children - one daughter and seven sons.

He was a hard man and his discipline was very strict. The children were certainly not allowed to laugh or giggle at meals and the biggest crime was to make any noise on a sunday afternoon when he always had a sleep.

Frant loses resident
Death of Mr. "Bob" Harman
Frant has lost a well-known and highly respected resident by the death of Mr Walter ("Bob") Harman, of Shernfold Meadow cottages which took place on sunday. Mr. Harman, who was 59, had put up a plucky fight against ill health for many months. Five years ago he underwent an operation of so serious a character that few people recover from it. He not only recovered, but refused to consider himself an invalid. He went back to duty. Though this involved working out of doors in very severe weather and, for several months, walking to Pembury and back.
Rotherfield family
It is 30 years since Mr. Harman, a member of a very old Rotherfield family, took up residence at Frant. A bricklayer by trade, widely known for the fine quality of his work, Mr. Harman helped to build among other places, Crowborough waterworks, and before the 1914 19188 war he divined water and built a well for Messrs Luck, at Wadhurst. He was an expert in the old-fashioned stone wall work - a branch of the craft which modern bricklayers get few chances to learn - and for this reason was at one time "loaned" to a London firm for special work.
Earned wide respect
Mr. Harman was a man whose word was known to be as good as his bond, and his honesty and out-spoken ness earned the respect of many. He had seen many places outside his own country, for he served in the forces in the Boer war and helped to look after prisoners at Bermuda. In the great war he again saw active service in France and in Belgium.
He leaves a widow, a daughter and seven sons. The eldest son, Mr. Robert Harman, is in the East Sussex Constabulary war reserve. The second, R.S.M. Sidney Harman, has spent six years with the army in India. Two sons in Royal West Kents. The two sons, Herbert and Bernard, are twins, and both joined the Royal West Kents. Herbert was reported missing after Dunkirk, but six months later news was received that he was a prisoner. Frederick, another son, is in the R.A.F., and Jesse is in the merchant navy. The youngest son, John, joined the army when he was 15 and went to the army technical school at Chepstow. Unfortunately he contracted a serious illness and was discharged to pension. He has however, made a splendid recovery and is now a member of the home guard.
The funeral took place at Frant church yesterday, the service being conducted by the Rev. E.M. Bald. The chief mourners were Mr. Harman's widow, his daughter and three of his sons, the rest being unable to attend because of their duties.

Walter's wife Ellen remarried about 18 months after the death of her husband Bob to a Mr. Hole. The exact date of the wedding is not known. I am led to believe, by correspondence with her son Frederick Joseph, that the boys were not happy about this, and disliked the man she married. However Ellen herself was far from well, and died after a short period of time in this marriage.
Extracts from local news paper Sussex &Kent Courier.
Late Mrs. Hole of Frant
The death occurred on saturday of Mrs. Ellen Hole of Shernfold Cottages, Frant, aged 59. She had resided in Frant for over 30 years and before then at Rotherfield. She leaves one daughter and seven sons. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev. M. Bald on wednesday. The chief mourners were Mr. R. Hole, Mrs. A. Cox, Mr. B. Harman, Mr. H. Harman, and Mr. J. Harman. Messrs S. F. and J. Harman was unable to attend through war service.
Wreaths were sent from Miss M. Orr, "a tribute to a friend who always thought of others before herself"; Mr. Robert Hole (widower); Doris and Bert (daughter and her husband); and from the following sons, wives and their families: Bob and Dorothy; Herbert and Kitty; and Bernard and Effie. Also from her sons serving overseas, Sid, Fred and Jesse, and from John and his fiancée Joyce.
From mother and sister Marge; brother Bern, wife and family; brother Fred, wife and family; brother George and wife; brother Amos and wife; miss Orr; Mr. and Mrs. Kent and Phil; Mrs. and Miss North; Mrs. Lewin and members of the local M.U.; Mr. and Mrs. Haliward and Mr. and Mrs. F. Harman (Rusthall); from her ten grandchildren, with various sprays from her own flower garden; Mr. Robert Hole (husband), Mrs. A. Cox (daughter), Mr. Bob Harman, Mr. Herbert Harman, and Mr. John Harman (sons), also on behalf of Sid, Fred and Jesse (sons), serving overseas, wish to thank all the many friends who so aptly expressed their sympathy with flowers, which she enjoyed so much: "the loveliest flower of all - the perfect mother."
Mr. and Mrs. Otterway (Staines); Win and Jack Bristol); Mr. and Mrs. Cousins and family; Mr. and Mrs. Manktelow; Mr. and Mrs. J. Stevens and family; Mrs. F. Watts (junior); Mrs. Wallis (senior); Mrs. Ward; &dr. Mrs. and Miss Midwood; Miss B. Grinham; Mrs. Beauchamp (Virginia Waters); and Miss Rose Excell.