Sir Vincent Titus Algernon Harding (1896 -?)
Vincent Harding’s upstanding reputation as an explorer, archaeologist, author, and paranormal researcher is due to a very distinguished lineage. Traced back to Harding of Bristol or Harding Fitz Eadnoth (1048-1125) who was Sheriff of Bristol. Thomas Harding (1209-1276) was a student of Albertus Magnus, considered one of the greatest medieval philosophers, in Cologne. Hugo Harding (1369-1444) was an apprentice in Paris to Nicolas Flamel. William Harding (1534-1614) was an associate of John Dee, the court astronomer to Queen Elizabeth the first. When Dee eventually left Elizabeth’s service he went on a quest for knowledge of the occult and supernatural, William aligned himself with him and travelled extensively throughout Europe.
In 1913, at the age of seventeen, Vincent undertook a 245-day, 50,000-mile (80,000 km) trip around the rim of the Pacific Ocean in 1913 and 1914. He completed the full anticlockwise trip around the Pacific Rim and end up back on the Diomede Islands on 30th Jan 1914. Having travelled through Russia, Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, United States, and Canada. Upon his victorious return he was unanimously voted to be vice-president of the Royal Geographical Society, London.
Significant archaeological expeditions that Harding undertook have included sites such as Gobekli Tepe, Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Malta and Çatalhöyük, Türkiye; all sites are still of great mystery to the archaeological community. However, Vincent has his own theories regarding these and many other sites around the world, which can be found in his published works ‘Where the Gods dwell’ (1919), and the follow up expose ‘Do the Gods intend to Return’ (1920). In late 1920 he organised and financed an expedition to follow trail of the conquistador Juan Ponce de León. This eventually led Harding to Bimini, in the Caribbean. As to the object and indeed result of this expedition, and most importantly ‘The Fountain of Youth,’ Harding, upon his return kept silent.
Harding became a member of the infamous Ghost Club in 1921. Invited to join by his good friend, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a British writer, and physician, as well as the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Harding undertook his paranormal research within England and Scotland primarily at that time, including such places as Borley Church, Ham House, Glamis Castle, Balgonie Castle and many more. The record of his personal findings was published in his 1923 bestselling book ‘Ghosts; Are they out to get us?’.
Harding was a made a knight of the Empire in 1928, by George V, for his services to Exploration.
His achievements became the subject of a string of publicly popular adventure themed movies during the late thirties and forties. Harding, portrayed as a cool, larger-than-life charismatic character that always won the day through adversity. His on-screen adventures saw him battling all sorts of deadly foes, including Nazis, Vampires and even Mummies.
Throughout his illustrious career Harding had been a collector of artefacts that one may consider possessing mystical or paranormal qualities. These he always called his ‘Haunted Treasures.’ He claimed to personally attest to several of them coming into his possession by actual contact with forces beyond our knowledge.
In 1961 The Times newspaper reported that Harding was planning one more expedition, despite being 65 years old. Good friends were later quoted as saying that, at the farewell event, how virile and youthful he still looked, to which he quipped confusingly “It must have been something I drank.” He left his stately Mansion, Harding Hall on the 7th of May, and from that date heard from no more. Despite a massive police hunt that lasted several months, both at home and abroad, no evidence of wrongdoing could be ascertained. So, just like the mysteries Harding had surrounded himself with his whole life, in the end he became one also.
