Portrait of Eric Marchant

This studio portrait shows Eric Edward Marchant, service number unknown.

Eric had been part of the New Zealand Garrison Artillery in Wellington for 8 months before enlisting for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on 1st February 1918 at the age of 20. Medical examination judged him to be under-size and underweight, and therefore unfit for active service, but he was judged fit for Samoa. He was 5 feet and 3 inches tall but weighed only 97 pounds. His service was completed and he was discharged on the 13th March 1919.

Eric was born to parents Henry Edward Marchant and Henrietta Laura Marchant (nee Freeman), both of Wellington, on 30th January 1898. The family was still in Wellington in 1905 – Eric was enrolled at the Te Aro School at that time but in 1906 the family moved to Sydney and three of Eric's siblings are recorded as being were born there.

The family’s connection to Wellington continued and is very interesting. Eric’s paternal grandfather was Nicholas Marchant, a civil engineer in Wellington and his grandmother was Margaret McGowan (nee Blundell). Margaret was the 2nd daughter of Henry Blundell, the founder of the Evening Post who came to New Zealand from Ireland in about 1861. Margaret's brother John was the grandfather of Sir Denis Blundell the first New Zealand born Governor General, 1972-77.

After the war Eric lived in Australia. It appears he had a relationship with a woman recorded on the electoral roles as 'Charlotte Marchant' but there is no record of their marriage. He married Margaret Doreen Ledran in Sydney 1940 but the pair didn’t have any children. Eric mainly worked in hotels as a steward or porter.

Eric died in Nottingham England on the 29 March 1957, he was 59 years old.

circa 1918, Wellington 

Credit line Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds Registration number B.043969 Eric Edward Marchant

Colourised By Brendan Graham 2015 from an original black and white Image courtesy of Te Papa.