St Albans theatre veteran Stuart Harding dies aged 86

Stuart Harding was born and raised in St Albans, attending the St Albans School before going on to sing, act and direct in a theatrical career that saw him wear seemingly every hat under the sun.

He was a keen tennis player and lifelong member of St Albans Lawn Tennis Club, where he met his wife Yvonne as a teenager.

Stuart devoted his life to acting (Image: Claire Harding)

After a spell in the army doing his National Service, Stuart married Yvonne and launched himself into a life devoted to the performing arts.

Paying tribute, she recalls: "We met playing tennis which seems old fashioned but I remember that he was very noticeable.

"He was a good tennis player but he was always fooling around and making jokes. Initially, I thought 'well, great, very amusing but I wouldn't want to live with somebody like that!'

"But we ended up accidentally separated from a group walk and I realised there was a lot more to him. We found we had a lot in common and realised that we really liked each other.

"He was such an energetic and outgoing man."

During his acting career became best known for his portrayal of Tevye in The Fiddler on The Roof, a role he played on three occasions.

He was also a popular member of the St Albans Operatic Society, singing and conducting with the group and eventually becoming its chair.

Stuart was an avid violin player and family man. (Image: Claire Harding)

But Stuart is perhaps best known and remembered for his role as Musical Director and co-founder of the St Albans Youth Music Theatre, a company he set up alongside Yvonne.

Over 15 years, the company produced dozens of plays that gave hundreds of children the opportunity to perform on the stage and springboard their careers.

Yvonne fondly tells the Herts Ad that after Stuart's passing, she has been inundated with cards and text messages from people that had been part of the youth theatre, paying tribute to the opportunities he had given them.

Away from the stage, Stuart worked for British Rail, spending time in the marketing department at St Pancras station.

But the allure of the theatre tugged at his professional life and after leaving British Rail he founded three theatre companies - the Theatre Rail Club, Entertainment Express and Theatre Breaks, the latter of which is still run by his son, Simon.

Stuart and Yvonne had two children and their daughter Claire caught the performing bug, working as an actor and author to this day.

In his later years Stuart maintained an active lifestyle, albeit having to swap his beloved game of tennis for the tabletop alternative.

He rung bells for churches and conducted a community choir, a true performer to the end.

After being in and out of hospital with a series of heart attacks, Stuart passed away in hospital last month with Yvonne holding his hand.