Hi Dorothy,
No problems. I'm in no hurry and I would image that you have several requests to fulfill. I'm grateful for the kind offer. Except what I have given you I know nothing about Richard's and Ann's life in England nor any relatives. My father is getting on in years and would dearly love know something more.
A piece of extra information is the following:
Richard Hardman
Along with William Duncan and James Shaw, Richard Hardman was convicted of assaulting and robbing James Scholfield at Birtle-cum-Bamford, near Rochdale
Date Tried: 15th November 1815, Manchester Quarter Sessions
Sentence: Death by hanging, later commuted to 7 years transportation.
In case you are wondering what became of him. He married Ann Spencer in Launceston, Tasmania and they had several children and he died at an early age due to drinking as seen by this.
From the "Launceston Advertiser", Thursday, 11th October 1830, page 3:
"On Wednesday, Mr Richard Hardman, of this town, breathed his last; he had been unwell from the Saturday before, he got worse this day, and expired suddenly about noon. He has left a widow and a family of small children to lament his loss, if it is a loss to lose a man who gave up all his faculties to drink, who robs himself of his health, his domestic comforts, and most of the pleasures of life in order to sacrifice his time to the pernicious practice of beastly intoxication.
Fellow citizens look around and ponder how few of the inhabitants of this town, die a death in which habit of intoxication have not had a prominent part, a how great a proportion of these deaths are owing, strictly owing to the poisonous and beastly practice of intoxication."
His wife and family became success farmers/business people and were well thought of. Richard's granddaughter became the wife of the Mayor of the City in later times.
Please visit his webpage at the following for more information:
http://www.comp.utas.edu.au/users/rsmith/hardman/wc01/wc01_376.htmlMany thanks once again.
Kind regards
Rick
