Hardy..an australian enigma

[davidmillikenmichel]

Further to the comment by saphireblue67 dated Saturday 31 July 10 (2010?) regarding ancestor Richard Hardy, Richard Burcham Hardy (1817-1913) is my maternal great-great-great uncle so you and I are related. I do not have information on Richard's date of birth, his migration to Australia or indeed any pertinent details other than his son John's marriage to my great grandmother Gertrude Sarah Everingham, details follow. It would be fairly safe to say Richard's gravestone at Failford NSW Australia is incorrect with an age of 116 years. We would accept the post by Suz with Richard's birth at 14 December 1817 making his age 96, 20 years exaggeration that only the deceased family would know. My mother at 10 years of age accompanied Richard's funeral procession where hundreds of people in the district turned out and she often spoke of her great-great uncle living to 116 years. There are descendants of Richard Hardy here in Australia but they are proving hard to track down and I suspect most if not all have little information on the history of the Hardy family in the UK. Anyway, I pick up the story as outlined below where I am attempting to connect Richard as a nephew of Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, captain of HMS Victory during the battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805.

In regard to 18th & 19th English and Australian family history, I am endeavouring to ascertain the family (hopefully blood) link between two Hardy families. First, we have Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy (1769-1839) well-documented as a British naval admiral who captained Admiral Nelson's flagship the 100-gun Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. Second, we have what is believed to be his nephew Richard Burcham Hardy (1817-1913) born in London and died in Nabiac NSW Australia. Richard is my three-greats uncle and his son John Joseph Hardy (1853-1935) married my great grandmother Gertrude Sarah Everingham (1855-1941) the great granddaughter of First Fleeter Matthew James Everingham (1769-1817) who arrived in Sydney Cove from England on 26 January 1788 aboard the convict ship Scarborough. According to our family's understanding and as published in newspapers, namely: Northern Champion (NSW Australia) Newspaper 13 August 1913 and Manning & District Times (NSW Australia) Wednesday 10 September 1913, Richard Burcham Hardy was stated as a nephew to Thomas Hardy; and, Richard's father, James Hardy, was the ship's carpenter also aboard the Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar. Now, whilst it seems to be quite clear that the two Hardy men, Thomas and Richard, lived according to numerous records, the question is: "Are Thomas Masterman Hardy and Richard Burcham Hardy related, as uncle and nephew respectively?" Richard's father, James Hardy, may be either a brother or cousin to Thomas Hardy and it is possible they are related by marriage, not blood, or not related at all. I am hoping there is some record in existence that discusses the relationship between the two Hardy men.

davidmillikenmichel, Sydney, Australia, 1 October 2016

[sapphireblue67]

Hi...what can I say...a relative,  I have found a few related down from Richard Hardy...do you want to go to PM in here and catch up
Sue

[sallyyorks]

...There are about six records in the criminal registers before 1844 with two Richard Hardy s being transported.
Richard Hardy age 31 born c 1809, trial 25 May 1840 at Lancaster, transported 7 years.
Richard Hardy no dob  trial Nov 1832 Old Bailey, Middlesex. Transported 7 years.

Hopefully someone may come up with hard evidence,
Best wishes
 Cathy

At least two Richard Hardy's were sentenced to transportation at the Old Bailey (London) in the 1830's.

This info is from the Old Bailey Online website
https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/

1.
RICHARD HARDY, Theft > simple larceny, 29th November 1832.
Reference Number: t18321129-144
Offence: Theft > simple larceny
Verdict: Guilty
Punishment: Transportation
145. RICHARD HARDY was indicted for stealing, on the 27th of October , 1 coat, value 1l. , the goods of William Haggatt .
WILLIAM HAGGATT . I live in Prince's-street, Wapping, and am a coal-merchant . On the 27th of October, between two and three o'clock, I was in George-yard, Whitechapel ; I had some coals to deliver there - I left my coat in the head of my waggon; I saw the prisoner running away with it - I pursued, but he got out of sight- I informed a Police-officer, and saw him in custody on the 5th of November; I know he is the person.
Prisoner. Q. What do you know me by? A. By seeing you many times before in Whitechapel and Georgeyard.
ISABELLA LUCK . I am the daughter of John Harris - we live in Bell-lane. On the 27th of October I was at the top of George-yard, and saw a boy take the coat out of the head of the waggon, and give it to the prisoner, who put it under his arm, and ran down George-yard - he got away; I knew him by sight before.
Prisoner. Q. What do you know me by? A. I have seen you in George-yard and Wentworth-street, in a black coat, grey trousers, and a cap.
JOHN GREEN (Police-constable H 91.) I received information, and took the prisoner, from Haggatt's description, in George-yard; I had been in search of him for a week - he strictly denied it - he said a small boy took it; I said,"Yes, a small boy took it, gave it to you, and you run away with it;" the Magistrate thought there was not sufficient evidence to commit the other boy.
Prisoner's Defence. I was standing outside the door on the 4th of November, and the officer took me - I said,"I know nothing about the coat."
JOHN GREEN . He said he understood a small boy took it from the waggon - I had seen the prisoner in a black coat, grey trousers, and a cap, as the little girl has described; but I afterwards saw another boy with the prisoner's coat on, and the prisoner had a flannel jacket.
GUILTY . Aged 20. - Transported for Seven Years .


2.
RICHARD HARDY, Theft > simple larceny, 19th September 1836.
Offence: Theft > simple larceny
Verdict: Guilty > no_subcategory
Punishment: Transportation
2134. RICHARD HARDY was indicted for stealing, on the 5th of September, 5lbs. of bacon, value 3s., the goods of Benjamin Muggeridge.
GEORGE KEMP . I am a policeman. On the 5th of September I was on duty in Old-street-road, and saw the prisoner, in company with two other persons, loitering about several shops—they came to the prosecutor's—I saw them pass the shop several times—I saw the prisoner stand by the side of the shop—his two companions each took a piece of bacon—I followed, and secured the three in my arms—the prisoner had the two pieces of bacon under his coat—the others two got away—I kept the prisoner and the bacon.
BENJAMIN MUGGERIDGE . I am a cheesemonger. This bacon was in my shop, and taken from the window.
Prisoner' Defence. I left home on Monday afternoon to go to the fair with six boys—we staid there till dark, and they brought me home down Old-street, and took down six pair of trowsers, and then went on to this bacon-shop, and two of them took two pieces of bacon, which they gave me to carry.
(Thomas Harper, a weaver, of Violet-street, Bethnal-green, gave the prisoner a good character.)
GUILTY .*Aged 17.— Transported for Seven Years.



Below info from
convictrecordsau website
http://www.convictrecords.com.au/
(There are 73 convicts transported with the surname Hardy on the site)

These are probably the two Richard's sentenced above at the Old Bailey
Richard Hardy, one of 216 convicts transported on the Lotus, 20 December 1832
Richard Hardy, one of 250 convicts transported on the Charles Kerr, 06 June 1837

[davidmillikenmichel]

Hi Sue - saphireblue67

Yes keen to chat and compare notes on Richard Burcham Hardy. Finding more bits and pieces.

davidmillikenmichel

Friday 7 October 2016 9:06pm

[sallyyorks]

There is a somewhat detailed tree on Ancestry showing that is name was Richard Burcham Hardy b.14/12/1817, bp.5/4/1818 City of London.   Having checked on IGI this was at St. James Garlickhithe, London - son of James and Mary.   Another son Henry Stuart Hardy b.12/5/1814, bp.29/5/1814 same place.

Marriage records show a James Hardy married Mary Palmer 20/2/1812 St. James Garlickhithe, London.

He was transported on the Charles Kerr 6/6/1837 having been convicted on 19/9/1836 Old Bailey, London.   There's a quite lengthy note attached - when he arrived in Australia he and 3 other convicts (all named) were assigned to a W. E. Cormack of Williams River, Dungog.   Various physical details are given.

Two separate people spoke up for him at his trial - he lived in the Bethnal Green area of London.   One person was a weaver from Bethnal Green, the other was his father's employer who offered Richard a job if he was able to serve a custodial sentence rather than transportation.   His fathers employer being a James Watson, Cabinet Maker and Timber Merchant of Bethnal Green Road.   Richard Hardy at his trial said to be a cabinet maker for 3 1/2 yrs.

How accurate this is I can't say but reading through it all it does seems quite thorough.     I wouldn't have thought he'd have been much older (regardless of the gravestone) because his youngest Ada was born 1871!!!    If he'd been born c.1797 he'd have been 73/74 when she was conceived.   I doubt that very much.   There's also a picture of him and his wife although it's not dated.

Certainly, the arrival in Australia 1837 and his assignment to someone in Dungog all fits.

Annette

The trees are confusing. Some have Richard Burcham Hardy as a convict. Others do not.

I am tending to think that the "Burcham" Richard Hardy was probably not a convict. Unless he finished his sentence, came back to his wife in England and then went back again to Australia a free man?
The two convicts named Richard Hardy (see my last post) are not recorded in any of the criminal records as "Burcham" Hardy.

The Richard Burcham Hardy below is south of the river and I am not sure he fits well with where the convict Richard Hardy's were from and their east end gangs? criminal activity

Marriage by Banns
St Mary, Newington, Surrey, England
21st feb 1836
Richard Burcham Hardy - bachelor
Mary Wood - spinster
witnesses
James Hardy
Julia? ?? ?? ??

1841 Census
St Mary,Newington, Surrey, England
District 10
Richard Hardy age 20 - agent
Mary Hardy age 20

[Lorraine Gleeson]

I agree with Annette I don't think Richard burcham hardy came to Australia as I convict he was still in England in census records after the date people have him in trees as being sent to Australia. I do believe a Richard hardy came to Australia as a convict and married Sabrina hill and had many children with her and lived to a grand old age is buried failford cemetery mid north Coast nsw. I believe Richard burcham hardy married Mary wood and stayed in England and is not the Richard hardy in Australia. I have found a will for Richard burcham hardy in England 1855 and a bankrupt for him also

[Lorraine Gleeson]

Richard hardy born 1818 arrived Australia aged 19 convict stealing bacon 1837 I believe is not Richard burcham
Hardy . I have found an excerpt will Richard burcham hardy England 1855 . Richard hardy convict to Australia I believe never went back to England as many trees say he did in census records . I think these 2 are being wrongly confused in many trees . Death at maniac 1913 would have his age as 95 yrs when he died . I have seen family notes saying he wasn't 116 yrs old at death . My husband is a descendant the line is Richard hardy m Sabina (suvina ) hill daughter Jessica hardy m Thomas Keough daughter ada Jane mckeough m willie Kennedy daughter Eileen Macquarie Kennedy m William Scott their daughter Evelyn Eileen may Scott m Arthur Timothy Gleeson they are my husbands parents . I stand corrected but my research has me believing the same as Annette in the chat that the Richard hardy transported as a convict in1837 is not Richard burcham hardy . I believe he never came to Australia in fact died in England in 1855

[Mowsehowse]

I don't think anyone else has mentioned this....
But, as Saphire says she is new to genealogy, may I point out that registration started 1837, so previously we have to rely on baptism (etc) church registers, and there were NOT any certificates.

[Lorraine Gleeson]

Thanks for reply it is confusing convict record doesn't mention Richard burcham hardy only Richard hardy  but will 1855 England Richard burcham hardy . I am confident Richard hardy convict was not Richard burcham hardy hopefully more research will clear up the confusion