HARDY (VICE-ADMIRAL SIR THOMAS MASTERMAN) & FAMILY

Collection of manuscripts and memorabilia, the property of Vice Admiral Thomas Masterman Hardy and the Hardy family

Collection of manuscripts and memorabilia, the property of Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy and the Hardy family, comprising:

i) Autograph letter signed ("E.J. Moriarty") to Thomas Hardy's father Joseph ("Dear Sir"), apologising that "...I have not been able to get Tom aboard as a midshipman... I shall have no stone unturn'd to save him... I hope to get him enter'd onboard the Carnatic with Captn Molloy which will be sufficient to keep his time going on, and he can remain at school finishing his education..." and explaining the difficulties of acquiring a post ("...such a number of midshipmen wanting employ makes it very difficult..."), 3 pages, integral address leaf with red wax seal, dust staining, creased at folds, some loss where seal broken, 4to (230 x 187mm.), London, 28 April 1783

ii) Two leaves from a manuscript journal comprising daily entries evidently written by a young midshipman sailing with Captain Hardy, titled "begun 1st of June 1804", beginning "...Was the King's birthday all the ships at Spithead fired a guard salute of 21 guns...", going on to mention his duties ("...I was placed in a watch that very night..."), seasickness ("...I was taken very sick and so was all the passengers..."), weather ("...off Cape Finisterre with a baffling wind..."), encounters with Spanish ships, dining with Nelson ("...in the evening Capt Hardy sent on board for me... I dined with Lord Nelson admiral Murray and Captain Hardy and I assure you your picture is not the like his Lordship...") and joining the fleet for the blockade of Toulon, 4 pages, some creasing, 4to (212 x 158mm.), [c.June-July 1804]; with two manuscript pages depicting flag signals, pen, pencil and watercolour, 4to and 8vo

iii) Book of Common Prayer, with ownership inscription "T.M. Hardy/ May 1818", contemporary red morocco, upper hinge cracked, bookseller's ticket of Bowdery & Kerby Junr., 190 Oxford Street, London, John Reeves, [n.d.]

iv) Paper packet containing strands of Thomas Hardy's hair, annotated by his sister "Sir Thos Hardys hair/ cut off Sept 20th – 1839/ Miss Augusta Hardy"; with various items of printed ephemera including his obituary from the United Service Journal, November 1839

v) Two packets containing strands of hair, one annotated "The Hair of Queen Victoria", the other "The Hair of King William the fourth cut off the day after his Coronation"

vi) Group of twenty-four gilt uniform buttons, including four with monogram 'TMH' surrounded by plumed swags, maker's mark of Jennens & Co. London, c.1832, 20mm. diameter; four general service buttons depicting the Royal coat of arms, maker's mark of Smith & Wright Ltd., Birmingham, 27mm. diameter and smaller; fifteen Inns of Court Regiment ('The Devil's Own') buttons depicting a winged devil holding a trident, 27mm. diameter and smaller, maker's marks of C Pitt & Co. Ltd., London, Firmin & Sons London and others, some unmarked, late 19th century.

Provenance:
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy (1769-1839)
Thence by descent

'I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET TOM ABOARD AS A MIDSHIPMAN': A collection of family items marking the beginning and end of Hardy's illustrious career.

The author of our letter to Hardy's father would appear to be Edmund Joshua Moriarty who, at the time of writing was Commander of the fireship Susanna. By 1783, when Moriarty is attempting to find the young Hardy a position, Hardy had already been in the navy since 1781, when he was posted on the brig Helena. He left the following year to attend school to finish his education, whilst remaining on the books of the guardships Seaford and Carnatic (where he is described as "captain's servant"), as mentioned here. In February 1790 Hardy was appointed to the Hebe and various postings followed until, on 10 November 1793 '...he was promoted lieutenant of the frigate Meleager (Captain Charles Tyler), attached during the following years to the squadron off Genoa under the immediate orders of Horatio Nelson, whose acquaintance Hardy reportedly then first made...' (J.K. Laughton, ODNB). The identity of the young sailor who wrote the journal entries is unknown but it has been suggested it may have been Sir Thomas Hardy's nephew John Manfield.