Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
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 Post subject: Captain Hardy
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 10:16 pm 
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Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:54 am
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Location: Worcestershire, UK
Hi everyone!
This year I made it my new years resolution to find out more about other figures in Nelson's navy, I was wondering if any of you guys know of any biographies of Captain Hardy? I'm interested to find out more about him but can't find any books about him. Also, I know there are a few about Admiral Collingwood, do you have any recommendations?

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 Post subject: Re: Captain Hardy
PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 8:17 am 
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Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:06 am
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Location: mid-Wales
Hi Raerae:

Hardy is one of the captains discussed in 'Three Dorset Captains' which is available in paperback:

http://tinyurl.com/7jmlny5 - though it's quite expensive.

If you are happy to read on line, here's the link:

http://www.archive.org/stream/threedors ... a_djvu.txt

A quite well-received biography of Collingwood is Max Adams' 'Admiral Collingwood: Nelson's Own Hero' which, though I have a copy, I haven't got round to reading yet so can't recommend personally.

if you want short biographies on Nelson's captains, try Ludovic Kennedy's 'Nelson and his Captains' (published by Collins, 1951)

An even older book is John Knox Laughton's 'Nelson and his Companions in Arms' - published in 1898, so rather dated, but quite engaging.

Your local library might be able to get a copies of these books; or try www.abebooks.co.uk for second hand copies of this and most other books on Nelson.

I'm sure other members will have more recommendations.

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 Post subject: Re: Captain Hardy
PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 9:56 am 
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Nelson's Hardy and his wife was published in 1935. Very hard to get a copy though hopefully google will ebook it at some point.

Another old one is Nelson's Hardy his life, letters and friends produced 1909 - This has been reproduced by a lot of the - 'reprint old books with imperfections included'

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... dy&x=0&y=0

I have this on order myself because Hardy was one of my Amphion captains and Sam Sutton was one of his friends.


Please note I have read neither of the above yet.

One I have read on Collingwood is In the shadow of Nelson.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Nelson-L ... 034&sr=1-3

It was okay but suffered from what a lot of these biographies suffer from which is a lack of actual material so I feel they try and hang to much around either too little source or alternately just focus on areas where other sources are plentiful (i.e Trafalgar).

Another book with a good chapter on Collingwood is the British Admirals compilation

http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Admiral ... 200&sr=1-1

I found this quite good especially as most of the authors use this opportunity to try and counter act the historical dominance of Nelson himself and there is some good stuff on the lines of - if Nelson had never existed then Hothams action would have been well regarded in terms of previous battles/warfare.

Collingwood and Hardy will both have sections in whos who in nelsons navy which is very good on biographical detail on a wide range of historical naval figures but not much else

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whos-Who-Nelson ... 379&sr=1-1


Joss


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 Post subject: Re: Captain (I think you mean Vice Admiral Sir Thioas) Hardy
PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:28 pm 
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Rae Rae!

As you will have observed in the replies to your queries, traditional biographies of Hardy are dominated by the comparatively brief Nelson period. In fact Hardy had a very distinguished career which took him to the top. He played an important part in the American War of 1812-14 in command of HMS Ramullies; commanded the royal yacht Princess Augusta from 1816 to 1818, and was a gifted and successful Commander-in-Chief on the South American Station from 1819 to 1823 defending British interests during wars of independence. Hardy was promoted to rear admiral on 1825; and the following year led a British intervention in support of the young Queen Maria of Portugal who was facing a reactionary revolt. With the triumph of the reform parties in 1830 he was appointed First Lord of the Amiralty and in 1834 was given the retirement plum of Governor of Greenwich Hospital. His portrait in that capacity still adorns the local pubs.

As far as I know you will not find a really adequate and up to date biography which does justice to the whole of this great man's career. The Nelson period is well covered: but the rest is normaly sketchy. If you want to really appreciate his post 1805 career you will have to dip into specialised works on the various episodes

Brian


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 Post subject: Re: Captain Hardy
PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:48 pm 
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Location: Worcestershire, UK
Thank You Everyone!! :D

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 Post subject: Re: Captain Hardy
PostPosted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 1:14 pm 
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By strange coincidence Nelson's Hardy his life letters and friends arrived today. I am pleased to note that it is primarily composed of primary sources and covers his entire life.

If you after an interesting 'taster' to a person then this may be to much detail (or perhaps to bland) when compared to the more streamlined secondary historian written sources which will cover more action and less mundane activities.

As an aside Sutton only gets three mentions and these mainly deal with the switch between him and Hardy that Nelson himself also wrote about. I was hoping for confirmation of the agreement between Hardy and Sutton to share any prize winnings gained post ship swap. This is indirectly referenced several times in Nelson's letters and would mean that the proceeds of the Spanish Treasure fleet would also have helped enrich Hardy if correct. But, I apologise for hijacking another thread with yet more musings on Sam Sutton....


Joss


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