Henry Russell Hardy (1864 1931)
Brigade Major of Musketry
Henry Hardy was born in 1864 in Cork, son of Frederick Hardy and Kate Cotter Hardy (nee Kyle). Frederick was a Major General in the Army, who died in Winchester in 1916. Kate also died in Winchester, in 1921.
Henry was a Scholar at Malvern College, and was in Bryans House between 1879 and 1882, representing Bryans in cricket and football. The Malvernian, of 1931, gave details of his life in an obituary.
He took his degree at Trinity College Dublin in 1886, playing football for the University for 3 years. Being always keenly interested in rifle shooting, between 1887 and 1889 he was part of the School for Musketry.
He joined the York and Lancaster Regiment as a private soldier, and worked his way through the ranks, becoming the first district instructor of musketry in Ireland under Field Marshal Lord Roberts.
In 1889 he joined the Queens Regiment.
In 1891 he was stationed at Aldershot, with the Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment. He was a Lieutenant. By 1902 he was a Captain.
He was Captain of the Veterans Rifle Team at Bisley between 1900 and 1909.
In 1895, in Christchurch, Queenstown, County Cork, a Lieutenant in the Army, he married Eliza (Lily) Atkins. Lily was born in 1866, in Queenstown, daughter of John Cotter Atkins and Brillianna Stanhope Craig.
In 1901 they had a son, Henry Frederick Kyle Hardy (who sadly died in 1920). The family was then living in Thrift Hall, Waltham Holy Cross, with a Cook, Parlourmaid, Nurse and Housemaid.
By 1908 he was a Captain in the West Surrey Regiment, on retirement pay.
In 1911 Henry and Lily were living in Romsey. He was then a Retired Captain. They had 3 female Servants.
On the outbreak of War, he was appointed Brigade Major of Musketry for the 12th Division and later was in charge of the cordite factory in the New Forest. He was mentioned in dispatches for his services.
He moved to Worthing after WW1 and became a Town Councillor, and Chairman of the Worthing branch of the British Legion.
He was often at Bisley, coaching some of the younger members and generally looking after the interests of the team.
In 1921 he was with Lily living in Fen Drayton, Lansdowne Road and Lily died on 13 January 1927 and was interred at Finchley.
In 1931 he was living in Fen Drayton, Lansdowne Road. He died in Caer Gwent Nursing Home on May 18th.
Probate was given to Francis Kyle Hardy, (Henry's youngest brother) Lieutenant-Colonel, British Army and to Henry's sister, Kathleen Mary Hardy, Spinster. He left nearly £25,000.