Mrs Richard Hardey was a noted local female portrait artist. She and her husband Richard are buried in Hull General Cemetery. The Hardeys were artists and were pioneers in the new art of photography.
Hannah Maria Hudson was the daughter of a Wesleyan Minister. The Rev. Benjamin Brook Hudson and his wife Hannah were her parents. Hannah Maria was born in Dumfries in 1815, but moved to Barrow upon Humber, where her father was a minister.
Richard Hardey was born in Barrow upon Humber in 1816. Richard and Hannah married there on 23 April 1840, and later moved to Hull.
1851
In the 1851 census the couple were living at number 2 Kingston Square, at the house that was later to become part of Madame Clapham’s Costumier’s. Hannah was listed as an artist, and Richard a Commission Agent. Hannah’s mother and father lived nearby in Talbot St, off Wright St.
Hannah was an extremely talented, but relatively unknown portrait painter, working under the name of Mrs Richard Hardey. There are examples of her work in The Ferens and the Town Docks Museum. One of these works is a particularly good portrait of James Overton, painted in 1851, and depicted above.
1861
In 1861 they were still living in Kingston Square, but were childless. Hannah was still listed as an artist, whilst Richard is now listed as a photographer.
Sadly, Hannah developed breast cancer and died in January 1865.
On 1st May the same year, Richard opened his Photographic Studios at 14 Saville Street. Hannah’s father also died later that year, and her mother 2 years later in 1867.
Richard remarried Elizabeth Reynard in 1866, and in 1868 bought James Walker’s photographic studio in Doncaster, where he became quite successful.
Back to Hull
He sold the business in 1882 and moved back to Hull, and lived in Wellington Lane until his death from bronchitis in 1889 aged 73. His second wife, Elizabeth, lived in Morrill St and died in 1922 aged 81.
Richard and Hannah are buried in Hull General Cemetery together with Hannah’s parents, the Rev Benjamin Hudson and his wife Hannah. The headstone still stands, albeit with weather related vertical cracks in the stone.
The headstone marks the last resting place of the Hardeys, pioneers in photography.
Elizabeth, Richard’s second wife, is buried in a separate grave close by, but the headstone no longer exists.
Bill Longbone has had a long relationship with the Hull General Cemetery. He is an active member of the FOHGC and manages the work of the volunteers on the site. His biographical sketches of some of the people buried in the cemetery are one of the highpoints of the success of the Facebook site.
