According to Census Records Adolphus Hardy was born between 1878 and 1882 from either Brampton, Derbyshire or Leicester depending on which census you look at. Military records state he was born in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
The newspaper article above is from the Newark_Herald_06_January_1917
Adolphus Hardy (Junior)
The 1901 census records him as Dolphis Hardy, living as a boarder at 3 Rowbotham Row, Water Lane, Newark. He was residing with his brother, Edward Hardy, and Edward’s family.
By the time of the 1911 census, Adolphus was living at 5 Rowbottom Row, Water Lane, Newark, with Mary Jane Brown, who was described as his housekeeper. Also living in the household were five children: Mary, Charlotte, Adolphus, John James, and Lucy, all recorded with the surname Brown. Significantly, Adolphus signed the census return himself as “Dolphus Hardy.”
Adolphus Hardy married Mary Jane Brown on 15 March 1914 at St Leonard’s Church, Newark upon Trent, Nottinghamshire. The marriage certificate records his father as Adolphus Hardy (deceased), labourer.
Adolphus enlisted for service in the First World War and was killed in action on 14 February 1916.
His military service records provide valuable insight into his family circumstances. In his attestation papers, dated 1 September 1914, it is clearly stated that all of the children had been born before the marriage, and the same children listed in the 1911 census are named individually. There can be little doubt that Adolphus was their biological father, although they were, in legal terms, born outside of marriage.
The military records contain another intriguing detail. On 14 August 1919, Mary Jane Hardy completed forms relating to her late husband’s next of kin. She declared that Adolphus had no surviving relatives, stating that no parents, siblings, grandparents, or other family members were living. She also confirmed that all of Adolphus Hardy’s children had been born before the marriage.
This statement is puzzling, as there is clear evidence that Mary Jane was aware of Adolphus’s family. The 1901 census shows that the Brown family lived at 5 Rowbotham Row, only two doors away from the Hardy household at 3 Rowbotham Row. Although Edward Hardy and his family had moved to Worksop, Nottinghamshire, by 1911, they had returned to Rowbotham Row by the time of the 1921 census, living at No. 2, while Mary Jane remained at No. 5. Why she declared that Adolphus had no surviving relatives remains a mystery. One possible explanation is that she believed acknowledging other family members might complicate or weaken her claim to military pension benefits.
The 1901 census clearly demonstrates that Adolphus had at least one brother, Edward Hardy (born 1868, died 1933). Although several records state that Edward was born in Thorpe, Derbyshire, no birth registration or baptism has yet been located to confirm this. Edward married Sophia Ann Cobb on 3 November 1890, and their marriage certificate names his father as Rudolphus Hardy, a labourer.
DNA evidence provides the crucial link between these seemingly different identities. Matches between myself and descendants of Edward Hardy strongly support the conclusion that Adolphus Hardy (Senior) and Rudolphus Smith were the same individual. Rudolphus Smith was born on 28 November 1839 and died on 14 December 1901, explaining the apparent discrepancy in the records and confirming the shared ancestry of the Hardy family.
Taken from the Commonwealth War Grave Commission web site Casualty Details:
Name: HARDY; Initials: A; Nationality: United Kingdom; Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment); Unit Text: 10th Battalion; Age: 39; Date of Death: 14/02/1916; Service No: 6412; Additional info: Husband of Mary Jane Hardy, of 5, Rowbothams Road., Water Lane, Newark.; Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial; Reference: Panel 39 and 41; Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Remembered on Newark, St Mary’s Church, Borough of Newark Roll of Honour War Memorial as A HARDY Notts. and Derby Regiment
Remembered on Newark Cemetery War Memorial as A HARDY
Nottinghamshire WW1 & WW2 Roll of Honour – Adolphus Hardy
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Extract from the War Diary of 51 Infantry Brigade, 10 Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottingham and Derbyshire Regiment)
Date 14th February 1916: 10th Sherwood Foresters: Casualties to 12 noon 10 R. Killed, 7 Wounded, including 3 slightly at duty. By Major J C Keown: The following report describes subsequent happenings “On the night 13th/14th Feb. The 10th Sherwoods relieved the 7th Lincolnshire Regt. In trenches F29, 30, 31, 32. All four companies occupied the front line and support trenches and there was no Battalion reserve. “On the right of the battalion were the Lancashire Fusiliers extending from NEW YEARS trench inclusive and on the left were the S. Staffordshire Regt. Occupying from trench F33 inclusive. The night was comparatively quiet and at 7a.m. I visited the trenches. At 8.30a.m. the enemy commenced an intermittent bombardment with trench mortars, rifle grenades and some guns, and in view of subsequent events this was apparently registering. This continued intermittently until 3.30p.m. when the enemy commenced a terrific bombardment on the front line and support trenches. “At 3.40p.m. a message was received at Bn. H.Q. reporting heavy shelling on the front line and supports. This was repeated to the Bde. And Artillery officers who were at Bn. H.Q. and as much retaliation was called for as could be obtained. “Communication with the front line was cut off very early but the shelling could be observed from H.Q. and the constant messages were sent to the Bde. H.Q. reporting that the shelling was still very heavy. “The retaliation commenced at about 4p.m. but was very inadequate, and poor in comparison with that which was coming over and we had great difficulty in impressing the Artillery with the seriousness of the situation. At the very height of the bombardment a message was received “Is that sufficient” “The Company Commanders, although anticipating an attack, considered through information brought back to them by Officers Patrols, that it would be useless to send up any more men as the front trenches were battered to the ground and most of original garrison incapacitated. “At 5.40p.m a mine appears to have been exploded in trench 31 and almost immediately the bombardment lifted and was directed to reserve wood. “The Germans preceded by a large number of bombers, who from some accounts were dressed in Khaki, with white bands on their right arms, jumped into our front line trenches as the guns lifted and must have been well across ‘No Man’s Land’ before the bombardment lifted. “Finding little or no resistance in the front lines the enemy continued to advance both over the open and down the communication trenches, but were held up by our troops in the support trenches. “About this time (5.40p.m) a messenger arrived at Bn HQ. Very exhausted and excited saying that the Germans were coming down the ‘lane’. This was confirmed almost immediately by others so it was decided to occupy an old trench running from just below Bn. HQ. Across the direction of CHESTER FARM, and a messenger was sent to the detachment of the 7th Lincolnshire Regt. Who were in SPOIL BANK DUGOUTS informing them of the situation. The two companies were not under my command but at my invitation came up to reinforce the support lines. “I was then informed by the Bde that these two companies of the 7th Lincolnshire Regt and a company of 7th Border Regt were being placed under my command for a counter attack: but I advised the Bde to send the whole Border Regt (which was done) as I considered that the enemy had had too much time to consolidate for the counter attack to be successful with so small a force. “To this they agreed and Lt. Col. Norrington arrived with the remainder of this battalion at about 10p.m. and took over command of the sector. The counter attack was not successful.
(Sd) J.C. Keown Major 10th Sherwood Foresters.
This extract clearly shows a sustained attack by the Germans from which Adolphus Hardy didn’t survive.
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