Person    | Male  Born 2/6/1840  Died 11/1/1928

Thomas Hardy

Novelist and poet, best known for his novels set in rural 'Wessex' such as Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd. Born Upper Bockhampton, Dorset. Before turning to writing full-time he studied architecture in London from 1862 - 67 under Arthur Blomfield, an architect based in Covent Garden, most of the time at 8 Adelphi Terrace, from where Hardy had a good view of the Thames.

It was during this time that he became familiar with London and its society and began writing. For the next 20-odd years he lived on and off in London and the suburbs. When first married he and Emma lived for 3 years in Tooting but then moved back to Dorset. From then on they spent every “season” approximately April– July in London socialising. For this they rented a variety of houses or flats across London: Kensington, Bloomsbury, etc. In all, Hardy lived at over 30 different London addresses. The start of WW1 put an end to this pattern.

Died at home, Max Gate, Dorchester, Dorset.

Hardy wished his body to be buried with his first wife. But the nation wanted him in Westminster Abbey's Poets' Corner. So the compromise was to bury just his heart in Dorset. The two funerals were on the same day, starting at the same time. Other hearts buried separately from the rest of the body include: Richard I, Robert the Bruce, Eleanor of Castile and Chopin.

Much of our information comes from Mark Ford’s “Thomas Hardy: Half a Londoner” published 2016.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Thomas Hardy

Commemorated ati

Hardy's tree

Not strictly a memorial but irresistible to include. As railway lines were c...

Read More

The Adelphi

The Adelphi This building stands on the site of Adelphi Terrace built by the...

Read More

Thomas Hardy - W2

A pleasingly unofficial blue plaque - a rather emphatic layout with the lette...

Read More

Other Subjects

Chateaubriand

Chateaubriand

Born Saint-Malo, Brittany. Died Paris. Went to America in 1791, returned to France and then in 1793 escaped to England where he lived in extreme poverty until returning to France in 1800. He ...

Person, Literature, France

1 memorial
Olaudah Equiano

Olaudah Equiano

Born in an African village, he was sold into slavery, first locally, then in England, then in America where he managed to buy his freedom. He returned to England and wrote the first autobiography o...

Person, Literature, Race Issues, Africa

6 memorials
Alexander Herzen

Alexander Herzen

“Father of Russian socialism”.    Born Moscow into a land-owning family.   Had a number of run-ins with the authorities and emigrated for good in 1847.  Baron Rothschild assisted him in keeping his...

Person, Literature, Politics & Administration, France, Russia

1 memorial
Harry Cole

Harry Cole

Born 48A Lower Road, Rotherhithe. Married and joined the Met Police in 1952. Served as a police constable at Carter Street Station for 29 years, until he retired in 1983. He was a well-known and po...

Person, Armed Forces, Literature

1 memorial
Aldous Huxley

Aldous Huxley

Writer. Born Aldous Leonard Huxley in Godalming, Surrey, the son of Leonard Huxley. He wrote nearly fifty books, the best known of which are: 'Eyeless in Gaza', 'Antic Hay' and 'Brave New World'. I...

Person, Literature, USA

1 memorial