Evelyn Stuart Hardy

Evelyn Stuart Hardy (1865-1935) was born Beatrice Evelyn Elizabeth Hardy to David (b.1838) and Emily, nee Collins (b.1841). Both David and Emily were artists and they had  children, David (b.1863), Norman (b.1864), Beatrice and Mabel (b.1868), who all became artists.

Interestingly, the 1921 census records an Evelyn and Emily Hardy, living together with Mabel Roberts, Evelyn's sister, in Hampshire, but their birth-dates appear to have all slipped 10 years or so - Emily (b.1851), Evelyn (b.1875) and Mabel (b.1876). It's either coincidentally another family with the same names, working as artists and living in the same area or they have all decided to declare themselves a little younger. Research has been difficult on this one!

Hardy illustrated Lucky, A Fragment of a Girl's Life in 1890, Leslie's Fate 1891, A Ghastly Predicament in 1894, The Book of Gnomes 1895, Moo Cow Tales 1890s, Dog Tales 1890s and more.

At the second meeting of the Salon de Reunion in 1890, it was reported that "the person who attracted most attention in the gallery was the artist, Miss Evelyn Stuart Hardy. Miss Hardy looks little more than a child and always wears a kind of Scotch dress with a plaid passing across the figure from right to left."

Her obituary from the Worthing Herald from Saturday 19th October 1935, reads:-

Well-known Artist's Funeral The funeral of Miss Beatrice E. Hardy, sister of Paul Hardy of Church Street, Storrington, who died on Saturday last at Hurstpierpoint, took place at Sarisbury, Southampton on Wednesday, The Rev. Denbury officiating. Miss Hardy was well-known as an artist under her professional name of Evelyn Stuart Hardy.