Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Thursday 11 January 1912, page 9


A GRAND OLD PIONEER.

MR. THOMAS HARDY DEAD. FOUNDER OF THE WINE TRADE.

Very general regret will be felt through- out the community, and especially in busi- ness circles, concerning the death of Mr. Thomas Hardy. the pioneer of the wine

trade in South Australia, which occurred on Wednesday at Torrensville. Two years ago his strength began to fail, and gradu-ally he became weaker and weaker. Born near Honiton. Devon, on January 14. 1830. he would have reached the ace of 82 years on Sunday next. Mr. Hardy had been a resident of this State for 62 years. "Look through that -window." he slid to a reporter of 'The Advertiser 1 on his 30th birthday about two years ago. "and ccc that sum tree. Sixty years ago, when I came here, it was not as thick as your knee. and to-day it is one of the finest sums od the Adelaide plains." And the I tree in fact was a magnificent specimen. "Eighty years," he exclaimed. "That is my age; I may not see many more birthdays—the Lord's will be done. But I'm thankful that every morning I can get out at 6 o'clock to do a bit of digging or hoeing." Immediately after setting foot in Sooth Australia he starred operations in connection with the industry with which his name has been associated prominently and honorably for so many years. His first employer was Mr. John Beynell, who was the earliest winemaker in the district south of Adelaide. After two years' experi-ence at Reynella Mr. Hardy was attracted to the goldfields of Victoria, where he met with success. His most profitable work was done there as a butcher in partnership with a friend whom he had known in England. In 1853 Mr. Hardy and his companion grew tired of the diggings, and returned to South Australia. Soon afterwards Mr. Hardy, utilising the- experience coined under Mr. ReyneH. secured a block of land three miles from Adelaide and began planting of what is now the Bank-side vineyard and orangery- This marksd his entry into the wine trade, and he never looked back. Difficulties were numerous, but his industry and perseveranre were rewarded and he surmounted them all. His frst cellar, capable of hold-ing three 100-gallon casks, was excavated

by him in the evening, after a hard day's work growing vegetables. Today the vin-tage is from 750 acres, the largest vine-yard situated at Tintara, being between. 400 and 500 acres in extent, and- the' capacity of the cellars is one million gal-lons. In 1883, finding the business ex-Jjnndibc rapidly, Mr. Hardy transferal it ? to a Hmited Bab3ity compaoy. crtraturinft -of himself. las sons. Messra. James -?!„ Thomas .N.. and Robert. 8., Hardy, ana Mr.-.J. fi.OdMme.Mfao is now a -direouor. Fors**^: jrea? tare <?iai>:ti&s -at*?** ?n sent .to Condon.- bnt suable to cope. with .local <demind\ the firm allowed the export' txade 'to £11 away. In MOB tranches n? ooened in Melbourne and Sydney. ; ?? ??? -. : tJ .- ??? _ Mr. Hardy did to set the. Australian rwine^trade on a sound footing. ; Jn 1873 .he -purchased the' Tintara vineyard.?etablisned by _Dr., KeOr. at McLwei Yale. w?d in MS? ?c bonfibt ant o£ the abandoned fioonmlls. in .the aaine town, winch hexxmrated into a winerr. . Thi* J>rowed ? ?*e?i aid vantage to ihe'readen^. as tctapee were, dealt with from all ?arts of the distoet. :In 1880 a large fotnvstorey ?bnfldine ?as-greeted in -Cmrie^treet as a depot for -wines, and in addition a centre was estiUished alt Mae-Enxl to .facilitate business. .In .1883 Mr. Handy to^ a trip to Europe end America, and ?xank visited the old ctrantrv in 1896. On one rf these *rins Tie imnorted ? tte 'TJaipi" varietF of jtrape. which in Spain is packed 'for the London market. . Of late years cntticKs of there .vines . have tean asked "for by table xrape ktowccs. desirous of obtaining ,-?-* li?la trape to?! extend throw* *he season. There was at-ooe tine ?n tbe.Jjkrtamc Part a fall - collection' of nape vines crowa in the State, viaA fitr. Hardy had.BnpK plkd, tmi -tiief were removed co that more ?round for recreation, porposea n?*t he available. Besides making wine. Mr. Hardy produced raisins, untu onrfrf by comnebtoreat Benmar^.-and VJldnra, who had cheaper facilities for Ayihg the fruit. ; Olives were grown by him, and he for some time wae* interestn) in the maroifactnre of <JKve ml. As * large frm^growCThe was prominent in.tfte Soi3natio& *>* & uiiil and vegetable diyhx ooroiJanVj winch eventn*lly went into^Sie Jam boamea?. The premises in wh?<i tfcat'oomgany carried on it? bnunees are now occopied by flic Adelaide Malting and Brewing Company, Deqneltevilte-temtce. Anotfcr buanesa m Jwbjoh be tooka jpait was tie mann&ctise :of bottles, and be ?as chairman of the j first botOe-makiiijc>and works in tout state- "As one of the conHnifiHonere appointed to isqperintcnd the destmcttoa H £noj?nk at GeeTong {Vjebmi) nferted wrthptoDoim* he id aplendtd-work, airf to niSi as author of the PhyUqKen Act ; appearing on the Statote Book oTtfcfe State tie thanks of vignerons whose crops have ; never been aeetrojed by the part have i always been extended. He also ms instrnjnental in starting the fund estaW??ed in : t&e bope of raising money (sufficient to etamp out tie pest abould it make an appeMmnce in Sonth Australia. Mr. Hardy dicfa great deal of espenmentalworfc, and fae freehr made the xesuUs of bn observa- , tions available to winegrpwere. In UB7 he was awarded the Mayor's nrn?, valued at MO guineas, given by!Sr Edwin Smrth, to ,: the pereO? wio H was conatfesed bad done most to promote inonstry in ?c State. Tho deceased .gentleman vres one of 4e oldest members of ?>e Boyal Amcujtanil and Horticttltoral Society, aj?J the Winepwrere' Aeeoaa&M, the Chamber of Slannfactores, the AgricnltoraJ^Buwan^and the West TorreM &*ool Board of Advice have had the advantage of hie services. For a few years he sat-as a member of the dietriet eoanca <rf Weet Torrens. A gfenud and lovable gentleman, Mr. Hardy endeared haneelf to a large, number of frJends, wbo will deeply deplore his death. In 165* be married his cousin, w&o ; came to South Australia in the ship the British Empire, in 1850. and ?*? died 4* years ago. Mr. Hardy's second wife has been dead for a number of years. Only two of bis cbfldren—Mias A. Hardy, tie eldest daughter, and Mr. B. :Hardy, the youneest eon—are abTO. Within tins last twelve months the dfath_ oeenrred of one . of the daughter*, Mrs. W. AnstK, late ef Ballarat. ?*d of Mr. T. Hardy. Mr. J. Hardy died in. Sydney in 1904. Tbere are 11 grandchildren and one great-cranddiitd. The funeral win leave Bankside for the Hindmarsh CemHery at 3 p.nu to-day.

".;;<?'. The'iite.Miv TSwmas Hardy.- ; 1