William Hardiman
Born 1872
Died 1906
Active: 1889 - 1906
Country of birth and death: England
Silversmith, modeller
Born in Westminster (Spitalfields). His father was Edward Hardiman (1836-80), a shoe maker and his mother was Harriet Hardiman (born c.1839 in Whitechapel), a purveyor of horseflesh in 1891. Around 1890 William (or Bill) was discovered by C.R. Ashbee 'trundling a cat's meat barrow in Whitechapel' and taken on as a trainee metalworker at the Guild of Handicraft. Hardiman was taught modelling by Ashbee and later became the Guild's chief modeller for metalwork, also working on leather panels for upholstery and wall coverings. The Victoria and Albert Museum holds twenty-nine leather panels which Hardiman modelled for the 'Magpie and Stump', the house Ashbee built on Chelsea Embankment (1893-4) for himself, his mother and his sisters. Hardiman's life ended tragically - he died in the the London Hospital, having been taken there on 29 Dec 1905 after drinking hydrochloric acid. A verdict of suicide was given at the inquest in January 1906.
This record includes information supplied by Angela Phillips and from Alan Crawford 'C.R. Ashbee: architect, designer and romantic socialist', second edition, Yale University Press, 2005.
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.
Made The Craft of the Guild
Together with Ashbee.
Locations
Address 29 Hanbury Street Spitalfields London | View on map
1891 (Circa)
Address 8 Morgan Street Mile End Old Town London | View on map
1901 (Circa)
Personal and Professional Connections
Collaborated with Charles Robert Ashbee
On \'The Craft of the Guild\' in 1889 ACES exhibition.
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Modeller in Clay' employed
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Metal work (Gold & Silver)' worker
Sources
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Second Exhibition.
1889
p.147.
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
RG12 piece 273 folio 90 page 14
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2001
RG13 piece 335 folio 50 page 32
London, England, Baptisms, Marriages, Burials 1538-1812
2010
Name: William Hardiman
Record Type: Baptism
Estimated Birth Date: abt 1872
Baptism Date: 19 May 1872
Father's Name: Edward Hardiman
Mother's Name: Harriet Hardiman
Parish or Poor Law Union: Bethnal Green St Matthias
Borough: Tower Hamlets
Citing this record
'William Hardiman', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib2_1211193473, accessed 03 Jul 2022]
