This photograph is of Frances Hardy (nee Herron)  born 1878 and died in 1954, wife of John James Hardy.

Their daughters also appear in the photo. Elizabeth /Lizzie born in 1903,  married Jack Sutheran in 1928 and Minnie born 1905 who married Johnathan Walter Waller in 1924.

Minni's husband Walter died on a Japanese POW ship when it was torpedoed by an American sibmarine.

The firm was founded by John James Hardy in 1856 at Bond St. Hartlepool. The company prospered and moved to Throston Bridge in the 1880s. W.H. Hardy (Billy) took over as M.D. on his fathers death and continued in that position until 1937 when he sold the company to T.H. Pailor.

Ald. T.H. Pailor bought the company, limited liability since 1929, and ran it until his death in 1963.

His widow, Marion Isobel Pailor, was M.D. until 1967 when his son, Tom Pailor, took over on her death.

Tom supervised the move to Brenda Road and the company’s transition from brassfounders and finishers to CNC machinists and railways parts suppliers. On his retirement in 2002, his son Andrew Pailor became M.D. – only the sixth person to hold this position in 150 years.

(courtesy of J.J. Hardy's website)

John James and Frances Hardy at their home in Bruce Cresent in the early 1950s.

Thier daughter Lizzie Sutheran (1903-1961)and their Grand -Daughter Jessie Sutheran born in 1930,  who married Norman Price 1953 also appear in the photograph.

This photograph is of Vincent Hardy  taken in 1928. He was born in Hartlepool in 1908 and served in the Second World War in North Africa and India with the Yorks& lancs. Regiment.