Julien Hardy

L.J. Gervasoni, Ballarat Town Hall, 2017. Ballarat Heritage Services Picture Collection

Dorothy Wickham, Vire, Normandy, France, c2017. Ballarat Heritage Services Picture Collection

History

Julien Hardy was born c1831 Mon Joie, near Vire, Normandy, France to parents Julien (carpenter) and Jean-Marie Panton or Penton. He was working as a granite stone dresser, while living at the Vale, Guernsey according to the 1851 English Census. Julien emigrated to Australia on the Secret arriving in Melbourne on 2 May 1854. He travelled to the Victorian goldfields where he discovered gold at Happy Valley.

According to James Flett in "The history of Gold Discovery in Victoria", Julian [sic] Hardy and party, the official discoverers of gold at Happy Valley shared with the other two a reward of £500. The official date given for the discovery was May 1855. Julian Hardy and party - £166-13-4 for the discovery of gold."

At the age of 34 Julien Hardy was naturalised on 11 November 1867 at Ballarat. On his naturalisation certificate it states he was born at Vire (the largest closest town to his birthplace). He was buried at the Ballaarat New Cemetery on 19 May 1875.

Julien Hardy's Quarry

Julien Hardy owned a quarry at Warrenheip and supplied bluestone for the Ballarat Town Hall. Julien Hardy's quarry was a 9345 Western Highway, the 2019 location of Shady Acres Caravan Park is what is locally called Melbourne Road, Warrenheip.

Family Tree

Julien Hardy married Elizabeth Sophia Frances who had been a widow since 1854, and she already had two children. Her parents were recorded as Nicholas Gage Burchardt, banker and Elizabeth Leslin. Sophia was born c1828 in Basle, Switzerland.

See also

Non-Metallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying

Stonemasons

External links

https://ballaratheritage.com.au/article/notre-dame-de-vire/

--Clare K.Gervasoni 10:58, 28 April 2019 (AEST)