Featured Article Summary #249

Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy (1666–1732) was a Royal Navy officer who later became a politician. He rose through the navy with support from George Churchill, serving as first lieutenant at the Battle of Barfleur in 1692, and becoming captain in 1693. From then on, he commanded ships in key areas such as the Channel and the Mediterranean, including major actions like the Battle of Cádiz and involvement in finding the Franco-Spanish fleet leading to the Battle of Vigo Bay, for which he was knighted. In later years, he took charge of protecting merchant convoys and escorting large fleets, but faced setbacks, including a court martial in 1708 over how he handled René Duguay-Trouin; he was acquitted after further investigations. Hardy continued advancing to rear-admiral, commanded blockades and squadrons, served with the Baltic Fleet during the Great Northern War, and was dismissed in 1716, likely due to his Tory support for the deposed House of Stuart. Thomas Hardy was born on Jersey on 13 September 1666 into a family connected to law and naval service. He joined the Royal Navy before 1688, working as a captain’s clerk for Captain George Churchill, who later helped his career. By 1692 he was a lieutenant and first lieutenant on the HMS St Andrew, and during the Nine Years’ War he fought at the Battle of Barfleur from 19 to 24 May. In 1693 Thomas Hardy was promoted to captain and led several Royal Navy ships, including HMS Charles, HMS Swallow Prize and HMS Pendennis, protecting merchant shipping and serving through the Nine Years’ War. After more command changes, he joined Admiral Sir George Rooke’s fleet during the War of the Spanish Succession, fighting at Cádiz and later helping locate and engage the Franco-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Vigo Bay in 1702. Following the victory he sailed home with the news, was knighted by Queen Anne, and received a new command in 1703. Bedford was sent to the Mediterranean Fleet under Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, where Hardy was put in charge of four ships to gather information near Lagos. Little was learned about French movements, though the size of the French fleet at Toulon was reported, and Hardy later captured a valuable ship from Santo Domingo, while also escorting diplomatic papers to Tangier and returning home to Plymouth in November. Hardy later sailed again with the Mediterranean Fleet under Rooke, serving with Dilkes’s squadron off the Tagus and taking part in actions against Spanish forces. He missed some major events such as the capture of Gibraltar but fought in the Battle of Málaga, suffering heavy casualties, and later returned to England to serve on HMS Kent, which helped in the siege of Ostend. In October 1706, Hardy was made a commodore and led a small squadron to protect British merchant ships sailing through the Bay of Biscay and the west of the English Channel. Soon after taking command, he captured a French privateer that had recently taken two British merchant ships, and he continued escorting convoys in 1707 despite harsh weather. Although French raiders under René Duguay-Trouin were operating nearby, they moved to Portugal shortly afterward, keeping Hardy’s area secure for shipping.