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THE loss of Dr. Hardman at the age of 81 will be felt
by every Member of the Society who was brought into contact with him. He
was something more than a mere scholar in as much as he took great
delight in promoting scholarship in others. His library was ever at the
service of the student and he had an apparently inexhaustible supply of
reference books which he delighted to give to those who were likely to
make good use of them. In many cases these books could only have been
obtained elsewhere with great difficulty and at a considerable price so
that they conferred very real benefit on the recipients. His library was
noteworthy for the very large number of books devoted to philology; and
these were in many different languages, with all of which he seemed to
have sufficient acquaintance for his purposes. Only those who have
discussed with him at length and in detail the possible origin of some
Indo-European root can be aware of how extensive his knowledge really
was. We must all regret that he never published any contribution to this
aspect of archaeology other than two or three very small booklets on
Kentish Place-Names. These were valuable and interesting but were
scarcely proportionate to his knowledge of European Place-Names and
their origin. He was Chairman of the Records Branch of the Kent
Archaeological Society |
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and in this connection found the opportunity to do a
great deal of useful work on the Kent Feet of Fines, the first part of
which has already been published. He also contributed to Archaeologia
Cantiana articles on Castle-Guard at Dover, The Sea Valley of Deal
and, with the Hon. Editor, on the History of Stonar. He was still very
interested in the latter subject at the time of his death. In addition
to his published work he had accumulated considerable manuscript
material with regard to two Kentish Parishes, Ringwould and Nonington. I
believe that this material has passed into the hands of the Kent Archaeological
Society. He was a member of the Council of the Society for many years
and in this capacity also did excellent service to the cause of
archaeology. This is not the place to write at length of his official
life as a Coroner, Clerk to the late Walmer Urban District Council,
Registrar of the Deal County Court, etc., except to say that in these
spheres also he left his mark as an able administrator and public
servant. In the councils of the Society and the realm of scholarship the
death of Dr. Hardman leaves a gap which will not easily be filled. In
the circle of friends the gap will be even greater.
G. W. |