The son of a Wath-upon-Dearne miner, Hardy was educated at Wath Grammar School.[1] He trained as a teacher at Westminster College, London, and gained a degree in Curricular Studies at Sheffield University before rising to be head of English at Mexborough County Secondary School.
He entered parliament in 1970 for the Rother Valley constituency. In 1983, when constituency boundaries were re-organised, he moved with a part of his old Rother Valley constituency to the re-formed Wentworth constituency, for which he was Member of Parliament (MP) until retirement from the House of Commons in 1997.
Never keen on the pursuit of high office, he was parliamentary private secretary to Tony Crosland and David Owen. To his constituents he was a popular and hard-working constituency MP. This was reflected in the fact that, despite being identified with the right wing of the Labour party, in 1981 he survived a National Union of Mineworkers-directed attempt to force the local party in his mining constituency to deselect him as its parliamentary candidate in favour of a more left-wing candidate.
His main interests were the lot of the classroom teacher, and wildlife, of which he had an encyclopaedic knowledge. He was a sponsor of much wildlife-related legislation in parliament, including the Badger Act (1973) and the Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act (1975). During an all-night reading of the Felixstowe Docks Bill he regaled the Commons with impressions of the song birds whose habitats were supposedly threatened by the development.
House of Lords
On 27 September 1997 he was made a life peer as Baron Hardy of Wath, of Wath-upon-Dearne in the County of South Yorkshire[2] and was an active member of the House of Lords until shortly before his death.
Coat of arms of Peter Hardy, Baron Hardy of Wath
Crest
A badger sejant erect proper supporting a miner’s safety lamp Or.
Escutcheon
Sable between ten piles wavy Argent issuant from the flanks three lady’s slipper orchids in pale Or.
Outside parliament, he served on the council of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the NSPCC. He is the author of "A Lifetime of Badgers" Newton Abbot: David & Charles: 1975
References
^Dalyell, Tam. "Lord Hardy of Wath". The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022.
peter, hardy, baron, hardy, wath, july, 1931, december, 2003, british, labour, party, politician, contents, early, life, political, career, house, lords, other, interests, references, external, linksearly, life, editthe, wath, upon, dearne, miner, hardy, educa. Peter Hardy Baron Hardy of Wath DL 17 July 1931 16 December 2003 was a British Labour Party politician Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 House of Lords 4 Other interests 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditThe son of a Wath upon Dearne miner Hardy was educated at Wath Grammar School 1 He trained as a teacher at Westminster College London and gained a degree in Curricular Studies at Sheffield University before rising to be head of English at Mexborough County Secondary School Political career EditWhile a local councillor he stood unsuccessfully as a parliamentary candidate in several safe Conservative seats in 1964 he contested Scarborough and Whitby and in 1966 he fought Sheffield Hallam He entered parliament in 1970 for the Rother Valley constituency In 1983 when constituency boundaries were re organised he moved with a part of his old Rother Valley constituency to the re formed Wentworth constituency for which he was Member of Parliament MP until retirement from the House of Commons in 1997 Never keen on the pursuit of high office he was parliamentary private secretary to Tony Crosland and David Owen To his constituents he was a popular and hard working constituency MP This was reflected in the fact that despite being identified with the right wing of the Labour party in 1981 he survived a National Union of Mineworkers directed attempt to force the local party in his mining constituency to deselect him as its parliamentary candidate in favour of a more left wing candidate His main interests were the lot of the classroom teacher and wildlife of which he had an encyclopaedic knowledge He was a sponsor of much wildlife related legislation in parliament including the Badger Act 1973 and the Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975 During an all night reading of the Felixstowe Docks Bill he regaled the Commons with impressions of the song birds whose habitats were supposedly threatened by the development House of Lords EditOn 27 September 1997 he was made a life peer as Baron Hardy of Wath of Wath upon Dearne in the County of South Yorkshire 2 and was an active member of the House of Lords until shortly before his death Coat of arms of Peter Hardy Baron Hardy of Wath Crest A badger sejant erect proper supporting a miner s safety lamp Or Escutcheon Sable between ten piles wavy Argent issuant from the flanks three lady s slipper orchids in pale Or Supporters On either side a greyhound sable winged Or Motto Observe Consider Respond 3 Other interests EditOutside parliament he served on the council of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the NSPCC He is the author of A Lifetime of Badgers Newton Abbot David amp Charles 1975References Edit Dalyell Tam Lord Hardy of Wath The Independent Archived from the original on 26 May 2022 No 54907 The London Gazette 1 October 1997 p 11063 Debrett s Peerage 2000 External links EditObituary in the Daily Telegraph dead link Parliament of the United KingdomPreceded byDavid Griffiths Member of Parliament for Rother Valley1970 1983 Succeeded byKevin BarronNew constituency Member of Parliament for Wentworth1983 1997 Succeeded byJohn Healey Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peter Hardy Baron Hardy of Wath amp oldid 1123037243, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
