John Hardy (MP for Bradford)

John Hardy (1773 – 29 September 1855) was a barrister, the main owner of the Low Moor ironworks, and represented Bradford in the House of Commons from 1832 to 1837 and from 1841 to 1847.

His father, also named John (1745-1806), who made successful investments in the Low Moor ironworks, was an attorney at Horsforth and Land Steward to the Spencer-Stanhope family. His father and grandfather had also been Stewards and Clerk to the Stanhope family of Horsforth.^[1] The younger John Hardy was educated in Switzerland near Bienne, where his contemporaries included Lord Lyndhurst and Daniel O'Connell. He married in 1804 Isabel, daughter and heiress of Richard Gathorne. Their eldest son John was created a Baronet in 1876 and their third son Gathorne became a prominent Conservative politician and was created Earl of Cranbrook in 1892. Hardy died at Dunstall Hall, Staffordshire on 29 September 1855.