Happy Birthday to Thomas Hardy

Happy Birthday, Thomas Hardy!

Thomas Hardy was born 186 years ago, on the morning of 2nd June 1840, in the remote thatched cottage built by his great-grandfather at Higher Bockhampton, three miles east of Dorchester. He was so small and frail at birth that he was first believed to be stillborn and placed in a basket. Fortunately, the midwife noticed a slight movement and realised he was alive.

Reflecting on this, Hardy’s friend Sir James Barrie, author of Peter Pan, opined: “...knowing what we do of him now, we may think that at his first sight of life he liked it so little he lay very still. There was never any more faltering. An undaunted mind—that was Hardy. He was a great man. That was his hard fate.”

On less traumatic birthdays, Hardy received many letters and telegrams. Letters poured in from people of every class and employment, ranging from ex-soldiers to university students to King George V, who offered his “personal congratulations” along with those of “the people of the empire who love your writings”.

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2026 THS Dates for your diary

From 26/06/2026 until 12/12/2026
Starts 10:15 until 13:00

Study Day on Words, Music and Place

On 26/06/2026
Starts 10:45 until 18:30

27th International Thomas Hardy Conference and Festival

From 25/07/2026 until 01/08/2026
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Roman Casterbridge

On 25/07/2026
Starts 13:30 until 15:30