Bellamy and Hardy was an architectural practice in Lincoln, England, that specialised particularly in the design of public buildings and non-conformist chapels. Pearson Bellamy had established his own architectural practice by 1845 and he entered into a partnership with James Spence Hardy in June 1853. Both partners had previously worked for the Lincoln architect William Adams Nicholson. Hardy was described as "Chief Clerk" to Nicholson."Page" (2017), pg.22, note 15 Hardy joined Pearson Bellamy immediately after the sudden death of Nicholson. As all known architectural drawings by the practice are signed Pearson Bellamy, it is likely that Bellamy was the architect and Hardy was the administrator in the practice. The partnership lasted until 1887.The dissolution is noted in London Gazette, but the exact reference has not been traced. Hardy's will was dated 4 January 1888, and was proved in 1892. (Lincolnshire Record Office WILLS/1892/ii/788. Bellamy continued to practise until 1896.Evidence based on the Survey of Lincoln: City Building Applications Database 1866 – 1952.
Architectural practice
This architectural practice were the designers of a large number of buildings in Lincolnshire and more widely within the British Isles. In 1841 Hardy was working as an assistant to the Lincoln architect William Adams Nicholson, while Bellamy was apprenticed to Nicholson. John Spence Hardy was born in Preston in Lancashire around 1815 and Pearson Bellamy was born in Louth in 1822.Denis Bellamy "Meeting Places" A homage to my parents.pg.231 The date of his birth is given as 27 February 1822 Pearson Bellamy completed his articles with Nicholson and then worked as an assistant to architects in Manchester and Liverpool.Obituary: Stamford Mercury – Friday 5 July 1901 pg 5. Bellamy returned to Lincoln, perhaps in 1845, and on 16 July 1845 married Caroline Ann Penistan at St Swithin's Church, Lincoln. In May 1846 Bellamy became a partner with his brother-in-law Michael Penistan in an agricultural engineering business on Broadgate."Page" (2017), pg.11, Bellamy continued with his architectural practice at 11 Broadgate,Stamford Mercury – Friday 15 May 1846 pg 3 and the partnership with Penistan was short lived."Page" (2017), pg.11. John Spence Hardy had also left Nicholson's practice and by 1848 he was working with the York architect Richard Hey Sharp. Following the death of Sharp, Hardy sold up the York practice and on 11 June 1853 he formed an architectural practice with Pearson Bellamy in Lincoln. ,"Page" (2017), pg.11. Their practice moved to 30 Broadgate, Lincoln.White's Lincolnshire Directory, (1856), pg 127 In 1851 Pearson Bellamy was living in Melville Street, Lincoln, but probably moved to Carholme Terrace later in that year and was recorded there in 1856.White's Lincolnshire Directory, (1856), pg 121 He remained there until after 1872, when it was known as No. 1 Carholme Road,White's Lincolnshire Directory, 1872) (now the Hollies Hotel). In 1881 he was living with his family at 14 Tentercroft Street and by 1889 he had moved to Weston Lodge, South Park, but by 1896 Pearson Bellamy had moved back to 14 Tentercroft Street.Kelly's Directory 1896, pg 359 Bellamy and Hardy "Architects and Surveyors" had offices in Melville Street, Lincoln.Kelly's Directory 1889, pg 304 In 1896 Pearson Bellamy is noted as working by himself at 29, Broadgate, Lincoln.Kelly's Directory 1896, pg 365 These premises, which have now been re-built were adjacent and on the north side of the Jolly Brewer in Broadgate. Hardy died in November 1892.John Spence Hardy’s will, dated 4 January 1888, was proved in 1892. (Lincolnshire Record Office WILLS/1892/ii/788. Lincolnshire Chronicle 25 November 1892 page 5 – death notice -Obituary Lincolnshire Chronicle 25 November 1892 page 8 Pearson Bellamy died in June 1901 at 14 Tentercroft Street.Stamford Mercury, Friday 5 July 1901, pg5Denis Bellamy "Meeting Places" A homage to my parents.pg300
Architectural work Nikolaus Pevsner had mixed views about the work of Pearson Bellamy. When discussing the Royal Exchange Offices in Lincoln, he refers to Pearson Bellamy as an underrated architect,Pevsner N. (1964) Buildings of England: Lincolnshire pg 160, which contrasts with his description of Leighton Buzzard Corn Exchange (see below), which he seems to like, but criticises because it is not stylistically correct, calling it "Victorian at its most irresponsible". However, Pevsner considered their cemetery chapels at Loughborough "the best cemetery buildings in the county."Pevsner N. (rev. E. Williamson), (1984), The Buildings of England: Leicestershire and Rutland pp. 284–5).
Lincoln City Surveyorship Following the Local Government Act 1858, which was adopted by the Corporation of Lincoln in 1866, a local government board was set up.Survey of Lincoln In June 1866 the board voted to appoint a surveyor to supervise sanitary and planning applications for the city. There were applications for the post from Michael Drury, the Corporation Surveyor, Henry Goddard, surveyor to the Lighting and Paving Commissioners, a Mr Betham and Pearson Bellamy. Henry Goddard's application was unexpectedly withdrawn. Bellamy was appointed to the position.Lincolnshire Chronicle – Saturday 23 June 1866, pg 6. From this time Pearson Bellamy seems to have been increasingly occupied by this work in the city, but resigned sometime between 1875 and 1878, by which time he had been replaced by a John James Henderson.Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Tuesday 28 March 1882
Public and commercial buildings Burnley, Lancashire Clock Tower, erected in St James's Street, Burnley. (1859).Burnley Advertiser, Saturday 9 April 1859. The clock tower commission was decided following an open competition. 92 entries were received, with the first prize going to Bellamy and Hardy.The Builder, Vol. 17, 7 May 1859, p. 317 The clock tower appears to have been removed after World War II.
Boston
The Boston Corn Exchange. Opened in September 1855.Stamford Mercury Friday 21 September 1855 pg2 The building of the Atheneum, also by Bellamy and Hardy, commenced almost immediately after the completion of the Corn Exchange. The Corn Exchange was demolished at the same time as the Atheneum.
The Atheneum, Boston Market Place (1855). Founded in 1851 as a result of the amalgamation of the Mechanic's Institute and the public library. The new building designs were approved on 19 September 1855 when the designs of three different architects were considered. Bellamy and Hardy's design was selected on the basis of cost, which was estimated at £600–650, while Fowler of Louth at £1000 and Micklethwait and Chapman of Grimsby at £800 were considered too expensive.Stamford Mercury – Friday 3 August 1860 pg 1 The Atheneum fronted onto the Market Place and stood in front of the Corn Exchange built in the same year. It was demolished when Marks and Spencers was built.Pishey Thompson The History and Antiquities of Boston, Longman, London 1856, pg 221.
Cambridge Corn Exchange. It was announced in February 1858 that the "new Corn Exchange at Cambridge, ... by Messrs. Bellamy and Hardy, is now so far advanced as to give some idea of what it will be. The space within the walls is 108 feet length, and 49 in breadth. The height of the walls to the springing of the roof will be 25 feet. The roof will be divided into five compartments, and will be principally of glass, The contractors are Messrs. Sharman and Son, of Spalding, the amount being £2750."Lincolnshire Chronicle – Friday 19 February 1858 pg 5. The location of this corn exchange is unknown and it was replaced by the present Cambridge corn exchange building in 1875–76.
Grimsby
Grimsby Town Hall 1861–1863. Designed with John Giles of London. The work was superintended by James Fowler of Louth. The Doughty Museum and Municipal Offices formed flanking pavilions to the Town Hall. Yellow brick with yellow stone with Italianate details. Set with roundel portraits of the founding figures in Grimsby history; Archbishop Whitgift (born in the town's Old Market Place), Gervase Holles, (a Mayor in 1640, a Royalist, and a local historian), Edward III (who granted land to the town's freemen), and three more recent figures, the Earl of Yarborough, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert."Antram", (1989), 342. Bellamy also used roundels as a decorative feature on Ipswich Town Hall.
Grimsby Corn Exchange. Constructed of red brick and dressed stone. The plans were set in place by Grimsby Borough for the building project in 1855 and £6,000 was approved for the building, land and expenses. Bellamy and Hardy won the open competition for the design and were paid £150 to oversee the building's construction, which cost £3,429, with the balance of the £6,000 going to the previous owner of the site. A civic dinner was held on 6 March 1857 to mark the opening of the Corn Exchange. The building was demolished in 1960. The Mechanics Institute, Victoria Street, Grimsby. (1856). "an edifice in of coloured brick, and stone, in the Italian style." Built at the cost of nearly £1,200.White's Directory of Lincolnshire, 1896, pg 219.
Horncastle Horncastle, Lincolnshire. The Dispensary, North Street. 1866."Antram", (1989), 563. Horncastle Public Dispensary was originally founded by Sir Joseph Banks in 1789. Re-built in North Street in 1866, to designs by Bellamy and Hardy, at a cost of £1,026.10s.11d. Converted in 1924 into the War Memorial Hospital. White gault bricks with ashlar and red brick dressings. Welsh slate hipped roof with tall brick stacks to rear. First floor has moulded ashlar cill band with single central window and flanking three light windows with moulded round headed ashlar tops, carved imposts and ashlar round mullions.British Listed Buildings
Hull
The Corn Exchange, High Street, Hull. Now the Hull and East Riding Museum. Nikolaus Pevsner and David Neave describe this as an "imposing building" of 1856,"Pevsner and Neave" pg 502. with a massive Italianate stone front. Three storeys, three bays with a high doorway flanked with Corinthian columns, with a large beaded mask carved on the keystone and agricultural motifs on the spandrels. Tripartite windows to first floor and big semi-circular windows to the upper floor. Cartouche with town arms on parapet."Pevsner and Neave" pg 532. The Corn Exchange incorporated a huge exchange hall spanned by timber trusses supported on carved corbels. The building was little used and in disrepair by 1888. The exchange lost more business in 1904 when the new Corn Market opened in the Market Hall, North Church Side. It closed in 1906 and some of the rooms were used as offices by companies such as the Yorkshire Farmers. During the First World War it was used to house troops. It found a new purpose in 1925 when it became the Museum of Commerce and Transport and then in 1989 the Hull and East Riding Museum.Hull Museum Blogspot
Ipswich