Bellamy and Hardy
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. 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 Hardy's death, which was probably in 1891 or 1892. After this Bellamy continued to practise until 1896. 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. Pearson Bellamy completed his articles with  Nicholson and then worked as an assistant to architects in Manchester and Liverpool. 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. Bellamy continued with his architectural practice at 11 Broadgate, and the partnership with Penistan was short lived. 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. , Their practice moved to 30 Broadgate, Lincoln. In 1851 Pearson Bellamy was living in Melville Street, Lincoln. By 1872 he had moved to No. 1 Carholme Road, (now the Hollies Hotel) and was developing the adjacent terrace of houses. 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. Bellamy and Hardy "Architects and  Surveyors" had offices in Melville Street, Lincoln. In 1896 Pearson Bellamy is noted as working by himself at 29, Broadgate, Lincoln. These premises, which have now been re-built were adjacent and on the north side of the Jolly Brewer in Broadgate. Hardy died in either 1891 or 1892 at which time the partnership was dissolved. Pearson Bellamy died in June 1901 at 14 Tentercroft Street. Architectural work. 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, 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." Lincoln City Surveyorship. Following the Local Government Act of 1858, which was adopted by Corporation of Lincoln in 1866, a Local Government Board was set up. 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. Mr Bellamy was appointed to the position. From this time Pearson Bellamy seems to have been increasingly occupied by this work in the City. Houses by Bellamy and Hardy. Houses in Louth. Pearson Bellamy designed many houses in Louth, particularly near Linden Walk, Newmarket and Lee Street. An example of a larger "villa" house is Elmhurst on Crowtree Lane. Houses in Leighton Buzzard In October 1861 Pearson Bellamy advertised for tenders for building "three villas" in Hockliffe Road, Leighton  Buzzard. These houses appear to be nos. 50, 52 and 57 Hockliffe Road. Housing developments in Lincoln. Bellamy and Hardy were very involved in the suburban development on the edge of the historic core of Lincoln which took place in the second half of the 19th. century. This is included the designing of villa residences for Lincoln's prospering middle classes. The main areas that were developed by Bellamy and Hardy were in Newland, Newland Street West, Orchard Street and lower part of Yarborourgh Road on the western side of Lincoln; houses in Sewell Road and Lindum Terrace in the  north-east and St Catherine's and South Park on the southern side. Housing at South Park, Lincoln. In the 1870s Bellamy developed a group of houses on South Park facing South Common. These probably included numbers 58 to 75. This group includes impressive villa buildings. Most interesting are nos 72 and 73 built in a Venetian Gothic style in 1872. Cemetery design and layout. The provision of cemeteries by Town Councils which were separate from churchyards, largely came about as a result of the Burial Act 1854 (17 & 18 Vict c 87). It is one of the Burial Acts  1852 to 1885. The purpose of the 1854 Act purpose was to give provision for town councils to form burial boards to create and maintain cemeteries for parishes within their jurisdiction using funds from the Borough Rate. Following the passing of the Act during the next 30–40 years, very many new cemeteries were laid out. Bellamy and Hardy developed an expertise in cemetery design and layout for which they were awarded contracts in various parts of midland England. The design of the cemetery chapels is fairly standard with two side chapels linked by an arch which was surmounted by a  spire. Pearson Bellamy's distinctive design for cemetery chapels appears to have arisen as a result of a dispute during the construction of his earliest cemetery chapels at Louth. Here he had designed two freestanding chapels, one for Anglicans and the other for Nonconformists, which were approached through a red brick Tudoresque tower. The vicar of Louth objected to this arrangement as he would have to step outside the chapel onto unconsecrated roadway to greet the funeral cortege. Eventually the chapel and a surrounding area for Anglican burials was consecrated by the Bishop of Lincoln in December 1855. The later  design with two chapels either side of an arch solved this problem, and as result the design was widely adopted. At Stoke-on-Trent, Bellamy and Hardy were supposed only to have laid out the cemetery and a local architect supplied the plans, but as the chapels are typical of Bellamy and Hardy's work, this is unlikely to be the case. The Middlewich cemetery chapels and the Oakham cemetery chapels are identical, apart from a slight alteration to the design of the central arch. In the Lincoln cemetery on Canwick Road, Bellamy and Hardy laid out the cemetery, but  another Lincoln architect, William Mortimer provided the plans for the cemetery chapels. However, the Lodge of 1856 for the adjacent New Cemetery on Washingborough Road was designed by Bellamy.