1900
John Rylands Library opens to the public. Hardwicke appointed an honorary governor (1 January).
John Ruskin dies at Brantwood (20 January). Funeral held at Coniston. (25 January).
At a meeting of the Ruskin Society in Birmingham, Hardwicke proposes the establishment of a memorial at Friar’s Crag (31 January).
Hardwicke attends a meeting in Sunderland to support the campaign for ‘Sunday Closing’ of public houses (20 February).
The first annual meeting of the Cumberland Branch of the National Association for the Prevention of Consumption and other forms of Tuberculosis held in Carlisle. Hardwicke is one of the attendees (21 March).
Hardwicke and Edith accompany Mrs Rylands, founder of the John Rylands Library in Manchester, to Switzerland and Germany where they attend the Oberammergau Passion Play (May).
Hardwicke speaks at a public meeting in London organised to oppose the opening of a National Physical Laboratory in Old Deer Park, Richmond (22 June).
Hardwicke attends the annual meeting of the Church Sanitary Association in London (June).
Hardwicke presents the prizes to the female student teachers at Darlington Training College (28 June).
Annual general meeting of the National Trust held in London. Hardwicke one of the attendees (3 July).
Hardwicke in London to attend a meeting of the Duke of Wellington Memorial Committee (12 July).
Hardwicke in Edinburgh to give a lecture on ‘John Ruskin’ as part of the National Home Reading Union’s weekly summer school (28 July).
A meeting held at Rigg’s Hotel, Windermere, to protest against the proposed electric tramway in Windermere district, with Hardwicke attending (7 September).
Unveiling of a memorial to John Ruskin at Friar’s Crag (6 October).
Hardwicke delivers a sermon at Manchester Cathedral on the Boer War (11 November).
Hardwicke adjudicates in the literary classes at the Barrow Musical Festival (14-15 November).
Hardwicke presides at the Keswick School Speech Day (19 December).
Ballads of the War published.
Memories of the Tennysons published.
1901
Hardwicke publishes a proposal for the construction of a new building at Westminster to honour Queen Victoria and where the deeds and names as well as the dust and ashes of the nation’s helpers and leaders can be in future preserved (March).
The National Trust launch a campaign to raise £7,000, within 6 months, for the purchase of the Brandlehow Estate on the western shore of Derwentwater. Local Committees are set up in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Keswick and other towns. Hardwicke is at the forefront of the campaign. He extensively lobbies the Press and gives numerous lectures around the country (May-October).
Hardwicke opens the Ruskin memorial Museum in Coniston (31 August).
Along with his brother Willingham, Hardwicke attends a reception given by the Mayor and Mayoress of Winchester in the Guildhall, Winchester, as part of the Millenary Festival of King Alfred. The Keswick School of Industrial Arts also present a large rosewater dish of hammered gilding metal to the Corporation of Winchester as part of the celebrations (20 September).
Hardwicke tries to interest publishers in Beatrix Potter’s book The Tale of Peter Rabbit. He produces a version of the story in verse and sends it to Frederick Warne who take the decision to publish the original prose version by Beatrix (September).
Ruskin and the English Lakes published.
1902
Hardwicke attends the Cumberland Musical Festival in Workington. Donates two Challenge Shields in the competitions for Junior Choirs (1-2 January).
Gives a lecture on ‘Some Literary Associations of the English Lakes’ to the Edinburgh Philosophical Institution (25 February).
Gives a lecture on ‘Some Literary Associations of the English Lakes’ to the Greenock Philosophical Society (28 February).
Writes a letter to The Times and other newspapers calling for nation-wide bonfires to celebrate the upcoming Coronation of Edward VII (17 March).
Attends the Grasmere Sports (21 August).
Writes letters to the newspapers on behalf of the National Trust calling for funds to purchase the summit of Kymin Hill, near Monmouth (September-December)
Brandlehow Estate, Derwentwater, declared open to the public by Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyle, and vice-president of the National Trust (16 October).
Presents a paper on ‘The Inauguration of the International Society for the Study of Franciscan Literature’ at the Christian Conference, Sion College, London (17 November).
Attends Speech Day and Prize Giving at Keswick School (17 December).
A Rambler’s Notebook at the English Lakes published.
1903
Reads a paper on ‘Co-Education – Its National Importance’, at a conference in Manchester (2 January).
Addresses the annual conference of the Co-operative Holidays Association in Liverpool (3 January).
Hardwicke proposes the erection of a Memorial to the Venerable Bede at a meeting in Sunderland Town Hall. The idea is supported (27 January).
Hardwicke elected to the newly formed Cumberland County Council Education Committee (February).
Hardwicke gives a lecture to the Glasgow Lecture Association on the “Literary Associations of the Lake District’ (19 February).
Hardwicke gives a lecture at the Technical College in Sunderland on ‘Literary Associations and the English Lakes’ (27 March).
Attends a conference convened by the University of Durham in the city on the ‘Training of Teachers for Secondary Schools’ (28 March).
Hardwicke chairs a meeting in Keswick to discuss the restocking of Derwentwater with lake trout. The proposal is supported and fund raising agreed (31 March).
Hardwicke gives the inaugural address at a meeting in Carlisle in connection with the Summer Holiday Course in Nature Study (13 July).
Delivers a lecture on ‘St. Francis of Assisi’ at a summer meeting of students in Oxford (14 August).
Attends annual meeting of Carlisle Diocesan Conference in Workington (21 September).
Hardwicke is a guest at the laying by the King of the foundation stone of the King Edward VII Sanatorium for Tuberculosis in Midhurst (3 November).
Hardwicke attends a meeting in London to discuss the creation of a National Art Collections Fund (11 November).
Lake Country Sketches published.
Next: 1904-1907
