Vanda,
Thanks ever so much for replying.
I didn't even realise that John Hardy had a second wife, Esther until 1841 census. John Hardy's son James Richard is my great x2 grandfather. The son of James Richard, Charles Gregory, sailed to Australia with his wife Sarah Elizabeth soon after his marriage in Sept 1865. When I was in UK in 2004 I double checked my Hardy research in Manchester & so I'm confident I have these Hardys back to Samuel Hardy born in Oct 1725 in Oldham, Manchester. Would be most interested to share my research. Where do you live? I live in rural NSW, Australia.
Elaine.