RW Bro Sir James Gilbert Hardy OBE PDGM

11 August 23

RW Bro Sir James Gilbert Hardy OBE PDGM has had a remarkable and successful career in business, sport and Freemasonry. Able to mix and sit comfortably in any company, he developed that winning touch which made him welcome and well-liked in Australia and overseas.

He was born in 1932, the great grandson of Thomas Hardy, the founder of Hardy’s Wines in South Australia. Educated in Adelaide, James graduated with a Diploma of Accountancy from the South Australian Institute of Technology and joined the family company in October 1953 as a shipping clerk. He then moved on to salesman, sales supervisor, director and in 1981 Chairman of Directors.

His masonic career began when he was initiated in Lodge City of Sydney No. 952 on 21 November 1962. He took a keen interest in his Masonry, progressing to Junior Warden in 1969, Senior Warden in 1970 and WM in 1971. He was appointed Deputy Grand Master in August 1976 by the Grand Master, MW Bro Noel Warren, and held the position for two years.

Apart from his involvement in the wine industry and Masonry, James Hardy also became a public figure as a yachtsman, representing Australia at the Olympic Games, world championships and the America’s Cup. He was selected in the Australian team for the 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico Olympic Games and won the 1966 World 505 title. He was skipper three times when Australia contested the America’s Cup, on Gretel II (1970), Southern Cross (1974) and Australia (1980). But his biggest thrill against the Americans came in 1983 when Australia won the famous ocean trophy at Newport, Rhode Island with Hardy as reserve helmsman and team advisor to John Bertrand.

Hardy revelled in ocean racing and took the helm in Admiral’s Cup Ocean championships in England in 1973 and 1977 before winning in Impetuous in 1979 and Bondi Tram in 1983. He was named Australian Yachtsman of the Year in 1981 and inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in 1994.

However, these interests did not deter him from being involved in community activities and his association and work with various organisations led to well-deserved honours from the Australian and English governments. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1975 and a Knight Bachelor in 1981 for services to yachting and the community.

Among his many activities, Sir James was a member of the Council of the Royal Blind Society of NSW from 1967 to 1990, a Council member of the Australian National Maritime Museum, trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground and the Rothmans Foundation, chairman of the National Heritage Committee, chairman of the Landcare Australia Foundation and on the executive committee of the Neurosurgical Research Foundation of South Australia. His services were also valued by sporting authorities when he was appointed chairman of the 1998 Adelaide Commonwealth Games Bid Committee and Ambassador for the successful Sydney bid for the 2000 Olympic Games.

Sir James is still involved in Masonry and was further honoured on 21 May 2011 as a foundation member of the newly consecrated Sir James Hardy Lodge 1046 in Sydney.

This article appeared in the December 2012 Freemason Magazine, sadly our esteemed Brother passed to the Grand Lodge above on the 14th June 2023. 

Sir James Hardy (right) with Lady Hardy and Sir Nicholas Shehadie at Government House

Sir James and his nephew Bill Hardy
with a bust of Thomas Hardy