Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1970 & 79

Joseph Hardman (1914 - 1977)


Joseph Hardman was a Centre Lathe Turner (Iron and Steel) by trade and was Mayor of Salford in 1972 – 73.


He was born on 1st November 1914 in Salford. His father was Joseph Hardman snr. (born 1886 in Pendleton) who was a Machinist Labourer in a Wallpaper Works (in 1911) and his mother was Martha Ann (nee Gough) Hardman (born 1887 in Hulme, Manchester), who were married in 1909 at St Thomas's Church, Pendleton. The 1911 census (just before Joseph was born) shows that Joseph snr and Martha Ann had a son Samuel Augustine (born 1910 in Pendleton).


On 25th July 1936, 21-year-old Joseph married 19-year-old Annie Tittle at St Paul the Apostle, Paddington, Salford. Annie was the daughter of Richard Tittle (deceased), who had been a Clerk and Martha Tittle, of 27 Astley Street, Pendleton. Annie had lost her father in 1922 when she was 6 years old.


In 1937 Joseph and Annie had a daughter Ann, born in Salford. In 1956 Ann married Frederick A Craighan in Salford, but sadly she died in 1964 and was buried at Weaste Cemetery. In the 1939 review Joseph is shown at the home of his parents, at 35 Grafton Street, Salford, but there is no sign of Annie.


Joseph was a member of the Labour Party in Salford and his appointment as Mayor of Salford in May 1972 was controversial. The accepted practice of appointing the Mayor was made by the ruling Group which selected their own party member one year, and a member of the opposition for the following year, who became Deputy Mayor. The ruling party in 1971-72 was Conservative and their choice of Deputy Mayor was Alderman Burchill. However, Alderman Burchill was an Independent, who two years earlier had been a Labour member and accepted help from the Conservatives in order to maintain his Council position of Alderman. As a result, Labour had "withdrawn the Whip," meaning that Alderman Birchill was no longer a member of the Labour Group.


In the Council Elections of May 1972 the Labour Party gained control of the Council. A news article in The Guardian of 6th May 1972 lead "Quick move on Mayor. The first action of the victorious Labour group yesterday was to requisition a special City Council meeting for next Wednesday to elect a Labour Mayor. They intend to rescind a previous Tory-backed resolution naming Alderman Bernard Burchill (Ind Lab) as Mayor-elect and to substitute Councillor Joe Hardman (Lab). The present Labour Group leader Councillor Les Hough said yesterday, "We are not being vindictive. It is our turn to nominate the Mayor from our own Group, and Alderman Burchill is not a member of our Group and has no claim to our support." The Guardian of 18th May 1972 followed up with "After Councillor Joseph Hardman (Lab) had been elected Mayor of Salford, Conservatives said they would boycott his official functions."


Joseph Hardman died in November 1977 aged 63 and was buried in grave J.3000 of the Dissenters portion of Weaste Cemetery on 7th November. His wife Annie died in November 1988 aged 71 and was re-united with Joseph on 17 November.