Thomas Hardy and G R Crickmay (1830 - 1907)

Crickmay was based in Weymouth, Dorset and took over the business of John Hicks who died in 1869. Thomas Hardy, was apprenticed to Hicks and Crickmay requested that Hardy assist him with a number of the yet unfinished church commisions.

Hardy spent a significant part of his time here on the church at Turnworth where Thomas was able to exert a significant influence on the rebuilding in 1868 by G.R. Crickmay. Thomas Hardy designed the capitals, which represent foliage.

Thomas was offered a furher 3 month period of work. Hardy set up home at 3 Wooperton Street, Weymouth, Dorset from which he based various parts of Desperate Remedies. In the novel Edward Springrove was based upon a new assistant of Crickmay's (possibly the youg Hardy himself).

Hardy was able to work for Crickmay on terms that suited his own requirement to commence his new career as a novel-writer. The ecclesiastical projects that he was involved in included Hinton Martel and West Lulworth, and the major St. Juliot in Cornwall which Thomas visited first on the 7th May 1870. It was at St. Juliot that he was to meet Emma Gifford who became the first Mrs Hardy on 17th September 1874.

Crickmay may have also called upon Thomas on other projects in 1871 on work for the Weymouth hospital and schools, Stoke Wake church and alterations to Slape House, Netherbury.