It is with deepest regret to inform you, that Ronald Hardy (Ron), a true friend and colleague passed away at the weekend.
It was by chance that he came to work for Steed over thirteen years ago, when myself & Thomas Mahon, now (Englishcut) advertised for a tailor in the newspaper. He was visiting Cumbria with his partner Pat, like they did on many occasions & found a last copy of the Cumberland news before heading back home to Liverpool.
It was by chance that he came to work for Steed over thirteen years ago, when myself & Thomas Mahon, now (Englishcut) advertised for a tailor in the newspaper. He was visiting Cumbria with his partner Pat, like they did on many occasions & found a last copy of the Cumberland news before heading back home to Liverpool.
The wealth of knowledge that he had & not just in tailoring, was phenomenal & if you wanted to know anything, you didn’t have to Google it, you just asked Ron.
He touched so many lives, both here & where he grew up in Liverpool, alongside people like Sir Paul McCartney, who was the same age 67 and went to the same high school. (Liverpool Institute).
Customers alike got to know Ron, mainly through myself on my travels & appreciated the workmanship that went into their suits & always sent their best wishes & regards, which I passed on & was always appreciated by him.
Customers alike got to know Ron, mainly through myself on my travels & appreciated the workmanship that went into their suits & always sent their best wishes & regards, which I passed on & was always appreciated by him.
Ron had spent all his life in tailoring & was 15 years old when he started. His real name is Ronald and his middle name is Kenneth but there was already a tailor by the name of Ron working there, so they told him, “He’d be Ken”. So they’ll be a lot of people in Liverpool who would know him as Ken.During his career he worked on various projects, such as making the uniforms for the film, Where Eagles Dare, which starred, Richard Burton & Clint Eastwood. Also he made a Johnny Walker type red tailcoat for the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, which was worn by the captain.
These two photo's have been much admired by all who have seen them on The London Lounge and other forums and also featured in previous posts on Steed's View, which Ron made for us.
Unfortunately we don't have too many other photo's of Ron but the one above is taken by Tom at one of English Cut's gatherings and one of Ron where he was most at home, working at his board here at Steed, where it doesn't quite feel right without him being there working alongside us every day.
He will be sorely missed by all of those whose lives he touched.
The funeral will take place in Ron’s hometown of Liverpool on Friday, 15th January 2010.
