Joseph Hardie was born in 1919 in Wishaw, Lanarkshire in Scotland. His father, James, was an engineman. Joseph matriculated at the University of Glasgow in 1938 where he studied theology in the Faculty of Arts. In his first session (1938-1939) Hardie took Latin, Greek and English; in his second (1939-1940), he studied Latin (oral), Greek (oral) and English (oral). In the following session (1940-1941), Hardie took English (Higher), history and political economy and in 1941-1942 he studied botany, moral philosophy, soctial economics and Hebrew. In his fifth and final year (1942-1943), Hardie took ecclesiastical history and systematic theology. He graduated MA in October 1944 . He obtained his license to preach the Gospel from the Presbytery of Hamilton in May 1946 .
During his time at the University of Glasgow Hardie participated in a number of sporting activities, particularly football. He was also active in a number of sports committees, including: Assistant Secretary of Glasgow University Athletic Club Council, 1941-1942; Honorary Secretary of Glasgow University Athletic Club Council, 1942-1943; President of Glasgow University Athletic Council, 1943-1944 ; Honorary Secretary of Glasgow University Athletic Club Council, 1942-1943, President of Glasgow University Athletic Club Council, 1943-1944 , and Vice-President, 1944-1946; Treasurer of Glasgow University Football Club, 1943-1945. He also sat on the Glasgow University Union Committee of Management,1943-1945, and was a member of the Universities International match, played between England and Scotland at Hampden Park, Glasgow, in March 1945 . Rev Joseph Hardie died on the 16th September 1997 .
From the guide to the Papers of Rev Joseph Hardie, 1919-1997, arts graduate, University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1941-1946, (Glasgow University Archives Service)
