Thomas Hardy
June 2: Thomas Hardy born in Higher Bockhampton.
TH begins attending Julia Martin's school in Bockhampton.
TH begins playing violin locally.
TH's education becomes intensive -- he studies Latin, French and begins reading widely.
TH is apprenticed to the local architect John Hicks. The office is next to Barnes' school. Around this time TH meets and studies with Horace Moule, going through the Greek dramatists under his tutelage. TH witnesses the execution of Martha Browne in August.
TH travels to London to work under Arthur Blomfield. While finding his way in London he attends the Exhibition. He explores the cultural life of London, visiting museums, attending plays and operas, and begins writing poetry in earnest.
TH publishes his first article, "How I Built Myself a House."
TH returns to Dorset and works for Hicks. He begins considering writing as a profession and writes the unpublished novel The Poor Man and the Lady.
TH works for Crickmay.
TH travels to St. Juliot to work on the restoration of the church. Here he meets Emma Lavinia Gifford.
Desperate Remedies published.
Under the Greenwood Tree published.
A Pair of Blue Eyes published. TH gives up architecture as a career to write full-time. Horace Moule commits suicide in Cambridge.
Far From the Madding Crowd appears serially. In September TH marries Emma, travels to Paris, and sets up house in London. He moves around a bit and eventually settles in Sturminster Newton.
The Hand of Ethelberta published.
The Return of the Native published. With it TH publishes a map. TH moves again and with the success of this novel, begins to experience life as a celebrity. He joins the Saville Club.
The Trumpet-Major is published — it is one of TH's earliest treatments of the Napoleonic war.
A Laodicean is published. It was written while TH is bed-ridden. Hardy moves back to Dorset.
Two on a Tower published.
TH designs and supervises construction of his Dorchester home, Max Gate.
The Mayor of Casterbridge published soon after TH moves into Max Gate.
The Woodlanders published. TH and Emma tour the continent. When they return, he begins habit of visiting London for "the season."
Wessex Tales, TH's first collection of short stories, is published.
A Group of Noble Dames published. There is a small uproar after the publication of Tess of the d'Urbervilles.
TH's father dies. He begins serialization of The Pursuit of the Well-Beloved.
Meets Florence Henniker.
Life's Little Ironies, TH's third collection of short stories, is published.
Osgood-McIlvaine begins bringing out the first collected edition of TH's works. The set includes the first edition of Jude the Obscure.
The Well-Beloved appears in volume form after extensive revisions.
TH's first volume of poems, Wessex Poems, appears in an edition of only 500 copies. He is now, officially, an ex-novelist.
Poems of the Past and Present, TH's second volume as a poet, is published.
Part One of The Dynasts, TH extended verse-play about Napoleon and the clash of powers he brought about, appears. TH intends it as his masterpiece.
The Dynasts: Part Two appears.
The Dynasts: Part Three is published, thus concluding TH's epic trilogy.
Time's Laughingstocks.
TH receives the Order of Merit and the Freedom of Dorchester.
A "definitive" edition of TH's works, the Wessex Edition, is published. It is a chance for TH to thoroughly revise his body of work.
November 27: Emma dies.
TH's final book of short stories, A Changed Man, is published. TH makes a pilgrimage to the sites of his and Emma's early love.
Satires of Circumstance is published. It contains the "Poems of 1912-13," written in memory of Emma.
Hardy marries Florence Dugdale. World War I breaks out, contributing to TH's pessimism.
Moments of Vision.
Late Lyrics and Earlier.
The Famous Tragedy of the Queen of Cornwall.
Human Shows. TH begins working on his autobiography, published posthumously under Florence's name.
January 11: TH dies. Winter Words is published posthumously. TH's ashes are buried in Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey, and his heart is buried in Emma's grave. The Early Life of Thomas Hardy is published under Florence's name.
The Later Years of Thomas Hardy published under Florence's name.