Thomas Richardson was the fifth child of Thomas Powell Richardson & Mary Wilson, born at Warden Law in 1856 & christened March 23rd, 1856 at Houghton-le-Spring.
Thomas was living with his family in 1861 (Warden Law Hill House) & 1871 (Sun Inn, Houghton). In 1871 he was recorded as a grocer.
On December 25th, 1878 Thomas married Margaret Ann Liddell at St Michael & All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring. At the time of the marriage Margaret was 21 & Thomas 22. Margaret was the daughter of George & Isabella Liddell (Liddele in IGI ref), christened August 2nd, 1857 at Houghton-le-Spring.
By 1891 Thomas & Margaret were living at North Terrace, Dawdon, & Thomas was a grocer. They had 4 children by this time – Mary (11), Eleanor (Ellen) (9), Robert (6) & Thomas (3), all born at Seaham Harbour.
The Sunderland Daily Echo & Shipping Gazette of July 25th, 1892 carried an advert for the sale of Thomas’s shop & dwelling house at Back North Terrace, Seaham. Details could be obtained from Thomas at Hendon Tavern, Hendon Rd, Sunderland & the Bay Horse, Sunderland St, Houghton-le-Spring.
After an illness of a few months, Thomas died on December 2nd, 1893, aged 37, at the Bay Horse, Houghton & at this time he was an innkeeper. He was buried on December 5th, 1893 at Houghton-le-Spring. Probate was granted at Durham on January 15th, 1894 to widow Margaret Ann & his effects were £211.15s.9d. An article in the Sunderland Daily Echo & Shipping Gazette of December 6th noted that Thomas' funeral at Houghton-le-Spring was attended by many relatives & friends & that he had been ill for several months.
Margaret was still at the Bay Horse in June 1894 when a newspaper article in the Durham County Advertiser of June 1st, related that she was the landlady in a case brought against some men who were accused of being drunk on the premises.
The children of Thomas Richardson & Margaret Ann Liddell were:
r.2.2.6.5.1 Mary Isabella Richardson born Jan-March 1880 at Back North Terrace, Seaham Harbour
r.2.2.6.5.2 Eleanor Richardson born May 31st, 1881 at Seaham Harbour; died March 3rd, 1955 at the General Hospital, Sunderland.
r.2.2.6.5.3 Robert Liddell Richardson born April 22nd, 1884 at Seaham Harbour; died 1937 in Lackawanna, Pennsylvania
r.2.2.6.5.4 Thomas Richardson born April-June 1886 at Seaham Harbour; died April-June 1886 at Seaham Harbour
r.2.2.6.5.5 Thomas Richardson born Jan-March 1888 at Seaham Harbour
r,2.2.6.5.6 Frances Annie Richardson born Jan-March 1890 at Seaham Harbour; died Jan-March 1890 at Seaham Harbour
r,2.2.6.5.7 Margaret Ann Richardson born Oct-December 1891 at Seaham Harbour; buried August 7th, 1893 at Houghton-le-Spring
Widowed Margaret married William Farish, a coal miner, on October 30th, 1901, the marriage at Houghton-le-Spring. William was born at Haswell & christened August 30th, 1860 at Haswell, Co Durham, the son of Isabella & Thomas Farish, a coal miner.
However, at the time of the census in March 1901 Margaret & William were living at Sunderland St, Houghton-le-Spring & recorded as married! With them was Margaret’s daughter Eleanor Richardson (19), & son Robert L Richardson (a masons apprentice) & Norman Farish (4). Norman was born October 12th, 1896 at Sunderland St, Houghton-le-Spring & registered as Norman Farish Richardson. There were also 2 boarders – Clare M A Harcourt, a school mistress from Somerset & Eliza J Williamson, a dressmaker of Sunderland. Margaret’s daughter Mary Richardson (21) was visiting her aunt & uncle Ann (Richardson) & Robert Earnshaw at Stockton Terrace, Ryhope at the time of the census. Margaret’s son Thomas at the age of 13 was registered at the Stannington, Northumberland north east reformatory for unknown misdemeanours! His occupation was given as a tailor. (A report in the Sunderland Daily Echo & Shipping Gazette of February 22nd 1901 told of a young boy named Thomas Richardson of Houghton-le-Spring charged with breaking into a grocer’s shop in the Market Place & stealing money from the till. His mother said she had no control over him & was willing for him to be sent to an industrial school. Thomas pleaded guilty & after being imprisoned in Durham for 14 days would be sent to a reformatory for 3 years.)
Margaret’s daughter Eleanor married Thomas McBurnie in April-June 1903 at Sunderland. Eleanor of 9 Hartington St, Sunderland died on March 3rd, 1955 at the General Hospital Sunderland. Probate was granted to son Thompson McBurnie (born Oct 1st, 1903 at Hartlepool), a retired Merchant Navy Officer & her effects were £906.6s.2d. Thomas McBurnie, a coal miner, was born February 28th, 1879 & died in 1945.
In 1911 Margaret & William were living at 33 Queen View, Whitley Bay, Northumberland. William had become a licensed victualler. In addition to son Norman Farish, they had a daughter Florence, aged 9.
It is known that Margaret's son Robert Liddell Richardson emigrated to the United States in 1908 & returned to England from Pennsylvania in April 1911. In May 1911 he returned to US & gave his last address in England as 33 Ocean View, Whitley Bay & final destination as Throop, Pennsylvania. He was still single & his occupation was brick layer. Robert married Hilda Stephens (85-1950) in 1913 in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Robert and his wife Hilda were listed in naturalization records in Pennsylvania, USA. Robert & his wife returned to England in 1922 & gave their destination as 7 Hawthorns, East Boldon. Hilda & Robert continued to live in Lackawanna County where Robert was a mason in the coal mine. They are recorded as visiting England in April 1932 & gave the address of their destination as 9 Hartington St, Sunderland, the home of his sister Eleanor. They returned to US in May 1932. They made another return visit in June 1932 & came again in April 1936 & returned to US in May 1936.
William died on August 8th, 1915 at 7 The Hawthorns, East Boldon. Probate was granted on September 18th, 1915 to widowed Margaret & Ralph Donkin, innkeeper. His effects amounted to £72.11s.6d.
Margaret died on June 4th, 1931 at 57 Hartington St, Sunderland. Probate was granted on October 12th, 1931 to step-son Norman Farish, licensed victualler & Ralph Donkin, retired licensed victualler. Her effects amounted to £348.18s.10d.
Son Norman was listed with wife Minnie at Nile St, Sunderland in 1939 & his occupation was hotel manager. He died in 1964.