William Linsley Richardson was the second child of Joseph Richardson & Mary Linsley born September 15th, 1864 at Seaton, Co Durham.
In 1871 William was with his parents & younger brother Thomas at William St, Dawdon, where his father was an agricultural labourer.
William was still living at home in 1881, now at Dun Cow, Seaton Village. He was with his parents, 2 brothers & 1 sister & William was now a colliery labourer.
William married Mary Ann Thurloway on December 11th, 1886, at the Parish Church, New Seaham, Co Durham. Mary Ann was born December 13th, 1865 at Framwellgate Moor, Durham City, the daughter of Mary Ann Richardson & John Thurloway, an engine man.
In 1891 William & Mary were living at Ryhope St South, Ryhope, Co Durham. William was a colliery boiler minder & they had 2 children by this time – Joseph (3) & Mary A J (1).
William & Mary were still living in Ryhope in 1901 & William was still working as a colliery boiler minder, above ground. Their home was 8 Tunstall St & they now had 5 children at home – Joseph, a coal miner driver below ground, Mary, Elizabeth J (6), John T (4) & William T (1).
Son Joseph married Rose Emma Austin in 1907 & in 1911 they were living at 20 School St, Dawdon, Co Durham where Joseph was a coal miner/hewer. They had 2 children by this time - Mary Ann (2) & Walter Austin (3 months). Their third child Rose was born in 1912.
Daughter Mary Ann married Richard Henry Walter in 1907 & Richard was a coal miner/shifter born in Dover, Kent. By 1911 they were living at 17 Duck Yard, Seaham & they had a 2 year old son, Edward James.
Mary died, aged 41, in April-June 1907, her death being registered in Easington. Mary had given birth to 11 children!
The children of William Linsley Richardson & Mary Ann Thurloway were:
r.2.2.9.2.1 Joseph Richardson born May 23rd, 1887 at 2 Cook St, Seaham Colliery, Co Durham; died June 27th 1941 at Kilburn, London
r.2.2.9.2.2 Mary Ann Thurloway Richardson born April 21st, 1889 at Ryhope, Co Durham; died July-September 1943 at South Shields
r.2.2.9.2.3 Ethel Hannah Richardson christened May 24th, 1891 at St Paul’s, at Ryhope, Co Durham; died at 20 Thomas St, Ryhope & buried August 24th, 1892 at St Paul’s, Ryhope, Co Durham
r.2.2.9.2.4 John Thurloway Richardson christened July 9th, 1892 at St Paul’s, Ryhope; died July 1892 at 20 Thomas St, Ryhope, & buried July 13th, 1892 at St Paul’s, Ryhope, Co Durham
r.2.2.9.2.5 Elizabeth Jane Richardson born December 17th 1894 at Ryhope & christened January 30th, 1895 at St Paul’s, Co Durham; died July 23rd, 1944 at 30 Malvern Crescent, Seaham
r.2.2.9.2.6 John Thurloway Richardson born December 17th 1896 at Ryhope, Co Durham; died April-June 1970 at Barkston Ash, Yorks
r.2.2.9.2.7 William L Richardson born June 4th, 1899 & christened July 5th, 1899 at St Paul’s Ryhope, Co Durham; died Oct-December 1971 in Sunderland
r.2.2.9.2.8 Henry Thurloway Richardson christened November 1900 at St Paul’s, Ryhope, Co Durham; died at 8 Tunstall St, Ryhope & buried November 1st, 1900 at St Paul’s, Ryhope
r.2.2.9.2.9 Sarah Thurloway Richardson christened December 6th 1900 at St Paul’s, Ryhope, Co Durham; died at 8 Tunstall St, Ryhope & buried December 15th, 1900 at St Paul’s, Ryhope
r.2.2.9.2.10 Eliza Thurloway Richardson born March 27th, 1905 at Seaham; buried July 29th, 1942 at Southwark, London
2.2.9.2.11 Thomas Richardson born July-September 1906 at Seaham; died July-September 1906 at Seaham
William married again on September 27th, 1907 in Easington. His second wife was Hannah Eliza Hardisty. Hannah was born April 5th, 1882 in Leeds.
William’s daughter Mary Ann married Richard Henry Walter in 1907 & Richard was a coal miner/shifter born in Dover, Kent. By 1911 they were living at 17 Duck Yard, Seaham & they had a 2 year old son, Edward James. Sadly Richard was killed in action on July 1st, 1916 & is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, France. Mary Ann married again in 1917, her second husband being James W Forster. Mary Ann & husband James were living at Frederick St, Seaham in 1939 & with their son Laurence (8).
In 1911 William & Hannah were living at 48 Strangway St, Dawdon, Co Durham & William was a coal miner stoneman underground. With them were William’s children Lily aged 16 (Elizabeth Jane?), working at bottleworks, John, a pithead screener, William, at school, & Eliza (6). William & Hannah had had 2 children – Florence (2) & Henry (15 months). With them at the time of the census was sister-in-law Florence Levene (26) who was married & with her were her children Alice (1) & Harold (1 month).
William’s son Joseph married Rose Emma Austin in 1907 & in 1911 they were living at 20 School St, Dawdon, Co Durham where Joseph was a coal miner/hewer. They had 2 children by this time - Mary Ann (2) & Walter Austin (3 months). Their third child Rose was born in 1912. Joseph served in the Merchant Navy during WW1.
William’s daughter Elizabeth Jane married Robert Richardson Richardson (b.1890) in Oct-December 1913. In 1939 they & their family were living at 32 Malvern Crescent, Seaham & Robert was a miner stoneman, unemployed.
William enlisted with the Northumberland Fusiliers in 1915 when he was described as a 44 year old miner of 27 Stavordale St, Dawdon. However he did not serve overseas as he was medically unfit. His name also appears in the RAF Officers’ Service Records in 1918. He served as a 2nd lieutenant in the Durham Light Infantry attached to the Royal Air Force.
William’s son John enlisted with the Durham Light Infantry Machine Gun Corps in 1915 when he gave his address as 27 Stavordale St, Dawdon & he was a miner. He was mobilized in 1917 to France. John obviously had a lively character as his army records show that during April 2018 whilst being treated in hospital in Newcastle he broke out 3 times, forfeiting many days pay! In April-June 1923 John married May Moody and the following year they were to have a son, Howard. The 1939 register shows John, now widowed & a general labourer, & son Howard, a colliery haulage hand, living in Thorne, W. Yorks.
William’s son William Linsley married Ethel M Gash in 1920 in Easington & in 1939 they were living at Strangeways St, Seaham & William was a general worker underground. With them were sons William L born 1920, Thomas E born 1922 & Alan L born 1927. Sadly they had lost another son, Maurice, in 1938 aged just 3 years & 11 months.
When daughter Florence married Alfred Albert McAlister, a dancing instructor, on December 21st, 1929 in South Kennington, Lambeth, London she gave her name as Florence Hardisty Richardson. At the time of the 1939 register Florence was living at Lansdowne Gardens, Lambeth with a number of other members of the McAlister family. Her husband Alfred was listed in Wandsworth Prison, London at the time of the 1939 register. He was described as a motor driver. He had been fined £150 & costs for keeping the Shamrock Social Club, Great Windmill St. for public music & dancing without a licence. Two previous convictions were mentioned. (Express & Echo, April 29th, 1939)
William of 27 Stavordale St. died aged 68 on October 22nd, 1932 at the Royal Infirmary, Sunderland. He was buried at Seaham Harbour Cemetery after a service at Dawdon Church. His death announcement mentions his widow Hannah.
The 1939 register shows widowed Hannah living in Staines, Middlesex. With her were sons Frederick, a grocer’s errand boy, Robert, a kitchen porter & Henry L, a coal miner. Henry was noted as widowed & with him was his son Henry L Richardson aged 5. Henry had married Bessie Cowell in 1933 in Easington but sadly she died in 1938 in Easington.
Living next door was daughter Josephine, now married to James Weller, a commissionaire.
William’s daughter Eliza had married Frederick W Chouler, a maintenance engineer, in 1930 at St George Hanover Square, London & the 1939 register shows them living at Prioress St, Southwark, London.
Hannah died in April-June 1970 in North Surrey.
The children of William Linsley Richardson & Hannah Eliza Hardisty were:
r.2.2.9.2.12 Florence Richardson born July 1st, 1908 at Seaham; died March 30th, 1979 at 46 Fairholme Rd, Ashford, North Surrey
r.2.2.9.2.13 Henry Linsley Richardson born January 21st, 1910 at Seaham; died July 11th, 1986 & buried/cremated on July 18th, 1986 at Bath Avon, Somerset
r.2.2.9.2.14 Charles Linsley Richardson born August 23rd, 1911 at Seaham; died June 1973 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire
r.2.2.9.2.15 Hannah May Richardson born April-June 1913 at Seaham; died 1913/14 in Seaham
r.2.2.9.2.16 Hannah Richardson born April-June 1915 at Seaham
r.2.2.9.2.17 Josephine Linsley Richardson born July 27th 1916 at Seaham; died Jan 2006 in North Surrey
r.2.2.9.2.18 Robert Richardson born June 2nd, 1918 at Seaham; died Oct-December 1982 at Camden, London
r.2.2.9.2.19 Doris Richardson born Jan-March 1920 at Seaham
r.2.2.9.2.20 Margaret L Richardson born April-June 1922 at Seaham; died Oct 1924 at Seaham
r.2.2.9.2.21 George Richardson born April-June 1924 at Seaham
r.2.2.9.2.22 Frederick Richardson born July 27th, 1925 at Seaham; died Oct-December 2004 at Chichester, Sussex