John Richardson was the seventh child of Thomas Richardson & Eleanor Powell, born June 6th, 1827 at High Hendon. He was christened on September 9th, 1827 at St Michaels, Bishop Wearmouth.
In 1841 John was living at home at White House, Houghton.
On October 10th 1853 John married Jane Sarah Wade at Hetton-le-Hold. Jan was born c1820 at Birtley the daughter of John (Birkson ?), a grocer. Jane had previously been married & she was recorded as widowed in the 1851 census, living at Easington Lane, Hetton-le-Hole where she was a butcher with a son George (8) & 2 daughters Ann Maria (4) & Mary Gill (2). Also living with her were 2 house servants & a butcher servant John Watson (27) & a visitor Grace Almond (40).
The 1858 Post Office directory of Durham reveals that John was a butcher living at Easington Lane.
John & Jane continued to live at Easington Lane & recorded with them in 1861 was another son Alfred (16) from Jane’s previous marriage & her daughters Ann Maria & Mary Gill. John & Jane also had 2 of their own children, Sarah Jane (5) & Charlotte (3). John was still a butcher and they had 2 servants at this time – Barbara Maughton (19) & Elizabeth Cummings (15).
In 1871 they were living at Elemore Lane, Hetton-le-Hole with their 2 daughters and a 9 year old son, John. The Wade children had left home.
At the time of the 1881 census Jane was visiting her daughter Charlotte who had married Martin Gardner, also a butcher at Easington Lane, Hetton-le-Hole. Charlotte had just given birth to a 1 day old son. John was not found at this time.
Jane (76) was living with her daughter Jane Sarah (Sarah Jane) at the time of the 1891 census. Daughter Jane was married to William Westwick, another butcher, & they had 3 sons & 1 daughter, all living at the High St., Easington Lane, Hetton-le-Hole.
Jane died aged 78 in the following July-September 1892, her death registered at Houghton. John had not been found in either of the last 2 censuses so it is presumed he had also died although Jane’s marital status was always given as ‘married’.
The children of John Richardson & Jane Sarah Wade were:
r.7.1 Sarah Jane Richardson born c1856 at Hetton-le-Hole
r.7.2 Charlotte Richardson born c1858 at Hetton-le-Hole
r.7.3 John Richardson born c1862 at Hetton-le-Hole