Thomas Richardson

William Pallister Richardson (great-nephew) Always happy to help:-)

27 October 2022, 11:57

Thomas Richardson
(6th June 1868 - 22nd October 1928)



Great Uncle of W.P. 'Bill' Richardson


Thomas was born on 6th June 1868, the first child of Robert Richardson, a coal miner, and his wife Margaret (nee Pallister). He was named for his paternal Grandfather who had died six months before Thomas was born.

He was baptised on 22nd June 1868 and the baptism was entered in the register for the South Shields Primitive Methodist Circuit. The record shows that the family lived at Usworth Colliery and Thomas' Dad was a miner.

At the time of the 1871 census the family were living at Middle Row in Usworth and Thomas was recorded as aged 2 along with his father Robert (24), mother Margaret (22) and his little sister Isabella who was 1.

By the time of the 1881 census they had moved to number 51 Railway Terrace in Usworth and Thomas was 12. He was now working for his living down the pit as a 'Trapper', which meant he worked below ground and opened the traps or doors to let the coal waggons pass, then closed them to maintain the ventilation in the mine. Apart from when a waggon passed, he would have been alone and in total darkness all the time he was at work.

In 1885 Thomas's father Robert was killed in the explosion in the Usworth Pit.

In 1888, when Thomas was 20, he married Mary Ellinor Purvis who also was 20. In the 1891 census they were recorded as living at number 43 Jubilee Terrace, Holywell in Northumberland. Thomas was 22 and his occupation was listed as 'Coal Miner'.

By the time of the 1901 census they were living in Usworth at number 6 Cooperative Terrace. Thomas was now 32 and he was a 'Coal-Checkweighman'. They had four children, Annie aged 9, Margaret aged 8, Florence Maud aged 3 and John Morley aged just 4 months.

Thomas, along with his brother William P. Richardson, was very involved in politics and fighting for improved conditions for miners. He stood for election as a Labour Party candidate and was M.P. for Whitehaven in Cumbria from 1911 till 1918.

In the census of 1911, Thomas was not in the family home with his wife and six children. He was in Barrow in Furness and was listed as a Member of Parliament (previously Coal Miners' Agent). He was listed as a visitor in the house of Alice Shaw a 69 year old widow and her 3 grown up children.

The 1914 Kellys Directory of Durham listed Thomas as living at 38 Co-Operative Terrace Washington. He was still an M.P. and was also listed as a County Councillor representing Washington Ward.

In 1919, he and the family went to Canada. he was the Labour Party candidate for a Federal by Election in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1920.

Thomas returned to England and lived in London, he died on 22nd Oct 1928 at St Thomas's Hospital in London. His son, Robert McDonald Richardson registered the death and the address at the time of his death was given as 10, Denny Crescent, Kennington Cross and Thomas's occupation was given as Political Agent. Probates was granted to his widow, Mary Ellener, on 15th November 1928, his effects amounted to £30:8s:7d.

His cremation took place at Golders Green Crematorium and his ashes were interred at Streatham Cemetery, grave 8347, square 6 where his daughter Margaret had been buried.