RICHARDSON FAMILY OF NEWHAVEN
William, Elizabeth and family, back garden of 4 Lewes Road, approx 1903. Starting from top Left, Elizabeth, William, William James(son), Mabel(dau), Pansie(dau), Adelaide(Wills Mum),Renie(dau), Jack(son)
Williams Death 1934
My Newhaven Links
By Russell Richardson
William Richardson was born on the 5th August 1862, in Brighton, Sussex and was the 5th son of Isaiah and Adelaide Urry. Isaiah and Adelaide moved from Iford, Sussex to Newhaven sometime between 1851 and 1861, and the 1861 census had them resident in the High Street, Newhaven.
William had a large family consisting of four brothers, Charles, John, James Henry and George, and five sisters, Harriet, Caroline, Adelaide, Minnie and Alice Jane. He married Elizabeth Ranger towards the end of 1881, and for nearly 50 years was employed by the LB and SC and Southern Railway Companies. According to newspaper cuttings, William was one of the first to work on the breakwater, and also acted as lighthouse keeper for a period of time.
William and Elizabeth had two sons and four daughters, William James, Jack Albert, Mabel Adelaide, Elizabeth Alice, Rene Kathleen and Pansie Ethel. Williams's wife Elizabeth died in 1907, after what the newspaper reported as "a painful illness extending over six months". William passed away nearly 27 years later on the 11th November 1934.
Of all his sons and daughters, only his son, William James stayed in Newhaven. He married Hannah Mercy Akehurst on the 6th November 1905. They both lived in Newhaven for the rest of their lives and William James died in 1956, after having his foot amputated to prevent the spread of gangrene.
From contact with an old resident of Newhaven, I have been told that he believes that Hannah Mercy Richardson (know as Daw for some reason) passed away sometime around 1970.
Most of Isaiah and Adelaide's sons and daughters also remained in Newhaven, and I would be most grateful of any further information on my Richardson line.
I would also like to thank Colin, who has been most helpful in providing me with a lot of information with regards to William James and Hannah Mercy