Richardson

Submitted by edpope on

11.10.1795 walk with Holcroft & Perry, adv Sheridan & Richardson / 18.3.1796 Debretts / 5.4.1796 there / 9.1.1797 there / 30.12.1798 adv at Godwin's / 10.7.1801 mrs Richardson adv at Northcote's while Godwin sat for portrait / 24.10.1801 Godwin calls / 5.5.1803 adv Cooper from Richardson

Joseph Richardson DNB 1755-1803. Friend of Sheridan and part of the Whig circle at Debrett's bookshop. Didn't feature on Godwin's 1796 list but the name Richardson was inserted above, after Perry, and then crossed out, in the 1794 version, which would fit with Godwin meeting him again in 1795. The entries from 1798 were possibly him and his wife, or possibly other Richardsons discussed below. The last entry is just a month before Joseph Richardson's death, but he was co-manager and part owner of Drury Lane theatre, which may explain the actor Thomas Cooper's coming 'from' him. His will PCC 1803 dated 1.4.1802 mentioned his wife's four daughters Sarah Frances Elizabeth & Catherine and said he was in no doubt they were his own but he had been forced to delay his marriage. He made Dr Charles Combe (qv) and Richard Wilson of Lincolns Inn Fields his executors and James Nothcote of Argyll St was a witness.

5.3.1798 at tea (at Bath) with Jones's & Laney  / 7.3.1798 Richardsons (&Davis's) at tea (at Bath)

The Richardsons at Bath were probably not Joseph Richardson. Farington' diary p1497 and p1499 while Farington was in Bath in 1801 he met Rev Mr Townsend author of a Tour in Spain at Rev Warner's Bath and met Rev Mr Richardson at Dr Salt's where he had also seen Warner and Townsend. Godwin on 13.3.1798 was at Losh's with Townsend, who also appeared in Godwin's 1796 list although Godwin only noted him once in his diary. The Rev Mr Richardson was Benjamin Richardson (will PCC 1832) rector of Hungerford Farleigh (a few miles from Bath near Trowbridge), geologist and friend of William Smith DNB 1769-1839 and Thomas Davis DNB 1749-1807. These may have been the Richardsons & Davis's who took tea with Godwin on 7.3.1798. But there were other Richardsons at Bath - Mr R J Richardson and Mrs Richardson of Bath were subscribers to Eyre's Fatal Sisters 1797 as were several other of the people Godwin met in Bath (Randall, Wake, Bull, Breach) and Mrs Richardson of Bath subscribed to Ann Wingrove's poems 1795 (as did Bull, Davis, Randall & Wake of Bath). R J Richardson may have been the same as Richard Richardson land surveyor of Bath (but by 1802 of Lincolns Inn Fields London with Henry Richardson; he may - but unlikely - have been the Richard Richardson of St Pancras buried 20.7.1821 St Andrew Holborn age 40 whose will PCC 1821 of Grays Inn Rd mentioned his mother Ann, sister Charlotte and brother William). The Rev Benjamin Richardson's brothers (from his father's will PCC 1780 John R of Churchill) were called John and Thomas. Another possible was Henry Richardson aged 72 in 1851 census tailor born St Michael's Bath

10.6.1808 Richardsons at (Joseph) Johnson's / 13.9.1809 mrs Richardson calls / 19.9.1809 write to mrs Richardson

The two 1809 entries were certainly Sarah widow of Joseph Richardson, see Abinger c10 f94v part of her letter to Godwin dated 20.9.1809 12 Berners St in which she asks him to return the specimen of her version of the bible (see Joseph Richardson's DNB article at the end). The 1808 entry may well be her as well probably with one or more of Joseph Richardson's daughters. Sarah Fawcett spinster married Joseph Richardson bachelor 7.7.1799 at St Dunstan in the West by banns, but their daughters were born long before. Frances dau of Joseph & Sarah Richardson was born 5.6.1784 bapt 5.7.1784 at St Marylebone (she died Brunswick 1832 friend and companion to Baroness von Hesse: Ancestry user-submitted tree) Elizabeth dau of Joseph & Sarah R of Shire Lane born 30.4.1788 bapt 1.7.1788 at St Dunstan in the West Catherine dau of Joseph & Sarah R of Gt Shire La born 9.7.1791 bapt 3.8.1791 St Dunstan in the West, no details for daughter Sarah, probably the eldest. Mrs Richardson was buried 4.10.1823 at St Pancras of Fitzroy St age 70 and was noticed in the Morning Post of 29.9.1823, her Abridged History of the Bible in Verse was noticed shortly before her death in the Morning Post of 17.9.1823. Katherine Richardson of 12 Fitzroy St aged 23 died 7.7.1823 and was buried 14.7.1823 at St Pancras, Mrs Richardson's obituary mentioned three daughters. There was also a Mrs Sarah Richardson of Chancery Lane buriied at St Dunstan in the West 2.4.1823 aged 43, she may have been the eldest unmarried daughter despite the title Mrs which had been commonly used for older spinsters in the eighteenth century but less so by 1823..

7.9.1809 seek Zoust at Richardson's, Woodburn's, Colnaghi's, Tain's & Grave's / 26.9.1809 call on Richardson 17.11.1809 call on Richardsons / 1.12.1817 call on Richardson / 4.12.1817 again / 6.12.1817 again / 9.12.1817 M(arshall) from Richardson calls

The 7.9.1809 entry was Godwin looking for work (portrait of Shakespeare) by the 17th century engraver Gerard de Soest or Zoust at printsellers' shops and this would have been William Richardson of 31 York House, Strand from 1791 to 1814. The next two 1809 entries were probably William Richardson bookseller 91 Royal Exchange & 23 Cornhill from 1793 to 1811, trading as William, James & John Richardson from 1798 to 1811 (bbti). I think those two Williams were different people but haven't checked it closely.