Thomas Richardson (MP)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Richardson was an English manufacturer of marine engines and Liberal Party
politician.
Richardson was born in Castle Eden
, County Durham
, the son of Thomas Richardson, a shipbuilder and owner of an engineering works in Hartlepool
. Richardson began as an apprentice in his father's iron foundry in Castle Eden. On the death of his father in 1850, Richardson and his brother John took over the business which traded under the name of T. Richardson Sons. Their business was manufacturing marine engine
s, after they built their first marine engine in 1851. They were also shipbuilders for a short time, but this side of the company went out of business in 1857.
Richardson stood unsuccessfully for Parliament
in the newly-enfranchised borough of The Hartlepools at the 1868 general election
. He won the seat at the 1874 general election
, but for financial reasons he resigned
from the House of Commons in July 1875 by taking the Chiltern Hundreds
He was re-elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for The Hartlepools at the 1880 general election
, and held the seat until his death in December 1890, aged 69. When The Liberals split over Irish Home Rule in 1885, Richardson joined the breakaway Liberal Unionist Party
, and was returned in 1886
as a Liberal Unionist.
Richardson lived at Kirklevington Grange in Yarm
until he built Kirklevington Hall in 1884. He was a J. P.
and Deputy Lieutenant
for County Durham and a J.P. for the North Riding of Yorkshire. He was a member of the Hartlepool Port and Harbour Commissioners. He was also president of Hartlepools Bicycle Club,
Richardson married Maria Greenwell, the daughter of Richard Greenwell, a Sunderland shipowner, in 1843. They had two daughters and four sons.
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Richardson was born in Castle Eden
Castle Eden
For the similarly named castle in Aberdeenshire, see Eden Castle.Castle Eden is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated a short distance to the south of Peterlee, Wingate, the A19 and Castle Eden Dene...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, the son of Thomas Richardson, a shipbuilder and owner of an engineering works in Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
. Richardson began as an apprentice in his father's iron foundry in Castle Eden. On the death of his father in 1850, Richardson and his brother John took over the business which traded under the name of T. Richardson Sons. Their business was manufacturing marine engine
Marine engine
A marine engine is an engine that propels a ship or boat. Types of marine engine include:*Marine steam engine*Petrol engine or gasoline engine*Diesel engine*Steam turbine*Gas turbine-See also:*Marine propulsion*Engine room*Marine automobile engine...
s, after they built their first marine engine in 1851. They were also shipbuilders for a short time, but this side of the company went out of business in 1857.
Richardson stood unsuccessfully for Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
in the newly-enfranchised borough of The Hartlepools at the 1868 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
. He won the seat at the 1874 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1874
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, but for financial reasons he resigned
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
from the House of Commons in July 1875 by taking the Chiltern Hundreds
Chiltern Hundreds
Appointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament to resign his or her seat...
He was re-elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for The Hartlepools at the 1880 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1880
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, and held the seat until his death in December 1890, aged 69. When The Liberals split over Irish Home Rule in 1885, Richardson joined the breakaway Liberal Unionist Party
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
, and was returned in 1886
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
as a Liberal Unionist.
Richardson lived at Kirklevington Grange in Yarm
Yarm
Yarm is a small town and civil parish in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees and for ceremonial purposes is in North Yorkshire...
until he built Kirklevington Hall in 1884. He was a J. P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for County Durham and a J.P. for the North Riding of Yorkshire. He was a member of the Hartlepool Port and Harbour Commissioners. He was also president of Hartlepools Bicycle Club,
Richardson married Maria Greenwell, the daughter of Richard Greenwell, a Sunderland shipowner, in 1843. They had two daughters and four sons.