William Pallister Richardson
Encyclopedia
William Pallister Richardson (25 February 1873–8 August 1930), known as W. P. Richardson, was a British
trade unionist.
Richardson was born in Usworth, County Durham
. His father was killed in 1885, while working in the Usworth Colliery. A few months later, William began work in the same pit. He joined the Durham Miners' Association
, and became branch secretary in 1898, and was elected to the county executive in 1912. He served as General Secretary of the union from 1924 until his death, and as treasurer of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain from 1921.
Richardson was also an active member of the Independent Labour Party
, and its leading member in Usworth. His brother Tom
was also active in the party, and was the Member of Parliament for Whitehaven
from 1910 to 1918.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
trade unionist.
Richardson was born in Usworth, 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...
. His father was killed in 1885, while working in the Usworth Colliery. A few months later, William began work in the same pit. He joined the Durham Miners' Association
Durham Miners' Association
The Durham Miners' Association was a trade union in the United Kingdom.The union was founded in 1869 and its membership quickly rose to 4,000, but within a year had fallen back to 2,000...
, and became branch secretary in 1898, and was elected to the county executive in 1912. He served as General Secretary of the union from 1924 until his death, and as treasurer of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain from 1921.
Richardson was also an active member of the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
, and its leading member in Usworth. His brother Tom
Thomas Richardson (UK politician)
Thomas Richardson was a Labour Party politician in England who served as Member of Parliament for Whitehaven from 1910 to 1918....
was also active in the party, and was the Member of Parliament for Whitehaven
Whitehaven (UK Parliament constituency)
Whitehaven was a constituency centred on the town of Whitehaven in Cumberland , which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was created in 1832 and renamed Copeland at the 1983 general election....
from 1910 to 1918.