Thomas Richardson (1846-1906)
Sir Thomas Richardson (28 December 1846 – 22 May 1906), a Liberal Unionist politician.
Born at Castle Eden, the eldest son of Thomas Richardson of Kirklevington Hall.
1895 Thomas Richardson won the Hartlepools seat in Parliament by 81 votes.
1897 Knighted
Director of Richardsons, Westgarth and Co
1906 Obituary [1]
Sir THOMAS RICHARDSON was born at Castle Eden on 28th December 1846, and was the son of Mr. Thomas Richardson who represented the Hartlepools in Parliament for many years.
After graduating at Cambridge, he left the University in 1868, to assist his father in the management of the Hartlepool Engine Works which had gained a great reputation for their marine engines. The name of the firm was intimately connected with the development of the triple-expansion marine engine, and a large business was clone in converting compound-engines to triple-expansion.
On the death of his father in 1890, the management of the business devolved on Sir (then Mr.) Thomas Richardson and his brother, Mr. W. J. Richardson.
Ten years later the firm was amalgamated with Messrs. Westgarth, English and Co., of Middlesbrough, and Messrs. William Allan and Co., of Sunderland, the combination taking the name of Richardsons, Westgarth and Co., and having Sir Thomas as vice-chairman, a post which he held until his death.
Besides his duties in connection with his business, he took a great interest in local and imperial affairs. He was Mayor of Hartlepool in 1887 and 1888, and a member of the County Council for several years. In 1895 he was elected Member of Parliament for the Hartlepools, and sat until 1900. He was knighted on the occasion of the Jubilee of the late Queen in 1897, and was presented with the freedom of Hartlepool in the same year, on account of his great services to the town.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1887, and was elected a Member of Council in 1899. When the Institution held its Summer Meeting at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1902, and visited the Hartlepools, he was chairman of the local reception committee at those towns, and much of the success of the visit was due to his organising ability and energy; and on the occasion of the Middlesbrough Meeting in 1893 he assisted on the Hartlepool Reception Committee and welcomed the Members at his works. He was prominent in all things connected with the welfare of friendly societies and hospitals, and encouraged sport in many ways.
He was chairman of the Manchester and Salford Shipping Co.; the High-Speed Stamp Co.; and a director of the Northern Counties Electrical Supply Co.
His death occurred, after an illness of some duration, at his residence at Kirklevington, near Yarm, Yorkshire, on 22nd May 1906, in his sixtieth year.
1906 Obituary[2]
. . . Sir Thomas Richardson, who died on Tuesday afternoon, at his house, Kirklevington Grange, near Yarm, after a short illness. He was born in 1846 at Castle Eden, in which place his family had long been established as ironfounders. . . . Thomas Richardson and Sons . . . [more]
1906 Obituary [3]