On the census returns Thomas Richardson says he was born in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. His stated age would make his birthdate around 1795, but I've been unable to find the relevant baptism records as yet.
On 17 Feb 1818 he married Elizabeth Harper Roberts at All Saints', Derby. (See summary of dates, places, occupations etc for more details).
I don't think Thomas Richardson is part of my family tree, not directly. There is a connection of some sort - I think he's maybe an uncle of my Thomas Richardson Longbottom - and it would seem my Thomas and other ancestors were working for him at his printing works. Whatever the relationships, I've collected all this information, so wanted to organise it in some form on this website. For more about the printing company and related matters, see other pages on this site, listed on the Richardson family page, and also the page on my ancestors the bookbinders.
This page gives information on the family gathered mainly from the census returns.
Pigots 1828-9 directory has under "Booksellers and Stationers", Richardson Thos, based on Friargate.
Thomas and family are living in St Werburgh parish, Derby, on Ashbourne Road. Thomas, aged 45, a printer. He and wife Elizabeth (aged 40), have a very large family. Joseph is aged 21, Mary 23, Eliza 19, Jane 18, Thomas 16, Penelope 14, Charles 12, Emma 10, William 8, Fred 6, Rosa 4, George 2. I make that 12 children.
There are also two servants, apparently enumerated as a separate household within the larger household.
The family are living in the same enumeration district as my ancestor Thomas Richardson Longbottom - both families live on the Ashbourne Road.
Thomas himself is absent from home and I've not been able to trace him. However the family are still living on Ashbourne Road, Derby. Elizabeth is a bookseller's wife, Mary A, now aged 32, a bookseller's daughter, as is Eliza, aged 28. Indeed the occupation of all is given as either bookseller's daughter or booksellers son. Suggesting that all are helping with the business. They also have three servants in the household.
There's a daughter here who didn't appear on the 1841 census - Priscilla, aged 19.
Joseph, who was at home in 1841, is now married, and living further along the Ashbourne Road (number 54, according to Freebody's 1852 directory). Here he gives his full name as Joseph Handford Richardson, and his occupation as Stationer.
The listing for Ashbourn Rd, includes:
White's Directory (1857), under Richardson entries, includes:
ie 14 Ashbourn Road was the printing works etc, Whitecross fields the proprietor's home.
The family are on Ashbourne Road still, but here their house is named Flickfield House. It's not clear whether they've moved or whether the house has been recorded differently. It seems to be about number 64 Ashbourne Road, from the neighbouring house numbers. As before, many of the family's adult offspring are still at home, unmarried, apparently assisting with the business. Thomas says he is a Publisher printer and Bookseller. His son Frederic's occupation is given as the same. The daughters have to be content with the stated occupation that they assist. Thomas is aged 66 now, his wife Elizabeth aged 60.
The family are now living at Whitecross Field, still on Ashbourne Road, but apparently further along, at around number 172. I'm assuming this was further out of town, but haven't clarified the location yet. Again, I don't know if it's the same house, with a different name, if the street has been renumbered, etc.
Thomas is a Printer and publisher. Son Frederic, aged 34, is also a Printer and publisher, while the daughters have no occupation stated here. Still at home are Mary, Eliza, Jane and Penelope, all unmarried. The household has one servant. Also listed are a granddaughter and grandson, Agnes Richardson, aged 18, and Joseph Handford Richardson, aged 17.
The deaths index suggests that Thomas Richardson died in 1875, in Derby.
Thomas's wife Elizabeth died in 1878, in Derby.
I didn't look for all Thomas and Elizabeth's sons and daughters, but found Penelope, a boarder at 14 Leopold St, Derby. She is still unmarried, an annuitant.
Frederick, b abt 1835, is living at 62 Friargate, and has apparently taken over the family business. His occupation is publisher, and he's married to Sarah, with a son, also Fred, aged 6.