Edward Richardson (Dick's great grandfather) was in his later years a well known builder and obviously was quite well to do - see his funeral notice from the local paper (probably the Halifax Guardian)  He came however from fairly humble beginnings - his father was John Richardson a wire-drawer and Mary Ann Drake (believed to be John's second wife). They lived for a number of years at Southowram Old Bank. According to the 1851 census John was born in Clifton around 1807 and there is an IGI record for a John Richardson (s. of John ) baptised at Hartshead on 22nd February, 1807.

We know that John had a son Samuel aged 22 in the 1851 census - hence born around 1829  - some time before John married Mary Ann Drake on 16th October, 1836. Samuel was also born in Clifton and we think that his mother (and John's first wife) was Hannah Smith. Hannah probably died sometime between 1828 and 1836 and John moved then moved to Southowram later marrying Mary Ann Drake in 1836.