W. P. RICHARDSON

Redhills, Durham
The Pitmens' Parliament

W. P. Richardson
Pictured at the 50th Anniversary of the founding of The Durham Miners' Association - 1919.
The group contains Elected Delegates from across the Durham Coalfield alongside DMA Officials and Staff.

William Pallister Richardson: Branch Secretary of Usworth Colliery Lodge.
Later, Treasurer of Miners' Federation of Great Britain, 1921 to 1930.
General Secretary of Durham Miners' Association, 1924 to 1930.

W. P. Richardson with Son, William (Centre Picture)
Sergeant William Richardson (RAF) was Mentioned in Despatches in WW2.
[ See Page 3/3, Last Tab. ]

The Aged Miners' Homes on Blue House Lane were named after T. H. Cann (Left of W.P.)
[ See What's Where; Collieries; T. H. Cann. ]

The Main Image comes from the Photograph Collection at Redhills and first appeared on Facebook.

W. P. RICHARDSON

Pictured during The General Strike, 1926.

Herbert Smith, A. J. Cook and W. P. Richardson on their way to Downing Street, 26th August 1926.
During the 'Coal Lock-out'.

Herbert Smith: President of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, 1922 to 1929.
Arthur James Cook: General Secretary of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, 1924 to 1931.
William Pallister Richardson: Branch Secretary of Usworth Colliery Lodge.
Later, Treasurer of Miners' Federation of Great Britain, 1921 to 1930.
General Secretary of Durham Miners' Association, 1924 to 1930.

•   •   ◊   •   •

After the General Strike

Herbert Smith and W. P. Richardson, 14th May 1926.

•   •   ◊   •   •

[ Pictures from grandson, W.P. 'Bill' Richardson. ]

W. P. RICHARDSON

Pictured at Tolpuddle Martyrs Memorial Arch.

A. A. Purcell: MP from 1923-24 & 1925-29. President of the International Federation of Trade Unions, 1924 to 1928.
Ben Tillett: MP from 1917-24 & 1929-31. President of the Trades Union Congress in 1929.
William Pallister Richardson: Branch Secretary of Usworth Colliery Lodge.
Later, Treasurer of Miners' Federation of Great Britain, 1921 to 1930.
General Secretary of Durham Miners' Association, 1924 to 1930.

•   •   ◊   •   •

Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Tolpuddle, Dorset.

The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of six 19th-century Dorset agricultural labourers who were arrested for,
and convicted of, swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers.
They were transported to Australia and subsequently pardoned following a massive public outcry.

[ Tolpuddle Pictures from grandson, W.P. 'Bill' Richardson. ]

Bill says, "The Tolpuddle visit probably took place in 1926.  That's the year the TUC Congress was held at nearby Bournemouth, 20 miles away."

•   •   ◊   •   •

W. P. RICHARDSON

Pictured at the TUC Congress, Bournemouth 1926.

T. Richards, W.P. Richardson, Arthur Cook and James Ramsay MacDonald
An informal moment at the TUC Congress, Bournemouth 1926.

Thomas Richards: Welsh trade unionist and MP from 1904 to 1920.
William Pallister Richardson: Branch Secretary of Usworth Colliery Lodge.
Later, Treasurer of Miners' Federation of Great Britain, 1921 to 1930.
General Secretary of Durham Miners' Association, 1924 to 1930.
Arthur James Cook: General Secretary of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, 1924 to 1931.
James Ramsay MacDonald FRS: The first Labour Party politician to become Prime Minister,
leading minority Labour governments in 1924 and 1929–35. He headed a National
Government from 1931 to 1935, dominated by the Conservative Party.

Thanks to the 'unionhistory.info' website.
[ Our website complies with their terms & conditions. ]

•   •   ◊   •   •

Another Occasion:  James Ramsay MacDonald (centre) with W.P. Richardson (right)

Photograph from A History of The Durham Miners' Association  (1869 - 1915)
by G.H. Metcalfe MA

Councillor, Mrs BELLA  P.  GAUNT

( née Isabella Pallister Richardson, Daughter of Robert & Margaret Richardson )

The Family of Leinan and Bella Gaunt c.1906

•   •   ◊   •   •

Councillor Isabella P. Gaunt

Election Leaflet, 1926.

•   •   ◊   •   •

Councillor Bella Gaunt, née Isabella Pallister Richardson

Usworth Colliery Ward, Washington Urban District Council

•   •   ◊   •   •

Bella's Obituary

Durham Chronicle, 1st September 1944

•   •   ◊   •   •

[ Thanks again to great-nephew, W.P. 'Bill' Richardson. ]

TOM RICHARDSON MP

( Eldest Son of Robert & Margaret Richardson )

Thomas Richardson
(6th June 1868 - 22nd October 1928)

Thomas Richardson's Birth Certificate
( Affirmed by his Mother Margaret's mark! )

TOM RICHARDSON

Tom was W.P. Richardson's elder brother and, at the age of eleven, worked as a Trapper Boy at Usworth Colliery. He was responsible for opening and closing pairs of ventilation doors in the correct manner - to assist the passage of miners, ponies, coal tubs etc., without causing disruption to the normal flow of the mine's ventilation system. On the day of the 1885 Usworth Colliery Disaster, which killed his father, Robert, and 41 other miners, Tom had taken the day off.

On 31st January 1888, Tom married Mary Ellener (Nellie) Purvis (1868-1947), the daughter of John Purvis, a farm hand. Tom and Nellie had ten children but, like his brother W.P. and wife Esther, Tom and Nellie had to suffer the loss of 4 children in infancy, and one as a young woman. Robert and Margaret Richardson's Family were all given a religious upbringing and Tom was a Primitive Methodist Preacher for many years.

He also involved himself in political and trade union work and joined the executive of the Durham Miners' Association (DMA) in 1897. In the early 1900s, he and his younger brother were founders of the local Independent Labour Party (ILP) at Usworth. Tom was elected to serve in a variety of political roles in the area e.g. The Washington School Board, Great & Little Usworth Parish Council, Chester-le-Street Rural District Council and Durham County Council.  [ See Thomas Richardson's Certificate of Appreciation on the next Tab. ]

Thomas Richardson contested the Whitehaven seat in the general election of December 1910, sponsored by the ILP - it was held by the Conservative Party. He won the seat and made his maiden speech in the House of Commons in March 1911, calling for an increase in the number of Mine Inspectors. He referred to Whitehaven's Wellington Pit Disaster of May 1910, when 136 men and boys had been killed by an underground explosion and subsequent fire. He made no mention of his father's death in similar circumstances at Usworth while he (Thomas), a fellow Usworth miner, was only 16 years of age.

Tom contested the Bosworth, Leicestershire seat in 1918 and was beaten by the Coalition Liberal candidate H.D. McLaren. McLaren had been awarded a CBE for his work at the Ministry of Munitions, while Richardson had taken a public anti-war stance.

He continued to work for the labour movement but by the late 1920s his health began to deteriorate. He died of heart failure at St. Thomas's Hospital, London, having been in hospital for several weeks with heart trouble. Thomas Richardson was buried in Streatham Vale cemetery.

Tom Richardson worked closely with a number of prominent men in the early labour movement. He was a close friend of Ramsey MacDonald, who gave an address at his funeral. The respect Tom Richardson had for these men is reflected in the names given to two of his sons, Thomas Hardy Richardson, born in 1905, and Robert MacDonald Richardson (known as Donald), born in 1910.

•   •   ◊   •   •

[ Thanks again to great-nephew, W.P. 'Bill' Richardson, and to Hester Barron, for making the above information available on-line. ]

TOM RICHARDSON
Usworth Miner  -  later, MP for Whitehaven

( Honoured by Great & Little Usworth, Chester-le-Street and Durham Councils )

Certificate of Appreciation, Respect and Esteem
( for Tom Richardson's Public Service, locally and elsewhere in County Durham )

Framed Certificate

---

TOM RICHARDSON
Usworth Miner  -  later, MP for Whitehaven

( Honoured by Houghton-le-Spring Council )

PRESENTED TO:
Thomas Richardson, Chairman of Hougton-le-Spring Education Sub-Committee,
after he opened New County Council Schools, Houghton-le-Spring,
15 December 1908

TOM RICHARDSON MP

( Picture in National Portrait Galley )

PORTRAIT BY BENJAMIN STONE
( 6th February 1911 )

William Adamson M.P. (West Fife, 1910-31):   Leader of The Labour Party from 1917 to 1921.
James Keir Hardie M.P. (Merthyr Tydfil, 1900-15):  A Founder of The Labour Party and its First Leader.
[Mr Hardie is pictured on the Usworth Colliery Lodge Banner.  See below.]
Thomas Richardson M.P. (Whithaven, 1910-18):  Former Usworth Colliery Miner and Local Politician.

Thanks to the National Portrait Gallery website.
[Our website complies with their terms & conditions i.e. it is non-profit making & educational. ]

•   •   ◊   •   •

Durham Big Meeting
Usworth Lodge Banner passing The County Hotel, en route to The Racecourse.
Note James Keir Hardy on the Banner.

•   •   ◊   •   •

What Happened to the Portrait of James Keir Hardie?

DURHAM CHRONICLE
[ 9th June 1923 ]
If anyone knows the Painting's current whereabouts, I'll be delighted to inform our Visitors.
A picture of the Painting would be brilliant!

TOM RICHARDSON MP

( Tribute Published by the NMA )

NORTHUMBERLAND MINERS' ASSOCIATION
( Includes Tribute by Ramsay MacDonald )

•   •   ◊   •   •

PAGE 3

•   •   ◊   •   •

PAGE 4

•   •   ◊   •   •

PAGE 5

•   •   ◊   •   •

DAILY HERALD

•   •   ◊   •   •

[ Above Tribute images courtesy of W.P. 'Bill' Richardson. ]