Select Richards Miscellany
- Sir Richard Richards and the Gardens in Caerynwch Mansion
- Richards Name Distribution in Wales
- Daniel Richards, a Quaker
- The Rev. William Richards and Rhode Island's Brown University
- Solomon Richards and the Footpad
- John Richards - from Cornwall to New Zealand
Sir Richard Richards and the Gardens in Caerynwch Mansion
Caerynwch Mansion near Dolgellau in north Wales was built by Sir
Richard Richards, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, after he had
acquired the Plas Hen estate following his marriage to Catherine
Humphreys in 1785.
Current owner Andrew Richards, the great great great grandson of Sir
Richard, said:
He is now continuing his parents' work in restoring the garden with the help of a part-time gardener.
Mr Richards continued:
The two open days in May will include a three-quarters of a mile walk around the riverbank. Because we live in such a beautiful spot, we want to let other people share our enjoyment."
Richards Name
Distribution in Wales
The table below shows the number of Richards by counry in Wales according to the 1891 census.
County |
Numbers (000's) |
Percent |
Glamorgan |
6.5 |
50 |
Carmarthenshire |
1.7 |
13 |
Monmouthshire |
1.6 |
12 |
Pembrokeshire |
1.0 |
7 |
Cardiganshire |
0.9 |
6 |
Elsewhere |
1.5 |
12 |
Total |
13.2 |
100 |
Daniel Richards, a Quaker
David Richards, a Quaker, came to Pennsylvania from Wales in
1686,
accompanied by Lewis Walker. They both settled near Philadelphia
in
Chester county and Port Kennedy. Daniel purchased a farm there in
1707
and named it Tredyffin. It remained in the Richards family for
four
generations.
Daniel married Elizabeth Evans and they had four children. There
are many descendants in the area today.
The Rev. William Richards and Rhode Island's Brown
University
The largest gift to the Brown University library in the early 1800's was the Richards Legacy. The Rev. William Richards, a native of North Wales, was a man of considerable learning, a dissenting Baptist minister, and an author of a number of political, historical and philological works. Responding to a letter from President Manning in 1790, the Rev. Richards wrote:
Richards then consoled Manning on the small size of the College Library and added:
Over the years, Richards and the College maintained cordial relations, with the College conferring upon him the degrees of A.M. in 1793 and Doctor of Laws in 1818. By coincidence, on the very day that the latter degree was conferred, Richards had drawn up a will bequeathing his library to Brown. He died before learning of his honor.
Solomon Richards and the Footpad
Ireland at the beginning of the 19th century was in a most unsettled state. Even the roads about Dublin were not safe after dark, robberies and even murders not being uncommon. Richards had been called on to perform an operation near Santry, a village some ten miles from Dublin, and was detained with the patient till long after sunset. It was winter and he was returning in his carriage, having with him a Dr. Obré, who had called him in, a physician at that time in good practice, and who was as spare and insignificant as Richards was the reverse.
Suddenly the carriage was stopped and a footpad, opening the door on the side next which Richards sat, presented a pistol and demanded his purse. Richards, begging him to lower his pistol, handed him the purse, and then his watch, which the robber demanded. Then followed the demand: "Have you anything else?"
"Yes," replied Richards, "here is my case of instruments," handing them out promptly.
All this time Obré was concealed - hid by Richards's huge frame, which in the dark seemed to fill the carriage - and the footpad, not observing him, called to the coachman to drive on. But Richards stopped him, saying: "Oh, no; not till you speak to my friend on the other side of me." So Obré too, thus pointed out, was relieved of his money and watch.
Then the robber politely said: "Good night."
But Richards was not yet done with him and said: "My friend, you would not have got that gentleman's money if it had not been for me. Now, my instruments won't bring you ten shillings in Charles Street (a street which was, and still is, the mart for all kind of second-hand tools and iron), while to me they are of value. I think you might give me them back."
"Well, I will," was the prompt reply and the case was handed in.
"One word more," said Richards, "you will get very little for that old watch. I care for it because it was my father's. Let me have it."
"Well, you are a decent fellow," said the robber, "here it is."
Then they drove on. Obré then in great anger broke the silence and in unmeasured terms abused Richards, declaring that it was mean of him to point him out as otherwise he would have escaped.
Richards let him talk for a while, and then quietly said: " Do you think I was going to allow you to boast in the club to-morrow how well you got off while Richards was robbed? Oh, no; if I was to be robbed you must be also."
John Richards - from
Cornwall to New
Zealand
Tin and copper mining in Cornwall suffered in the second half of the
19th century and large numbers of Cornishmen emigrated at that time,
often taking their mining skills with them. One such was John
Major Richards from St. Ives, at first a blacksmith and then a miner.
John, aged 25, set off with his wife Catherine and his three young
children - John, Catherine and Thomas - for New Zealand. They
arrived in Auckland on the Oxford
in 1874. Their young daughter Catherine died soon after their
arrival. But another daughter was born, whom they named Kate.
John went to work as a miner at the Thames goldfield, as did his two
sons later. Son John died there in a mining accident. But
Thomas
lived to 81 and daughter Kate to the grand old age of 102!
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