James Richardson

     
     James Richardson was born on 9 Jul 1782 at Whitelaw, Par. of Maxton, ROX, SCT, "Robert Richardson, smith in Whitelaw and his wife Margaret Runchaman had a child born 9th July 1789 called James."^1,3
     James Richardson married Jane Russell on 20 Dec 1811 at Edinburgh St Cuthberts, MLN, SCT.^3,4,5
     James Richardson died on 9 Feb 1868 at 39 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Dist of Newington, MLN, SCT, at age 85; cert. shows James as late smith & wheelwright widower of Jane Russell died 4:40pm age 85, of debility age; S/o Robert Richardson blacksmith dec and Jane (sic) m.s. Runciman dec. Inf son Thos, present, reg. 12th Feb.^2,3
     Follow this link for more information on James.
     It was a wonderful surprise finding this chap in Edinburgh.
For many years he had sat in my database as the son of Robert and Margaret with no info known beyond his birth record in the Maxton Parish registers. Then one day, as more information becomes more readily searchable, while looking for someone else entirely, I happened across a census record in Edinburgh for a Richardson blacksmith of the right age who said he was born in Maxton.
His death cert. was quickly found, and his father's name and occuption confirmed to be as expected, and although the informant had his mother's first name wrong, he did at least say she was a Runciman. QED.
     The journey didn't quite end there however. Sometime later I was fossicking around in Richardson wills, and lo and behold, there in James Snr's will was a mention of his son James Jnr, as being in Dunedin, New Zealand "or elsewhere abroad". Another Kiwi connection in the Richardson family. This of course set me off on a voyage of discovery which resulted in my finding & documenting a heap of NZ and Australian relations, but for quite some time, no living descendants, until I got tired of that and rang the one I could see lived in California. He wasn't interested in his family history but did tell me that there was "some relation of my mother's in NZ in a place called Hataitai", and gave me Grace's name. As Hataitai is a suburb of Wellington and just down the road (well about an hour away), that was quickly confirmed and contact made (Jul 2007).
     Just this week (May 2008) Grace and I finally met and she allowed me to copy a number of photos and letters in her possession, which started me off on another search.
From the family letters written in 1961 it appears that the family have/had a snuff horn, or snuff box, presumably presented to James Richardson Snr (1782-1868), a smith in Edinburgh, who belonged to the Eastern & Western Hammermen of Portsburgh, Edinburgh. The letters infer that it was "hundreds of years old" in 1848 when it was given to James Jnr ((1826-1902), which I doubt, at least if it came through the Richardson side. Given James Snr's father in law was also a smith it may well be from that side of the family?
     James Snr was the earliest blacksmith Richardson of our family in Edinburgh, that I know about anyway, although it would be good to find earlier ones. In 1848 he would have been 66, so although the snuff horn/box itself may indeed by old, it seems unlikely he would have had it for more than say 30 years. In 1848 James Jnr was still in Scotland, as he didn't marry until May 1852, and he emigrated to NZ shortly thereafter (August). James' father Robert was a smith at Rutherford Whitelaw (nr Maxton) and seems unlikely to have moved to Edinburgh given he was still shown as being in Morebattle in 1797, when he would be 50.
     I hope that the letter inside is actually legible after all this time, as it would be great to find out more about this snuff horn/box, which I now have hopes of, having found the family member who currently has it safe.^7,8,9,6
     James Richardson appeared on the census of 1841 at 4 Hays Ct, Edinburgh St Cuthberts, MLN, SCT, with Jane Russell, as RICHARDSON: James 50 smith; Jean 45 both b MLN; Robert 25 wright J, Thomas 20 smith J, Margret (sic) 15, Jean 10, James 10, smith app all b MLN; Also Rebecca McLAREN 70 b MLN; Wm CESSFORD 15 clock merchant app b MLN (NB enumerators were instructed to round ages down to the nearest multiple of 5).¹⁰
     James Richardson appeared on the census of 1851 at 4 Hays Ct, Edinburgh St Cuthberts, MLN, SCT, with Jane Russell, enumerated as RICHARDSON: James 68 smith (emp 5 men b Maxton); wife Jane 57 b Edin; Children: Thomas 28, James 23 both smith journeymen b Edin; Jean 21 b Edin; Servant Elizabeth Elder b ENG.³
     James Richardson appeared on the census of 1861 at 3 Hays Ct, Edinburgh St Cuthberts, MLN, SCT, enumerated as RICHARDSON: James 78 hse proprietor b Maxton; Dtr: Jane 32 hsekeeper b Edin St Cuthberts; Boarder: Thomas 38 smith master emp 4 m 2b b Edin; Boarder: Thomas RUSSEL, 68 annuitant b St Cuthberts, Edin.¹¹
     Isabella Lawson, Thomas Richardson, James Richardson and Marion Anderson are all mentioned in the Inventory of Robert Richardson on 28 Sep 1863 in the Sheriff Ct, Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, assuming that this is the James Richardson, Smith and Cartwright in Orchardfield Edinburgh who was the person with a bond "secured over subjects in Lady Lawson's Wynd, Edinburgh" to Miss Marion Anderson of Maryfield, Easter Road, and assigned by her to Robert and Thomas Richardson (it may however be Robert and Thomas' brother James instead).¹²
     James Richardson of Hays Court, Main Pt, Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, wrote a will on 31 Oct 1865 dividing his estate amongst his children Jean, Catherine, Thomas, Margaret and James describing himself as "I James Richardson formerly Smith and Cartwright at Orchardfield and now residing at Hays Court Main Point Edinburgh, named "Thomas Edmonston Ironmonger West Bow Edinburgh..." as Trustee. Specific mentions were: "First My Trustees shall pay all my just and lawful debts.." etc "(Second) My Trustees shall so long as my daughter Jean remains unmarried after my death make payment to her of a yearly annuity of Twenty pounds Sterling"... ".. and ... allow her the full liferent use and enjoyment of the whole household furniture belonging to me at the time of my death or at her choice and in her option pay her ... the sum of Twenty pounds Sterling in lieu of such liferent use and enjoyment (Third) My Trustees shall divide among my whole children alive at the time of my death excluding my said daughter ... and that equally among them share and share alike.
     And further I the said James Richardson do hereby Give ... in favor of my Children Catherine Richardson or Peacock wife of Adam Peacock residing at Lauriston Terrace Edinburgh Thomas Richardson Smith and Cartwright Spittal Street Edinburgh Margaret Richardson or Scott wife of David Scott Lothian Street Edinburgh and James Richardson presently residing at Dunedin New Zealand or elsewhere abroad and the survivors ... of them and the heirs ... that irregular piece of ground part of the lands of Highriggs commonly called Crichen's gardens purchased by James Dun Wright at Lauriston from John Adam Esquire Architect in Edinburgh with the houses and others built thereon being ... described in an Instrument of Sasine ... dated the Twenty third day of July One thousand eight hundred and forty two" ...
     I do hereby in virtue of the powers reserved to me in a disposition of the subjects specially before disponed granted by Thomas Russell wright in Portsburgh in favor of me the said James Richardson and my wife Jean Russell or Richardson now deceased and our chldren for the respective interests of liferent ... and bearing date the Twenty second day of July One thousand eight hundred and forty two revoke and recall the ... substitution therein contained in favour of the said deceased Jean Russell or Richardson and of the chldren of our marriage and ... I do hereby revoke and recall a disposition of the subjects specially before disponed granted by me in favour of the said deceased Jean Russell or Richardson dated the Twenty second and recorded in the said Particular Register of Sasine the Twenty third day of February One thousand eight hundred and sixty and that in the whole heads articles and clauses thereof" ... "all written by Thomas Jackson Wilson Clerk to Geroge Cotton Solicitor before the Supreme Court of Scotland Edinburgh are subscribed by me at thousand eight hundred and sixty five years before these Witnesses the said George Cotton and the said Thomas Jackson Wilson (all signed)"
     And then a codicil covering the case if dtr Jean married to include her in the equal shares... "In Witness Whereof ... at Edinburgh the second day of November Eighteen hundred and sixty five before these Witnesses the said George Cotton and the said Marin McCall (signed)
With annotation 18th May 1868 "Referred to in my deposition of this date" signed Thos Richardson and James Gulland J P
The full text, and a copy of the document is available on the Original documents section of my web site.¹³
     An Inventory of the estate of James Richardson was filed at the Sheriff Court, Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, on 23 May 1868 showing that the deceased James Richardson "sometime Smith & Cartwright at Orchardfield afterwards residing at Hay's Court Main Point Edinburgh who died at Fountainbridge Edinburgh on or about the ninth day of February Eighteen hundred and sixty eight Scotland" and had personal estate consisting of:
1. "Household furniture and other effects" ... Appraisement by Messrs Lyon and Turnbull licensed appraisers £35
2. "Balance due to the deceased on Deposit with the Bank of Scotland per receipt 13th September 1867 £100; Interest thereon to date of death £-/12/2/4; Interest thereon to date of Oath to Inventory 8d farthing
3. Rents of ?Heritages? due by the following tenants accruent at death viz: .. (all at Lady Lawstons Wynd) £33/7/6 Mrs MacKay, John Sutherland, Mrs Gow, William Anderson, Mrs Fingland?, George Mitchell, John Hunter, James Gray, J Lloyd, J Meikle, Thomas Fleming, Thomas Nesbit, John Bethune, D Ronald, ?John? McDonald, John Buchanan, Mrs Lanerock?, Mrs McNair?, Frederick Braidie?, James Knox, Charles McGregor, George Eadon?, Mrs Brown? less rents received from monthly tenants £10/4/9
4. Amount of stock in the North British Railway Company £22/10/- valued at £5
Total £177/6/7 Signed 18th May 1868 by Thos Richardson and James ?Gulland? J.P.
.. appeared Thomas Richardson Smith & Cartwright Fountainbridge Edinburgh one of the Executors dative and next of kin of the deceased James Richardson sometime Smith & Cartwright at Orchardfield afterwards residing at Hay's Court Main Point Edinburgh ... That the said James Richardson died at Edinburgh on or about the ninth day of February Eighteen hundred and sixty eight and the deponent along with Jean Richardson residing at Fountainbridge Edinburgh & Mrs Catherine Richardson or Peacock Lauriston Terrace Edinburgh widow of Adam Peacock sometime residing there are about to enter upon the possession & management of his personal or moveable Estate as Executors dative and next of Kin decerned to him by the Honorable the Commissary of Edinburgh upon the sixteenth day of April Eightenn hundred and sixty eight ... ... a Trust Dispostion & Settlement and special Disposition & Codicil thereto annexed, dated respectively thirty first October and second November Eighteen hundred & sixty five executed by the deceased in favor of Thomas Edmonston Ironmonger West ?Barr? Edinburgh as Trustee. Depones that the said Thomas Edmonston declined to accept the said appointment of Trustee .. ... That the value at this date of the said personal Estate and Effects situated in the United Kingom including the proceeds accrued thereon down to this date is the hundred pound Sterling That Confirmation of the said personal Estate is required in favor of the deponent and the said Jean Richardson, & Mrs Catherine Richardson or Peacock. All which is truth as the deponent shall answer to God" Signed Thos Richardson and James Gulland JP "for Deed see Testamentary Record Volume DH Page 761."¹⁴
     An original suggestion was that this James might be the boot and shoemaker shown in Pigots as being in Morebattle in 1837. Harry's suggestion now seems unlikely given the more recent Edinburgh blacksmith findings.^15,16