Obituary of James Richardson, Cricketer of St Albans

From the Herts Advertiser, April 1886

It should be noted that this obituary was published because James Richardson was a well-known cricketer, and it is very unlikely that it would have appear if he had only been a railway clerk commuting daily to offices in Camden.

 

Old News

Death of a Cricketer. – We regret to record the death of Mr James Richardson, which occurred on Wednesday at his residence, Lattimore-road, at the comparatively early age of 44. Deceased was well-known in local cricketing circles as a good exponent of the game, having been connected with the St Albans Club for more than 20 years. He was a serviceable batsman and bowler, and particularly useful in the long-field. For nearly 30 years he had been in the employ of the London and North-Western Railway Company, and was well-known to many on the line between St Albans and Camden. He had been ailing for a long time past, but with a characteristic pluck he stuck to his work as long as strength would permit, only giving up a few days before his death. He leaves a widow and three children. The funeral is to take place on Monday at 3 o'clock in St Peter's churchyard. The members of the Cricket Club purpose attending, and with this object are requested to meet at the Club-house, Crystal Palace Inn, at 2.45 on the day.

 

Herts Advertiser, 3rd April, 1886

   
     

Funeral of Mr J Richardson:– The funeral of Mr. J. Richardson, a respected inhabitant of the city, whose decease we reported last week, took place in St Peter's Churchyard, on Monday afternoon. The funeral cortege started from the deceased late residence, Lattimore-road, about 3 o'clock, among those who followed being: Messrs R. Heading (father-in-law), T. Richardson (brother), Smith, Wheathampstead (brother-in-law), W. Heading, Berkhampstead, J. Hunt, Berkhampstead, W. Heading, jun., R. Heading, A. Heading, and Arthur Heading (relatives of the deceased); Mr W. Cooper (head clerk of the L. & N.W. Railway department at Camden, where the deceased was engaged for so many years), Messrs Smith, Sulivan, Sinworth, C. B. Booth, C. B. Briant, A. C. Chalk, A. G. B. Brooks, H. B, Butcher, Dowding, Wise, and Russell (fellow clerks at Camden), and the following inhabitants of St Albans, most of whom are members of the Cricket Club, with which the deceased was for a long period actively associated:– Messrs J Gentle, T Pearce, F Blanks (Hon. Sec. of the Club), L J Myers, W Nutting, C Daly, Randall, L Sells, T Westell, J Jackson, W Davis, S Clark, G Stevens, J Darby, H Sears, W Kingham, Churchhouse, and J Brewer. In addition to those who joined in the funeral cortege, a large number of persons had assembled in the churchyard. The service was read by the Rev. T. Pitman, B.A., The coffin, which was elm, with black fittings, bore the following inscription:-

James Richardson
Died March 31st, 1886
Aged 44 years

Several choice floral wreaths were placed on the coffin, including a wreath and a cross contributed by the members of the Cricket Club (several of whom were unavoidably prevented from attending); a wreath from the clerks with whom the deceased worked on the L. & N.W. Railway Company; and four other wreaths from relatives. Altogether considerable respect was shown to the memory of the deceased.

 

Full text

Herts Advertiser, 10th April, 1886

   

See also RICHARDSON, St Albans, 1841-86