SPRATTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY


Private John William RICHARDSON

Northamptonshire Regiment Reserve, Royal Defence Corps 40754


John William Richardson 1880-1971
John William Richardson 1880-1971

John was born on 22 December 1880 in Northampton, the son of Levi Richardson, a shoemaker, and Frances, his wife. By the time he was 11, the family had moved to Yew Tree Lane, Spratton. Levi was a shoemaker, a member of the local Fire Brigade and a keen musician. John (often known as William) appears to have started work as a shoemaker but then became a gardener.  Like his father, he was part of the local Fire Brigade and the Spratton Brass Band. On 9 October1907 John married Elizabeth Austin from Spratton and they moved to a cottage further along Yew Tree Lane (where the Scout Hut now stands) and had two children, George and Frank. Sadly, George died of diphtheria in December 1916 aged 8.

In October 1914, aged 34, John joined the Northamptonshire Regiment Reserve and then in 1916 was transferred to the Royal Defence Corps, serving in England rather than abroad.  He was working at the Eastcote Prisoner of War camp at the time of his son’s death in 1916.

In 1918 he conducted the Spratton Brass Band for the village Peace celebrations and was church organist for about 36 years. He died in July 1971 aged 91 and is buried in the new parish cemetery in Spratton.