William Richardson, Private, 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, Malta c 1828-1830

[Bitzer1]

I would appreciate any help tracing William Richardson, Private, 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, who served in Malta c 1828-1830.  He and his wife, Elizabeth, had two daughters in Malta: 1) Elizabeth, born 14 June 1828, baptised 6 July 1828, buried 1 December 1830; 2) Mary, born 9 November 1830, baptised 28 November 1830.  I do no know William Richardson's army number, or anything about his background.  He seems to have survived his army service and lived on an army pension, but I do not know where.

[ShaunJ]

It's possibly this chap, born in Sevenoaks, Kent circa 1797. Served nearly 9 years in Malta.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO97%2F1086%2F081%2F001&parentid=GBM%2FWO97%2F1086%2F853094

Discharged in 1837, died 6 February 1869 (in Cork)

He was in 85th regiment until 1824, then transferred to the Rifle Brigade. Does that fit?

[Bitzer1]

Many thanks Shaun.  I no longer have access to Find My Past, so I cannot check the link.  I do know that his married daughter Elizabeth Simpson had several children in Queenstown, Cork between 1861 and 1867, so it's a possibility.

[ShaunJ]

I am working through the army pension records. It looks like he was in Plymouth in the early 1840s.

1841 census:

60 Cambridge Street, Plymouth

William Richardson  40 Labourer, not born in-county        
Elizabeth   Richardson 40   in-county           
Mary   Richardson 10    in-county     
William Richardson 4m in-county

[ShaunJ]

He moved from Plymouth to Bristol in March 1860 and from Bristol to Cork in September 1860.

[ShaunJ]

1851 census

43 Richmond Street, Plymouth

William Richardson 53 Chelsea Pensioner born Seven Oaks, Kent
Elizabeth Richardson 52 born Wembury, Devon
William G Richardson 10 born Plymouth

[ShaunJ]

GRO has a William George Richardson born Plymouth in 1841 mmn Bunker

There's an 1819 marriage (15 July) at East Stonehouse: William Richardson and Elizabeth Bunker.

[Bitzer1]

Many thanks for your posts Shaun.  This is all fitting together.  I believe that William and Elizabeth Richardson's daughter Elizabeth married Private John William Newman of the 28th Regiment (North Gloucestershire) of Foot in East Stonehouse in 1849.  Newman (private 2217) may have perished during the Crimean War, although I have no proof of that. 

His widow Elizabeth married William Simpson in Plymouth in 1856.  Simpson may have been in the Royal Marines, but again I have no evidence.  Elizabeth and William Simpson had a son, George Thomas Simpson, in Plympton in 1857.  At some point, they moved to Queenstown (Cobh), Cork and had several children, while living at Albert Terrace in the 1860s.

I was intrigued by the information that William Richardson moved from Plymouth to Bristol in March 1860 and from Bristol to Cork in September 1860.  May I ask the source so I can look into this more?  Perhaps Richardson moved to Queenstown with the Simpsons.

Before being posted to Malta, Richardson's regiment, the 2nd Battalion Rife Brigade, had been in Ireland, so maybe that is why he returned there in retirement.  Do you know his service number?  I hope to follow this up at the National Archives when it reopens, along with trying to find out Private Newman's fate.     

       

[ShaunJ]

daughter Elizabeth

The surviving daughter who married Newman and Simpson was of course Mary !

Her second husband Simpson was a 39 year old shopkeeper at the time of the marriage.

WR's service number with the Rifle Brigade was 58. My information on his movements from Plymouth to Bristol to Cork is from various pension registers and returns in WO22 and WO23.

The only John Newman I can find a 28th Regiment record for circa 1849-1855 was number 2217 (in Manchester, 1Q 1851) . He is on the Crimea medal rolls but there is no note that he had died.