Henry Marriott RICHARDSON was the son of a barrister, Harold Slingsby Duncombe RICHARDSON, and Florence Margaret KIRKPATRICK. He was born on 21 Oct 1876 at Wellington Street, Hanley, Staffordshire and died on 23 Dec 1936 in London aged 60. In 1901 he was living with his widowed mother at 86 Albert Road, Hanley, Staffordshire. He married Rose Ethel BULLOCK, daughter of Charles William BULLOCK and Eliza Jane RAMSDEN, by banns on 27 Apr 1905 at St John's Church, Egremont, Cheshire. He was living at 5A Bland Street, Whalley Range at the time.

He spent his working life in journalism and was a founder member of the National Union of Journalists. He was the author of several plays. His earliest known play was Gentlemen of the Press ("by H. M. Richardson, a Manchester journalist, to be produced by Miss Horniman's company at Manchester") circa 1910. His plays In the Black Forest and When Mummy Speaks (one act) were produced at the Stockport Garrick Theatre in 1913-1914 and 1918-1919 respectively.

He also wrote two mystery novels: The Temple Murder (1926) and The Rock of Justice (1928).

His obituary in the London Times of December 24 said:-

     'Mr. H. M. Richardson, secretary of the National Union of Journalists, died yesterday at his home in Dulwich at the age of 60. He had been suffering since last February from valvular disease of the heart and nervous breakdown.

     'Henry Marriott Richardson, son of a solicitor, began his journalistic career as a reporter on the 'Staffordshire Sentinel' in 1894. Five years late he went to the 'Birmingham Gazette', and in 1903 he joined the Hulton Group in Manchester, where he worked for 15 years, on several papers in turn, as leader writer, literary editor, and special commissioner.

     'In 1918, after the death of Mr. W. N. Watts, honorary general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, Mr Richardson, one of the Union's founders in 1907, was elected by ballot as the first paid secretary. During his 18 years' service in that office, the membership has increased from 3,000 to 6,000, and agreements on journalists' wages and working conditions have been made with the chief newspaper and news agency proprietors in London and the provinces.

     'Mr. Richardson served for many years on the Executive Council of the Printing and Kindred Trades Federation, and in 1930 was chairman of the Joint Industrial Council. He was one of the promoters of the Internation Federation of Journalists; he helped to draft its Code of Honour, and became its second president, for two years, in 1931 and 1932. With this Federation only journalists of "free Press" countries can be affiliated. In his own union he gave valuable help in the framing of it Code of Professional Conduct, which is being copied or adapted by unions in several other countries as a standard of ethics for the profession. Mr. Richardson, whose hobby was painting, wrote two serial stories and several comedy dramas. Two of his plays were produced in Manchester and one in London. He leaves a widow and six children.

     'The funeral will be at the Crematorium Chapel, West Norwood Cemetery, today, at 4 o'clock. It is asked that no flowers be sent.'

Henry Marriott RICHARDSON (6489) was christened on 5 Jan 1817 at Tuxford, Nottinghamshire and died on 27 Sep 1893 aged 76. He married Sarah COX, daughter of Robert COX, by banns on 20 Jul 1842 at St Georges Church, Everton, Lancashire and was living at Pembroke Place, Little Bourton, at the time. In 1843 he was living at 72 Bruiks Brow, Little Bolton, Lancashire and at Clarendon Terrace, Bolton, Lancashire in 1861.

According to the Bolton Evening News of July 24, 1952:-

     'This year is the centenary of Bolton's first telegram. Ald H.M. Richardson, in his book "Forty Years in Bolton", tells that the local papers announced that the Electric Telegraph Office would be open for the first time one Saturday morning, for the dispatch of messages. Richardson, who was a solicitor, had been handling arbitration proceedings concerning the property at the Deansgate-Bridge-st. corner, later occupied by Constantine Bros.

     'The award was ready to be delivered on payment of £76 costs, and the first Bolton telegram read: "Please take up the award and wire on the contents; cheque for arbitrator's costs posted to you by tonight's post." That first telegram brought to a conclusion notable litigation between the two trader-neighbours who occupied the premises in 1852 - Jonathon Hebden, draper and silk merchant, and James Morris, chemist'.

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