Richmonds of Maldon and Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex Family History. Harridance Family here

William Richmond: (born 1828 Maldon, Essex, England - died 1856 Keilor, Victoria, Australia)
son of  Henry Harridance [HH],  and Sarah Richmond

William was born Maldon but christened in Burnham-n-Cruch, Essex.
He went to school in Maldon until he was apprenticed as a mariner around the aage of 10 and  to become a master mariner at the age of 21.
Traesl on ships to Turkey, China, Geelong, Adelaide and Tasmania  before the gold rushes saw him settle in Victoria.
He married in  1854, Eliza Sarah DYER Melbourne,   died 1856 Keilor, Victoria, Australia.
His children were: Henry James Richmond   [HJR] b 1854,  and William Richmond b 1856 born Vic.
He was buried 1856, in the Melbourne General Cemetery Carlton
He is buried in  C of E plot number K 253 the  owner of plot is William SMITH bought in 1854. It has a  large monument to Mary A SMITH died 1854 and husband  James SMITH died 1861. Mary  may have been his first cousin.

I found most of this family history from checking details of  Henry James Richmond's memoirs and letters after seeing this statement in one letter and then researching the public records for England and Australia.

Letter c1930 from Henry James Richmond (HJR)  to his son in London saying:
“Dear Herbert,
I don't think you will have much success in your proposed search for our ancestors, as I don’t believe we had any. At any rate, you would have a century to get over - 75 years of mine and 25 of my father’s ...” (1 ) He remembered Uncle James Richmond !
 

Captain William "Harridance"  Richmond, born 1828 Maldon, Essex, England .
18 March 2002
The true ancestry of this man who was my great great grandfather was not easy to discover due to the Victorian Era’s influence in trying to hide his illegitimacy. 

William's descent from Henry Harridance was proved by the discovery of legal documents in Essex Record Office. These had been collected by Mr Crick of Maldon, Essex, lawyer and trustee of the Henry Harridance estate. These sworn documents proved that Henry James Richmond of Victoria Australia, was the grandson of HH and therefore entitled to a large inheritance when he turned 21. 

The Richmond tree -  from   English cousins- goes back to Sarah and William Richmond (1732-1761). But it is incomplete as there is an absence of Burnham church records for 1790s to prove Fanny, Samuel and William Richmond were siblings.

Sarah Richmond was born 11 Dec. 1809, baptized 11 March 1810, Burnham-on-Crouch daughter of Hannah nee Waller and William Richmond.

Sarah Richmond baptised her son William Richmond on 2 May 1828 at Burnham-on-Crouch Church of England, Essex, England. He was recorded in parish register as being born illegitimate, on 10 Feb 1828 and his mother a spinster. The register does not state where he was born.

The next year Sarah Richmond married Captain James Mason, mariner 24 November 1829 at St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch, London. This was witnessed by Fanny Richmond who is  Sarah’s aunt - [proved by Fanny Richmond's will which left contents of her estate to her " niece and nephew James and Elizabeth Fanny Mason " who were the children of Sarah and James Mason -see  reg births in Maldon. ] James Mason was part owner of a Thames Barge with Henry Harridance.

William Richmond, Sarah’s son, always said he was born Maldon and according to his son, HJR, he went to Mr Wyatt’s school Maldon.

Sarah had two further children in her marriage to James Mason’s : James Mason born 1838, Elizabeth Mason born 1844. They were half brother and sister of William Richmond.

Fanny Richmond spinster, died on 1 May 1865 Maldon. and left her estate to her niece and nephew Elizabeth Fanny Mason and James Mason and her sister Elizabeth Stammers.

William Richmond was not living in Maldon according to the 1841 Census. However it did show, James Mason aged 34 mariner, (born c 1807) with his wife Sarah Mason nee Richmond, aged 35 and son James Mason aged 4. living in the High St. Nor was he living with his father Henry Harridance. The census states that Henry was living on High Street, aged 45, unmarried, occupation merchant, born Maldon, with his son Henry Harridance Jr. 15 born Messing, Essex, and female servants: Fanny Richmond aged 46 unmarried born Burnham and servant Rebecca Barnyard aged 29 born Heybridge. 

Records of the Harridance family in Maldon can be traced  in Maldon see here - church and legal records.- wrong churches....see below
Henry Harridance was born 15 April 1794 at St Mary's parish {district}, baptised at Maldon All Saints and St Peter’s 17 January 1796. His parents were William and Mary Harridance [maiden name unknown] of St Mary's parish. 

Henry Harridance, probably was or had been married* as he had one son who carried his surname, Henry Harridance “the younger” . Searches for a record of this marriage was done in Boyd’s 1801-37 Male Essex volume, and Index to Essex Marriage Licence and Bonds & Allegations and found nothing. Searches need to be done for the rest of England and perhaps British East India Co, Indian records. He was a merchant, landowner and corn miller, corn merchant, insurance broker, auctioneer, & ship owner of High St Maldon. Tithe maps c 1836 show that HH owned 5 acres arable land, gardens and properties on Market Hill and High St etc in Maldon.

Henry Harridance was not, as suggested by Henry James Richmond, his great grandfather. In actual fact Henry Harridance was his grandfather and neither very old, about 65, when he died. Nor was he a Quaker as he is baptised in the Church of England & paid Tithes to the Church on his properties and the Quakers have no records of him. 

We now know that he was a member of the Independent chapel - later congregational on Market Hill where he was buried - from a descendant of James Harridance of Maldon. 2007 details of burial plot coming she lives  near Braintree and works in Colchester

By 1848 William’s mother Sarah (nee Richmond) Mason lived Butt Lane. From a property sale “brochure” 1848 , the Masons rented a “recently-erected one of 3 tenements of four rooms with ”Garden Ground” front and back forming a frontage to Butt Lane which was being rented for 7 pounds a year each. This house is about 60 feet from The Rose and Crown pub. (see  photo)  on the corner of High Street and Butt Lane, Maldon, Essex. The Quaker house and cemetery is down this lane which leads to the Jolly Roger pub, River and Quay. 

1851 census shows that Sarah Mason aged 41, born Burnham, was married and living in Butt Lane, with James Mason, (Jr.) aged 14 & Elizabeth Mason aged 7. James Mason probably at sea.
This Census also shows that Henry Harridance 56 merchant and son Henry Harridance aged 26 born Messing, lived dwelling 7 High Street with housekeeper Fanny Richmond aged 60 [!] born Burnham, and one servant Rebecca Barnyard aged 40 born Heybridge.

Henry Harridance [Jr. ] bc 1826 parish registers searched and his baptism was not found, in the Braintree and Messing Church parishes from 1820-1830. Later in the 1881 census HH Jr. says he was born in Maldon. Searches need to be done in the more parish registers for that period c 1826.
When HH died on 10 May 1859 he had been guardian of HJR and had set up a ”Richmond Trust” of 500 pounds for “his grandson Henry James Richmond” as well as providing funds to continue his education. He also left money to his brothers, Samuel and James Harridance and sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth McKay and Sarah Gill, housekeeper Fanny Richmond the same as his siblings, 250 pounds, and servant Hannah Crab 100 pounds. Real estate and personal property went to his son HH jr. Samuel H was a baker on High St, . 1851 James H shoemaker 61 yrs old and wife Mary 48 shoe binder lived in Maldon. 1861 James and Richard H were listed as shoemakers. Close to Maldon was one Anthony Harridance at Milkwell farm who may be related? 
Henry Harridance Jr.  - Harridance, Henry - registered death ; Jun qtr 1898: aged  72  Wandsworth District. Vol 1d, Page 327“ 

Henry Harridance Jr. had  two sons Henry Harridance [ III ]and Frank Harridance  b Maldon,   see 1881 census Camberwell london.

1901 Census  England  [found Dec 2004]
Henry Harridance age 45 b Maldon Essex, Battersea, Occ Civil Service India office 2nd class Clerk
Frank Harridance age 41 born Maldon Essex, civil  Parish Battersea, Occ Commercial Traveller

Free bdm gives death of Henry Harridance 1908 Sept qtr  died aged  53  Wandsworth  Vol 1d  Page 271

Frank Harridance listed in 1916 London directories at  Battersea.

Frank Harridance died in the Jun quarter 1925 aged 65 at Wandsworth Vol  1d Page 473 

If he left a will it would be interesting as he seems to be the last of this line.

The only  living descendants from Henry Harridance of Maldon, are  those of us  descended from Sarah Richmond and Henry Harridance's son Captain  William Richmond. 2007.
 

William Richmond b 1828 Maldon, Master Mariner at 21 years of age.
Tracing his life:
His childhood to the age of 12 was  in Maldon Essex 
His school was Mr Wyatt's on the London Rd Maldon.
About 1840 he was probably apprenticed to be a mariner. 
Records in Essex are not by indexed by surname of apprentice.

1843 - to Turkey [ details below]
1844 back to Liverpool early in year -to
1845? ONLY GAP
Platina* 1845 Mar 14 Loading [in unstated port ] Platina  for England
1846 Feb in Geelong  onto the  Platina  - to London then
1848 to  "Royal Alice"  London-  China  via S.Australia 
[he was listed on Royal Alice 1848 - "previous ship "Platina" ! ]

I have fortunately been given a copy of this personal log by a relative in Western Australia April 2004.  It has drawings of ports  viewed from the sea, sketches of a man in a top hat, lists of  his personal shopping he did in ports as well as ships cargo and navigation details. Ports include Singapore, Hong Kong, Smyrna,Turkey,, Bombay Liverpool. I have not seen any entry for an Australian ports. It is a combination of voyages at first the Water Lily  or Waterlily then on the Royal Alice and seems to be missing sections. etc. Also the start of a love letter!

In 1843 he sailed London to Turkey and returned to Liverpool 1844 on the “Water  Lily”  or  "Waterlily".  [personal log book.]
[copied  the most interesting part into the family history I have made 
"Our Richmonds of Burnham-on-Crouch" 2009]
 

 Q. HOW DID Wm RICHMOND GET TO GEELONG in FEB 1846?

Perhaps he was on this trip?  "Platina" arrived Geelong 9 Oct 1845 having departed Hobart  2nd October 1845.

Aged only just 18, William Richmond of Maldon apprentice no. 86257 left Geelong 27 February 1846 on the sailing ship “Platina” bound for London from Hobart carrying, hides, wool and general cargo. "No mention of previous ship this apprentice was on." expert researcher at Trinity House.

1846 
Mar 2 "Platina" left  Port Phillip [could be  Geelong- or Melbourne]- bound to London

[Migrants from Tasmania  were brought to Victoria by the Geelong, Portland Bay (& Port Fairy) Emigration Society to provide labour  to squatters etc. They arrived between 1845 and 1846  per the vessel's ... which  included the Platina. ]
 

1850
At the age of 21 he passed an exam on 29 April 1850, at the Trinity House London and got a “2nd class certificate of competency”- [“Captains Ticket”] Mariner . (sailor). His birth place is given as Maldon which confirms the correct birthplace of this William Richmond according to merchant marine expert in London.  He was baptisd in Cof E  Burnham.

1848
William Richmond was the first mate on the sailing ship “Royal Alice” making the voyage from London, to Canton , S. Australia and back to England 3 times - leaving London 1848, 1850 and 1852. Each round trip took one year. The family has a log written by William, of one of these voyages which tells of the ports of call and cargo and weather. Their cargo was tea and spices.

1853
On the last trip he left the ship in Adelaide, in 1853.  [Well we think this is most likely]. As one Mr Richmond no Scottish  sailed with Sxxxx Allen on the "Victoria” arriving in Melbourne in August 1853. From there he joined the gold rushes in Victoria having bought a miners licence. One Samuel Allen actually witnessed William Richmond’s wedding and later was a registrar on William’s death certificate.

1853 - "VICTORIA"    arr. p;  Port Adelaide   from  Mauritius    reported in SA newspaper 14  Feb  1853 

1854
On 7 Feb 1854 William Richmond was married at St James Cathedral, Collins Street, Melbourne, to Eliza Sarah Dyer of Hammersmith, witnessed by Samuel Allen and Caroline[?] Charlotte Atkinson. He gave his father’s name as Harridance Richmond and his mothers maiden name as Sarah Richmond. At this time he was a store owner in Keilor, probably selling provisions to the gold prospectors on their way to the gold fields.
William and Eliza had two children, Henry James born 1854 and William Richmond born 1856 at Keilor. 
Eliza’s brother David, was a lawyer in Victoria who witnessed the baptism of Henry James Richmond which, 21 years later, helped Henry James Richmond establish his claim to his inheritance from his paternal grandfather Henry Harridance of Maldon, Essex. 

William Richmond died 26 March 1856 of intestinal disease 6 weeks after the birth of their second son. His death certificate gave his mother’s maiden name Sarah Richmond and his father as Henry Richmond.

The cemetery records had inaccurate infomation and now 2009 he is found  to be in the  “new”  Melbourne General Cemetery in Carlton. Probable cause of death given in their old records as cholera.

Inheritance
Administration papers of 26 March 1856 show the estate of William Richmond less than 1000 pounds.
On 5 May one legal document states Eliza Sarah Richmond is entitled to all of William’s property.
But an affidavit 15 May 1856 seems to indicate William owed one Elisha Pearce over 2000 pounds and this man was seizing “land and hereditaments” to try and recover debts.

One of our cousins, William John Elkes, Harvey W.A., born 1941, a great grandson of William Richmond (1856-1932), has some poems and drawings William Richmond wrote in a “note book”. I think I now have a copy of  many of its pages..

William"Harridance"  Richmond's grandson, William Richmond (b1877) of Colac passed on some items that were William’s: a knuckle-duster  that went to my brother Michael, and there was a telescope (which sadly I dismantled and wrecked when a child).

Ruth's Family History written  c 1955
Ruth Richmond did some family research in London in 1950s sparked by her meeting there with Elizabeth Arnold in 1930s as a 12 year old. Elizabeth Arnold, a poet, journalist, musician, linguist and expert on Indian theology, regarded the Australian Richmond family as her kin, as stated in surviving letters. This demonstrates that the links between the two families were openly accepted in the early 20th century. Elizabeth Arnold born 1860 was the daughter of James Mason Jr. and wanted to live in Tasmania after WW1 with HJRs family. She was married several times, but appears to have no recorded descendants. Her brothers Frank and Sidney died unmarried. Ruth and her father Herbert also had listened to his Uncle William Richmond’ s (b1856) version of family history. 
Henry James Richmond vigorously refuted his brothers version of family history in a letter to his son Herbert in London 1930’s. He strongly asserted that his brother would not have been able to remember what he heard or saw in England as he was only about 2 when he left there and advised family members not to believe these stories. However William Richmond lived all his life with his mother and would have gained much unrecorded family history from her.

On one very old hand copy of the death certificate of William Richmond [1828-1856] someone filled in the area above name of father which was given as Henry Richmond the word “Harridance” in pencil, and below the mothers maiden name Sarah Richmond the word “Cousins” . I think it is meant to convey that the father ” Henry “Richmond” and Sarah Richmond were cousins - seeing that they both said to have the same surname! Later I suppose someone filled in the truth about the fathers surname!
It was actually Henry Harridance

IN THE GRAVE OF WILLIAM RICHMOND  MELBOURNE GENERAL CEMETERY - PLOT BOUGHT BY WILLIAM SMITH.
1 Mary Ann SMITH.
 Mary Ann  died 1854, aged 42 years at Keilor, was born Maldon Essex,  the dau of George Mckay and Elizabeth unknown on her dearth certificate PROV.
The full uncertified copy of her death certificate obtained Sunday Oct th, 2009, says she was married to James Smith at Hobart, Van Diemans Land at the age of 24 years and she had no children. Also it stated she had been in Van Diemans Land and Victoria for 20 years [ arrived c 1834 ]. She had died in Keilor and present at her death was Eliza Sarah Richmond  -signed and the informant on her death certificate was William Richmond  signed [in the exact same hand as on his log book I noted.]
Thus I searched tasmanian BDM Index e index for this marriage and could not find any  possible marriage to a James Smith  of anyone named  Mary or  Mary Ann who married any james Smith in the  time roughly. I suspect she is the daughter of Elizabeth Harridance [ sister of Henry Harridance] who married George McKay 1818 Maldon Essex. But  time is needed to check the Maldon churches  records.

It is is clear from Maldon Essex records  that Mary Ann nee McKay  could well be  the daughter George McKay who married Elizabeth Harridance sister of  Henry Harridance, the father of William Richmond also buried here.

The ARGUS newspaper  death notice makes it clear she was the wife of James SMITH, owner of the  Red Lion pub  in Keilor, Vic. .
Her plot was bought by William Smith. She was the first of 9 bodies interred there- Melbourne New Cemetery, Carlton Victoria. plot K 253 C of E, near the middle of whole cem. large  plot and 8 others in with her.

2 William Richmond d 1856 aged 29 b 1828  Maldon Essex, master mariner, storekeeper Keilor Vic. His life story here
      [ illeg son of Henry  Harridance,. b 1796. and Sarah Richmond b 1809 Burnham-on-Croch , Essex. ]

3 James SMITH  d 1861 aged 48 born Parramatta, NSW,  husband of Mary Ann. The Argus has a notice of his death at the Cornish Arms Pub Brunswick and his name is given as James H. Smith. No other information about him or his burial given. This is the pub owned by Thomas Manallack.

HOW ARE THESE FOLK CONNECTED TO THE SMITHS OR WILLIAM RICHMOND? [ his wife was Eliza Sarah DYER]
1 Oct 2009 - after contact with a descendant of Manallacks  -professional genealogist- the connection is unknown.
4 John VINCENT d aged 26, 1862,
          [probably son of Charles VINCENT and Mary Jane BLAKEY - he had just m Mary Jane MANALLACK   in 1861 !! - from BDM Vic records]

ALL BELOW HERE ARE DESCENDANTS OF A THOMAS MANALLACK [m 3 times]  FROM CORNWALL OWNER OF BRUNSWICK'S CORNISH PUB.

5 Elizabeth BURTON d aged 2 , in 1873
               [  her mother was nee Elizabeth Ann MANALLACK who m James BURTON.- from BDM Vic records]
6 Abraham MANALLACK d aged  8M 1877
                  [ d cert  middle names John Paterson, parents William Henry MANALLACK  wife Regina COLES. at Brunswick  from BDM Vic records] ]
7 Jessie MANALLACK  d aged 2 1880  [ middle name Eveline mother Robina [sic] COLES -[  from BDM Vic records]
8 John MANALLACK d aged 46 in 1886 [ father was Thomas MANALLACK,  mother Mary IVY,   from BDM Vic records]
9 John BOSANKO died aged 53 1904, [ on d cert father John BOSANKO, mother Burita [sp?] MANALLACK  from BDM Vic records]
 

Plot K 253 C of E Melbourne General Cemetery - was Melbourne New Cemetery.
Inscription reads in part,  Mary Ann wife of James Smith, born Paramatta.NSW

 
 


Version 2 -earlier version.
The facts are: HJR’s father was  called "Captain" William  "Harridance" Richmond ) born 1828 Maldon Essex and his mother Eliza Sarah Dyer of Hammersmith, London, who married in Melbourne in 1854 (2).

William and Eliza’s first child HJR was born 24 October 1854 and their second son William (of Wedderburn and Western Australia) in 1856. Six weeks later, on 26 March 1856, William R of Maldon died intestate (4) and was buried in the old Melbourne General Cemetery which his now under the Victoria Market in North Melbourne. I have not been unable to recover any record of his body being moved to the present Melbourne Cemetery to make way for the market site.

Eliza completed the administration of her husbands estate, which seems to have been in debt for 2,000 pounds at least.(5). An inventory of all his property has not been kept by VPRO so no more details are available. At the time of his death he was set up as a shopkeeper selling stores to the gold miners passing through Keilor on their way to the Bendigo gold fields.

”Captain” William Richmond's brass knuckle-duster and sword paper-knife have been passed on to my brother Michael and his log book of one voyage on the “Royal Alice” is in Tasmania and some poetry is with a descendant of his grandson William of Wedderburn and Western Australia.. Sadly I wrecked his brass/leather telescope as a child. Someone paid for William Richmond (b1828) to have get an education and to be an apprentice master mariner /sea captain. In 1841 Census William Richmond aged about 13 was not recorded living either with his mother or father in Maldon so presumably he was at sea.

As HH was the grandfather of HJR, William R b 1828,  of Maldon has to be the son of HH and was accepted as such by the executors of HH’s considerable legacy. Also William R said his father was Harridance Richmond on his wedding certifcate. Sarah (Richmond) Mason’s children James Mason the younger and Elizabeth Fanny Mason were given legacies from Fanny R who referred to them as her niece and nephew. So I presume FR is the aunt of Sarah (nee R) Mason -could also be her mother, baptism not found in or near Burnham or in Shoreditch. James Mason the younger had a daughter Elizabeth bc 1863 later married 3 times and called Madam Elizabeth Arnold. (EA) EA’s grandmother was Sarah R Mason as was HJR’s. We do not know who was the father of Sarah (nee R) Mason. Interestingly Elizabeth Mason Arnold tells HJR which members of the family have olive skin. Also she became a fluent recognised Sanskrit poet and studied and lived in India.Perhaps Sarah Richmond's mother was of " olive " complexion- perhaps Oriental?
James Richmond of Burnham and Brighton, HM Customs Officer  b 1819 had passed onto his daughter Eliza Hember, family heirlooms of a scrimshaw mug and silver shoe buckles extant in 1919 reported by EA to HJR as belonging to “our common great grandfather”.(12 ) EA and HJR have a common grandmother Sarah (nee Richmond) Mason whose father EA says owned these things. As the scrimshaw was usually done by mariners, and the mug is inscribed Richmond we probably can presume Sarah's father is a mariner with this surname - in fact William Richmond [

The father of Sarah R Mason is related to Fanny R and her sister Elizabeth Stammers and Samuel R, mariner, the father of James R of Burnham who owned theses items. Especially so as the mug is inscribed Richmond. We found the baptism record of James R in Burnham 1819, with father Samuel and mother Eliza R.

A Short History of William Richmond and his Family in Australia was written by Ruth Richmond in the 1960s.(13) She was about 10 years old when she had gone with her father looking for ancestors in 1930’s in England. Ruth's history was gleaned from Henry James Richmond's memoirs and his father, William Richmond of Maldon’s marriage and death certificates and probate administration documents and perhaps a ship’s passenger list. She notes that William Richmond is called a “master mariner”, by son HJR but he called himself a storekeeper when he got married. William said at his marriage that he was the child of “Harridance Richmond and Sarah whose maiden name was Richmond”. Ruth thought this might have meant that cousins had married -this would explain why the surnames were the same to cover up illegitimate birth. The death certificate was known to Ruth as she mentions the cause of death, which was “diarrhea”, but she chooses to make no mention of the father’s name given as Henry Richmond! This information was probably provided by his wife. Someone, probably Ruth , has written on the death certificate HARRIDANCE over Henry Richmond's name and COUSIN over Sarah Richmond's name. Possibly this is why Ruth called this a Short History and perhaps she knew a lot more but it has not been passed on. It does contain what appears to be a full copy of (1)

The Victorian marriage certificate (14) of William Richmond says his occupation was storekeeper of Keilor Vic. and that he was 27 years old and was born in Maldon, Essex, and his father’s name was Harridance Richmond, occupation “gentleman” and his mothers maiden name was Sarah Richmond. They were married in the Cathedral Church of St James (Church of England), Melbourne, 7 February 1854. Harridance Richmond sounded to me like two surnames and needed some double checking. Eliza Sarah Dyer, the bride, was residing with relatives in Prahran at the time of her marriage and gave her parents names as David Dyer gentleman and Mary nee Hanbury and she was born in Hammersmith England in 1831. The witnesses were probably friends or relatives: Samuel Allen and Caroline Charlotte Atkinson.


Scrimshaw mug inscribed RICHMOND
 

William is said by his son HJR (in newspaper articles of his memoirs) to have gone to one Mr Wyatt’s school [probably between 1833 - 1840] on the London Road in Maldon. Before this he may have lived with his mother Sarah (nee Richmond) Mason, wife of “ Captain” James Mason, in Butt Lane close to the Rose  & Crown Pub. His father Henry Harridance [HH] “gentry of High Street”  is listed in directories as corn and seed, coal merchant and commission agent and cornmerchant [sic].

The English merchant mariners records were kept very well. These show that on 26 Feb 1846 William Richmond, Apprentice Ticket number 86257, boarded the Platina , no previous ship given. This ship spent 1 year at sea and took prisoners from London to Tasmania and then picked up wool and hides in Geelong and returned to London - this trip on 9 April 1846. Then we find records of William Richmond on board the S Royal Alice in 1847 1849, 51, 53 . Another record says: 29 April 1850, William Richmond of Maldon, born 1828 passing a Certificate of Competency 2nd class, examined at Trinity House London, Reg number 86257, remarks: S Royal Alice of London 53400 Mate. Thus he was a master mariner while very young. This sailing ship regularly went London, Hong Kong Canton and South Australia picking up Peko [sic] Tea and other things for England. One copy of a log written by William of a trip from Canton to London under the command of James M Hopper kept by W Richmond is preserved and shows weather conditions, latitude and longitude and how the crew is occupied and what goods were picked up. In 1854 William Richmond was not on board this ship.

I can not find a reliable source proof of Wm R’s arrival in Victoria. There is a record of one Mr Richmond travelling from South Australia, Port  Adelaide to Melbourne in the "Victoria" which arrived Aug 1853. And another passenger on this ship was Samuel ?
[ hard to read] Allen who may be the same person as the witness at his marriage. These records are poor and show no age of this Mr Richmond and no first name. 

There is a record of one William Richmond, English, mariner obtaining a miners licence in Victoria in 1854 -probably him I think. The gold rush was on and may have attracted him.

YES - HIS ADDRESS IN THE NEW LOG BOOK STARTING 11843 SHOWS AT  ONE TIME HIS ADDRESS WAS BACK CREEK SANDHURST -  WHICH WAS LATER CALLED BENDIGO, VICTORIA A BIG GOLD FIELD.

I saw the death certificate of William Richmond , died “26 March 1856” (CRO doc Acc 4946 Family / Miscellaneous D/DCf item F 292 1 bundle 1851 -1875 = with summary of docs) .An old copy of which was held by the late Leopold Richmond of Canterbury Road. The father’s name was said to be Henry Richmond; the information supplied to the clerk was given by his widow Eliza Sarah (nee Dyer) Richmond . I assume Ruth Richmond had based her written history of William’s parentage on this one certificate. The cause of death was given as diarrhoea [sic] - probably bad food. He was only 29 years old and his second child William was only 6 weeks old.

The dilemma of the parents of William Richmond took 10 months of concerted research and advertising and local assistance in Essex to unravel. The truth was unearthed at the CRO of Essex. A heap of legal documents had been kept “relating to the estate of Henry Harridance of Market Hill, Maldon, corn merchant (d 10 May 1859) and the “Richmond Trust” set up under his will for the benefit of his young grandson Henry James Richmond {Harridance had an illegitimate son, Wm Richmond, by ... Sarah Richmond; Wm was the father of Henry James}” by Maldon Essex lawyer Mr Crick, to pay a trust fund and legacy to Henry James Richmond on his 21st birthday. While doing this I found out a lot about Henry James Richmond (HJR) who indeed lived a most amazing life which he recorded in his newspaper articles written when he was in his 70’s.

End Notes -
Refer to Copies of /and Original Document in Red and Blue ring binders F1 ,F2

1 see doc 47

2 see doc 1 old hand copy of m cert and photocopy of original m cert doc 36

3 see doc 2 old handwritten copy of b cert

4 see doc 21

5 see probate papers in doc 38

6 see list of passengers on the Wellfleet London - Vic 1858 “Mrs Richmond aged 20 and child“ ? age and sex a mess

7 doc 16 HH will with transcript of most of it behind it.

8 letter 3 25 Sept 1863

9 see doc 4 bill from Sarah Mason to lawyer's in Maldon

10 see proof in docs: 1, 2, 14

11 letter to Harold in London 7 May 1931 doc 52

12 letter of 1919 doc 50

13 see doc 29 an account for payment to Sarah Mason for Master Richmond’s 2 suits. 1863

14 see doc 1 and photocopy of original one doc 36

* marriage ?
Extensive searches for the marriage of one Henry Harridance c 1926-7 England have found  to find him - not all parishes searched only the ones near Braintree and Maldon and the Boyds Indexes.
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TAS SHIPPING RECORDS   http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?search=91
"Search Criteria: Ship="PLATINA"
Number of Search Results: 13 (1 Pages)
Family Name  Given Name(s)  Title      Ship  Port of Departure  Date of Arrival  Remarks  References

Wilson   Ship's Master                    Platina   11 Dec 1831   MB2/39/1/1 p216
Allport   Mr & Mrs                          Platina  London  14 Dec 1831  & Child  CUS30/1/1 p62
Ball   Mr & Mrs                             Platina   14 Dec 1831  & daughter  CUS30/1/1 p62
Betts   Mr                                     Platina   14 Dec 1831   CUS30/1/1 p62
Braham  A  Mr                             Platina   14 Dec 1831   CUS30/1/1 p62
Chapman   Mrs                             Platina   14 Dec 1831  & daughter  CUS30/1/1 p62
Clare   Mr                                    Platina   14 Dec 1831   CUS30/1/1 p62
Clark   Mr                                    Platina   14 Dec 1831   CUS30/1/1 p62

Coltish   Ship's Master                 Platina   23 Oct 1837   MB2/39/1/3 p201
Forman  G  Mr                             Platina   22 Oct 1837   CSO92/2 p104

Heskew   Mrs                             Platina   4 Sep 1845   CSO92/15 f30
Huish   Dr                                  Platina   4 Sep 1845   CSO92/15 F.30
Kirkus   Ship's Master                Platina   4 Sep 1845   MB2/39/1/8 p329

 Sort Options:
1
"

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Shipping records.
[Platina [One voyage only with convicts?]
Female convicts on board
Departure Port:    London Departure Date:    03 May 1837
Arrival Port:    Hobart Arrival Date:    22 / 23 Oct 1837
Convicts landed: 113]

[this is probably another ship??????
1844 May 26 Waterlily schooner was going from Sydney to Hobart town.Capt Hayle
June 24 1844 Waterlily Hobart to Sydney no WR on board, -
monthly trips Sydney Hobart]
1846 Jan 20  Waterlily  arrived   Auckland NZ  from Norfolk Island
Waterlily was a schooner , Master Ramsden , Cargo/other cargo: sundries- no Richmond on board only 7 listed.

1846 Jan 29  "Waterlily" left  Auckland to Hobart Town . was Wm on it? no info online re this Q. yet

1846 Feb 20 Arrival "Governor Phillip" Hobart Town to Port Phillip
1846 Feb 21  Wanderer  left Hobart Town bound to Adelaide
                    [no pass or people info]

The Platina arrived 17 Feb 1836 Sydney NSW   went to Hobart,- convicts from another listing above-

PLATINA   arrive  Port Adelaide  09  Feb.  1839
                  dept.  for London   Captain  Wellbank     23  Feb.  1839  R
                  9 deaths on the voyage
 

Melbourne, Singapore [1842 dept.] Geelong, London, Hobart, Geelong 1845 .

[One brigantine  Waterlily ,  sailed from Sydney on  4th Jan 1845, to Hobart Town 10th Jan 1845, the  Master was Hayle , the weight 155, with general cargo, and about  8 people aboard -no Richmond listed...? ]

 I have- now had-  a large family history of Mary Jane Tonkin ( who married HJR) back to 1730’s. Stone mason father who built church at Mortlake, his father was a carrier in Tregonning, Cornwall. etc

(James Richmond percussionist,musician is the great great great grandson of this man)

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