William Boyes Richardson

Managing Director of Richardson, Tuer & Co Ltd Loom, Dobby and Jacquard makers and General Ironfounders, Hope Foundry, Farnworth.

He was a member of the Council for 17 years, retiring in 1915.

Chairman of the Council when it established the first Urban District Council owned and operated electric railway and tramway system in England.

As Chairman of the Electricity Committee he cut the first sod on the site of Farnworth Electricity Works on 12 June 1900 and laid the Aberdeen granite memorial stone at the front of the building on 12 September 1900. He opened the Electricity Works on 28 August 1901 and was presented with a gold key bear Farnworth coat of Arms.

He was the first Chairman to wear the handsome gold chain of office presented to the authority on the occasion of the Park Jubilee by William, Arthur and Alfred Watson on 4 August 1914.

Click here for more information about the Chain and its presentation

Other notable occasions during his year of office were the opening of Queen Street Council School and the fire station in Albert Road.

He was Chairman of the Higher Education Committee and Chairman of the Library Committee when most of the work was done in preparation for the library and Chairman when it opened in 1911. He performed the stone-laying ceremony on 25 May 1910 and was presented with a silver trowel to mark the occasion.

He was the originator of Civic Sunday in Farnworth.

Vice President and Treasurer of the Liberal Association. He was also a Trustee of the Reform Club up to his death.

He served the town in other ways being interested in the Veterans, the Boy Scouts, the Amateur Football League, the Swimming Club and other organizations.

He led an active life as can be judged by his membership of numerous organizations.

He was a member of the British Engineers Association  and of the Combined Council and Exhibition Committee which organized a section of the Palace of Engineering at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924. He was also one of the main organizers of the Cotton, Weaving and Textile Exhibition at the same exhibition.

He was a member of the Grand Council of the Federation of British Industries, London and Manchester.

He was a member of the Loom-makers Association, the National Ironfounders Association, Manchester, the Jacquard Makers Association, the Council of the Economic League, Manchester and Chairman of the Bolton Council of the Economic League.

He was on the Farnworth Employment Exchange Committee from its inception.

He was for many years associated with Farnworth Cricket Club and was one of the principal negotiators for the land in the Bridgeman Park enclosure.  He was a member of the Doe Hey Bowling Club and was one of the founders of Farnworth Golf Club as well as its first Captain.

He lived at Milton Villas, Farnworth for the greater part of his life, then at Sunnyside and for the last few years at Rivington.

Anglican - he was associated with St John's Parish Church Farnworth and served as the vicar's and parishioners wardens. He was a foundation manager and Trustee of St John's School.

He was unmarried and lived with his sister, Helen Catherine Richardson.

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