Thomas Richardson

  General Information:

Thomas and Ann had six children in total. The first three (of which there are no records of) died in infancy.

Thomas moved to Cranfield in/around 1822/23 and worked the East End Farm with his Father until the late 1820's/early 1830's at which point his Father Abraham would move to Conn's Farm (Cranfield) and leave the East End farm to him.

His son, Thomas Juniour, would inherit the East End Farm in 1859 when Thomas died.

  Research Information:

1851 British Census states that at the time the data was gathered Thomas was 40 years old. His profession was "Farmer". He owned 126 acres of land at that time (in the west end of Cranfield). His quality of life was probably most accurately described in the paragraph below that was written to me by Cathy from the Bedford Family History Society re. Thomas' standing in 1851:

"126 acres doesn't seem a lot these days ["Bedfordshire Clay" is hard work but productive] and he had 6 regular labourers [rather than just people who
helped out at harvest-home etc ... he would have been relatively comfortably well off and his children: both girls & boys, would be educated, nothing fancy, but certainly the basics. It is apparent based on the census that he had a servant to help his wife with the housework and looking after the young children."

His youngest daughter, Caroline Richardson was to marry William Harris in 1872. They were to go on to have 10 children...all born in Canada. It is from 8 of these 10 children to which most of the individuals in this family history are descendant of.

1851 Census record is below:

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Database: 1851 England Census May 14, 2006
8:50 PM

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Ann Richardson abt 1811 Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England Wife Cranfield Bedfordshire

Ann M Richardson abt 1845 Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England Daughter Cranfield Bedfordshire

Caroline Richardson abt 1850 Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England Daughter Cranfield Bedfordshire

Thomas Richardson abt 1811 Hartwell, Northamptonshire, England Head Cranfield Bedfordshire

Thomas Richardson abt 1847 Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England Son Cranfield Bedfordshire

Thomas married Ann Millard, daughter of James John Millard and Ann Osborn, on 25 Jul 1838 in Maulden, Bedfordshire, England. (Ann Millard was born on 30 Jun 1811 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England, died on 26 Jun 1887 in West Derby, Lancashire, England and was buried on 30 Jun 1887 in Baptist Graveyard, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England.)