FRANCIS EDENSOR RICHARDSON
Born: 6th April 1918, Colchester, Essex.
Baptised: 2nd September 1918, at St. Giles Church, Colchester.
Died: 15th September 1941; age 23; body recovered from the Mull of Galloway.
Residence: The King’s Arms, Hadleigh, Suffolk.
Rank: Flight Sergeant/Wireless Operator/Air Gunner; Service Number: 755737.
Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 236 Squadron.
Grave Reference:
Screen Wall,
Ipswich.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Francis Edensor Fleetwood Richardson & Evelyn Victoria Richardson, of Hadleigh, Suffolk.
Father: Francis Edensor Fleetwood Richardson, born 1880, Bramshall, Staffordshire – died August 1924, Scotland Hall Farm, Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk.
Mother: Evelyn Victoria Richardson (nee Rhodes), born 1889, Scarborough, Yorkshire.
CENSUS
1921 Grange Farm, Whitehall Road, Old Heath, Colchester, Essex.
Francis was 3 years and 2 months old and lived with his parents and siblings.
Francis Richardson, 41 years & 1 month old, a Farmer – own account.
Evelyn Richardson, 31 years & 1 month old, Home Duties.
Joan Hesketh Richardson, 9 years & 1 month old, at School, born Colchester.
Kenneth Richardson, 6 years & 8 months old, at School, born Colchester.
1 female general domestic servant.
ENGLAND and WALES REGISTER 1939
Francis lived with his widowed mother and brother at their family home – Harts Lodge, Ipswich Road, Ardleigh, Essex.
Evelyn Richardson, retired on private means
Kenneth Richardson, a tractor ploughman.
Francis was educated at The Royal Colchester Grammar School.
Chelmsford Chronicle – Friday, 16th September 1938 – TAKING A CORNER – Francis Edensor Richardson, of Harts Lodge, Ardleigh, summoned for driving a motor car without due care and attention at West Mersea on the 31st July, did not appear, but Mr. F. J. Collinge pleaded guilty on his behalf. Ivan King, of Mill Road, West Mersea, stated that at 10:55 p.m., he was standing near his home and saw a car approaching at 35 to 40 miles per hour. He watched it take the corner into Colchester Road, and owing to its speed, the car was unable to get round and went into a ditch on its near side and collided with a speed limit signpost!
P.c. Liggens said Francis Richardson told him: “My near side front tyre was down, and because of that I was unable to take the corner.” Mr. Collinge said Francis Richardson did not realise that his tyre was down, and a lamp that was normally alight as the spot was not that night, Francis did not realise that he was so near the corner. The Chairman said Francis Richardson had misfortunes as well as faults, and he would be fined £1 with 12/3 costs, licence endorsed.
Probate to Evelyn Victoria Richardson – mother.
Francis is also remembered on the Royal Grammar School War Memorial.
15th SEPTEMBER 1941
Aircraft: Bristol Blenheim, serial number: V5567, took off from R.A.F. Carew Cheriton, Pembrokeshire, Wales, at 16:42hrs, for convoy escort duties. On the return flight, V5567 ran out of fuel, and the aircraft was safely landed and abandoned at 23:20hrs, near Bodorgan, Anglesey. The pilot and navigator survived. Francis Richardson was killed. His body was later recovered from the sea at West Tarbert, Mull of Galloway.
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