Thomas Richardson (1771–1853) was a shareholder and director of the

Stockton & Darlington Railway The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) was a railway company that operated in north-east England from 1825 to 1863. The world's first public railway to use steam locomotives, its first line connected coal mining, collieries near Shildo ...

, a partner in Robert Stephenson & Co. and a founding member of the Owners of the Middlesbrough Estate.

Background

Thomas Richardson, a bill broker and Quaker from

Stamford Hill Stamford Hill is an area in Inner London, England, about 5.5 miles north-east of Charing Cross. The neighbourhood is a sub-district of Hackney, the major component of the London Borough of Hackney, and is known for its Hasidic community, the ...

, London, was the cousin of Edward Pease. Pease proposed the

(S&DR) in 1818, and Richardson invested in the scheme, owning fifty £100 shares by 1823. Elected to the S&DR management committee, Richardson also became a partner in the locomotive manufacturers Robert Stephenson & Co. in 1823. The S&DR suffered financial difficulties in the first few years of operation, Richardson guaranteeing £10,000 of the debt in October 1825. By 1830 Richardson owned 141 S&DR shares; Richardson was also director of companies such as the Middlesbrough and Redcar and

Wear Valley Railway The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) was a railway company that operated in north-east England from 1825 to 1863. The world's first public railway to use steam locomotives, its first line connected coal mining, collieries near Shildo ...

, which were formed to expand the S&DR. Soon after opening the export of coal had become the S&DR main business, but the facilities at the port in Stockton proved inadequate. A branch to a new port at

Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area. Until the early 1800s, the a ...

, south of the Tees, was approved by S&DR shareholders on 26 October 1827. Before May 1929 Richardson had bought near Port Darlington from William Chilton of Billingham, and with Joseph and Edward Pease and others he formed the Owners of the Middlesbrough Estate to develop it. Middlesbrough had only a few houses before the coming of the railway, but a year later had a population of over 2,000 and at the 2011 census had over 138,000 people. In 1844 he retired to North Riding of Yorkshire, selling all but 10 shares in the S&DR.

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Thomas Richardson
Great Ayton’s greatest benefactor {{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Thomas Stockton and Darlington Railway Middlesbrough English Quakers 1771 births 1853 deaths

Background

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Further reading

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