James Richardson

James Richardson was the youngest child of James Cope Richardson and Louise Townsend Bakewell Richardson.  As a child, James lived in Borrowcop House, built by his father in 1885 in Lichfield, England.  He left Borrowcop House to live in the Mill House with his wife Annie Burtt.  The family photograph taken outside Borrowcop House in 1904 includes the children and grandchildren of James and Louise.

James was in the milling business with his father and traveled extensively by ship to Western Canada on business.  On one of his trips he visited his son John Buckland Richardson in Stirling, Ontario.  John’s wife, Edith, had recently given birth to twin girls, Phyllis and Peggy.

In late 1922, James retired from “Millennium Mills and Wharf’ and bought Wren House, built by Sir Christopher Wren in Warminster.  James and Annie lived there until 1937.

James was an artist of some talent and enjoyed antique collecting.  He made many etchings, including one of his mother on her 80th birthday, several of the interior and exterior of Wren House and several of Cathedrals in England.

In 1937, James and Annie came to Canada and the United States to visit their sons John in Toronto and Henry in Passaic.  After six months James returned to England to sell Wren House and ship their furnishings to Toronto, where they had purchased a house.  He even shipped his printing press, but it was never used as in less than a year James died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Annie Holmes Burtt Richardson

Annie Holmes Burtt’s parents and grandparents were Quakers.  Her grandfather, William Daubeney Holmes was a Civil Engineer and Naval Architect of some note.  Her father was Henry Burtt, a farmer and devout Quaker who regularly attended Friends Meetings for worship and for discipline until his death at the age of 95.  (see “The Burtts – A Lincolnshire Quaker Family”)

Annie Holmes Burtt married James Richardson, son of James Cope Richardson at Fulbeck Church (Anglican) in Lincolnshire.  Her older sister, Henrietta Mary was married in a Quaker Service at Broughton Meeting House in 1895 to Henry Richardson, son of James Cope and brother to James.

Annie Holmes Burtt and James Richardson had three children who survived, John Buckland, Henry Burtt, Margaret and a twin born prematurely when Annie was home alone.  She told her granddaughter, Phyllis, she could only save one twin and chose the biggest baby.

Margaret emigrated to South Africa with her husband Godfrey Thomas.  Annie twice visited her daughter when she was ill, travelling alone by sea for several weeks and was sea sick most of the time.

Annie also visited her Canadian grandchildren, her son John Buckland’s family in Belleville, Ontario when the twins, Phyllis and Peggy and John were young children.

After James died in 1937 in Toronto, Annie remained in their home with the companionship of her two granddaughters, Phyllis and Peggy who lived with her alternately until 1942 when Phyllis enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (Women’s Division) and Peggy went into training as a nurse.

Grannie on her 90th birthday

Annie Holmes Burtt Richardson, or Grannie, as she was known by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, lived independently in an apartment for some years.  After which, she shared the home of her son John Buckland and his wife Edith.  When she was 89 years old Annie came to live with her granddaughter Phyllis and her husband Bob in their home and remained there until her death in February 1970 at the age of 96.

Grannie was greatly loved by all who know her.  She was always patient, uncomplaining and tolerant.  She remained a Quaker at heart, although she attended the Anglican Church with her husband James.

Annie never returned to England but kept up correspondence with her daughter, Margaret, and grandson, Douglas in South Africa, her niece “Tommy” in England and her sister Henrietta in New Jersey until she was in her 90’s.  She had good health, except for arthritis, until her death of heart failure.