Transcript

Of

William J. Richards. [Obituary]

Trans. Devonshire Association, 1875, vol. XXXV, (1903), pp. 39-40.

by

J. Brooking-Rowe (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1903 Sidmouth meeting. The birth of St Anne's Well brewery in Exeter can be traced to pre-1817, when Messrs. William Harding and W J Richards where engaged in brewing and malting from the Swan Inn Cowick Street, St Thomas. In 1828, they moved to the Barnstaple Inn, Lower North Street which Harding had operated since 1799. They continued brewing from the inn, supplying local inns and individuals. W J Richards also owned the malthouse on the city wall in Bartholomew Street and was in a position to supply the brewery with its malt. Expansion occurred in 1852 when Harding and Richards purchased from Mr Crockett his wine and spirit business in Paul Street. The takeover was advertised in the Exeter Flying Post with two announcements. More of Mr Richards and his brewery’s history is available at the Exeter Memories website. His obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

William J. Richards was anative of Exeter and the founder of the firm of Harding, Richards, and Thomas, brewers and wine and spirit merchants, a business now carried on as a limited company, as the St. Anne's Well Brewery Company. He was an active public man, a member of the City Council, the founder of the Exeter Working Men's Conservative Union and of the Exeter Conservative Equitable Benefit Society. In connection with the Volunteer movement it may be said that he was one of the founders, early associating himself with the late Sir John Bucknill to form the corps at Exeter. He joined the battalion in 1852. In 1860 Mr. Richards became lieutenant, and afterwards captain. On his retirement in 1877, having attained the age limit, he continued to hold the rank of captain, with leave to wear the uniform of the battalion, of which his only son is now the commandant. A few years ago he took steps for the formation of a county organisation for popularising Devonshire as a place of residence and recreation, and in the face of many difficulties he succeeded in obtaining sufficient support to start the United Devon Association, and through its agency the claims of our county have been made known throughout the world. Mr. Richards died somewhat suddenly at Bideford, on the 2nd July, 1903, the weakness to which he succumbed having arisen from over-exertion in connection with the quarterly meeting of the United Devon Association in that town. He was seventy-five years of age. He became a member of the Association in 1888.