Henry Westman Richardson Explained

Henry Westman Richardson
Birth Date:21 July 1855
Birth Name:Henry Westman Richardson
Birth Place:Kingston, Canada West
Death Date:27 October 1918
Death Place:Kingston, Ontario
Spouse:Alice Ford (m. 14 April 1885)
Father:James Richardson
Other Names:The Honorable Henry Richardson
Known For:Grain exporting
Occupation:Canadian Senator, politician, benefactor, grain merchant
Nationality:Canadian

Henry Westman Richardson (July 21, 1855 – October 27, 1918) was a Canadian businessman and Senator.

He was the head of James Richardson and Sons, a commodities firm based in Kingston, Ontario that was founded by his father which handled virtually all of Canada's grain exports to the United Kingdom during World War I. Richardson became president of the firm following the death of his brother, in 1906.[1] He was president until his own death in 1918.[2]

Richardson also sat on the boards of directors of several railway companies as well as Dominion Canneries.[1] He was a member of the Boards of Trade in Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg.[3] He was an Alderman in Kingston and President of the Board of Education.[4]

He was appointed to the Senate of Canada on 22 January 1917[5] and sat as a Conservative until his death a year later.[6]

Early life

Henry Westman (a misspelling of Wartman) Richardson was born the son of James Richardson and Susannah Wartman on 21 July 1855 in Kingston. He attended Kingston Collegiate Institute. On 14 April 1885, he married Alice Ford, daughter of R.G. Ford of Kingston. Together they had three daughters[7] and three sons.[8]

Professional life

Richardson was involved in a number of business, and educational organizations, as follows:

Senate

Appointed on the advice of Robert Laird Borden,[5] Richardson was summoned to the Senate of Canada on 22 January 1917. He was a Conservative[4] and a member of the Standing Committee on Railways, Telegraphs and Harbours and a member of Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament.[6]

Post war Empire

In anticipation of the end of World War I, Ontario Premier, Sir William Hearst, asked, "In the day when Canada has a population equal to the British Isles, does any suggest that she should leave the question of peace and war to a Parliament over which she has no control?". As a result a number of Senators, including Richardson, signed an agreement to define the role of Canada in a post-war Imperial Age. The agreement including these ideas:

As the war had not concluded, Ontario Liberal Leader, N.W. Rowell, advised that the priority should be save the Empire first and plan to reorganize it after the war.[17]

Death

Richardson died suddenly from angina pectoris on 27 October 1918.[18]

In December 1918, the Kingston Hosiery Company entered into voluntary liquidation as Richardson was the principal stockholder and his son did not wish to continue the business of the company.[19]

His nephew, James Armstrong Richardson, Sr., became president of James Richardson and Sons in 1919.[20]

Notes and References

  1. "Sen. Richardson Dead", Toronto Daily Star, October 28, 1918
  2. Web site: Osborne. Brian S.. Biography - Richardson, James.
  3. "Seven Senators Are Appointed", The Globe, January 22, 1917
  4. Book: Parke. C.W.. Who's Who in Canada, Volumes 6-7 1915-1916. 1914. International Press Limited. 1144.
  5. Book: Cote. N. Omer. Political Appointments, Parliaments and the Judicial Bench in the Dominion of Canada. 1917. Lowe-Martin Company, Ottawa. 110.
  6. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=f0fcb163-ee84-4c62-a63f-bfb73a0970ff&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26Parliament%3D%26Name%3Drichardson%26Party%3D%26Province%3D%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DFalse%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse Parliamentary biography
  7. Book: Northwestern Miller. October 1918. 490. Volume 116.
  8. Book: Normandin. Pierre. Chambers. Ernest. The Canadian Parliamentary Guide. 1918. Mortimer Company Limited, Ottawa. 77.
  9. Book: Poor's Government and Municipal Supplement. 1919. Poor's Publishing Company. New York. 150.
  10. Book: Sessional Papers - Legislature of the Province of Ontario, Volume 2. 1914. L.K. Cameron, printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty. Toronto. 177.
  11. Book: Poor's Manual of Industrials, Volume 7. 1916. Poor's Manual Company. New York. 420–421.
  12. Book: Bureau of Mines, 1913. 1913. 138. Ontario Bureau of Mines.
  13. Book: Best's Life Insurance Reports, Volume 8. 1913. Alfred M. Best, Company. New York. 523.
  14. Book: American Wool and Cotton Reporter. 1920. 1008. Volume 34, Issue 11. American Wool and Cotton Reporter.
  15. Book: The Consolidated By-laws of the City of Kingston, with Appendix. 1895. Daily News Office. Kingston, Ontario. Appendix 3.
  16. Book: Kingston Onatrio City Directory 1918-1919. 1918. Leman A. Guild and George Hanson Publishers. Kingston, Ontario. 272. 13th.
  17. Book: Hopkins. J. Castell. The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs. 1918. The Canadian Annual Review Limited. Toronto. 201.
  18. Web site: Ontario Death Registrations 017195-18. Ontario Death Registrations.
  19. Textile World Journal. 15 Feb 1919. 55. 7. 1937.
  20. Web site: Memorable Manitobans. Manitoba Historical Society. 4 May 2015.

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