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Richardson, John Wigham.
Memoirs of John Wigham Richardson 1837-1908.
Publisher: Privately Printed, Glasgow;
Date of Publication: 1911
Stock Code: 12628
First Edition, one of 250 copies only. Octavo, pp., xii, 387, [1]. Complete with frontispiece photographic portrait, 28 further plates with tissue guards, of which 6 in colour; double-page pedigree tipped in to rear; folding map in colour. Original bottle green cloth with gilt titles to spine and Richardson’s monogram in gilt to upper board; top edge gilt, others uncut. Spine slightly creased; spine tips & corners a little rubbed. Floral bookplate to front paste-down inscribed by relative Augusta A. Richardson (1836-1913, nee Dixon) in 1911, and ownership inscription dated 1970 to ffep. Free endpapers toned; scattered minor foxing mainly to frontispiece and page edges otherwise contents clean. A very good copy. “The first seven chapters are taken almost wholly from the autobiographical papers written by JWR”...”the remaining portion is founded upon his letters and other writings and upon information supplied by relatives and friends”. Richardson, the Tyneside shipbuilder, was a considerate employer who founded the regional Workers’ Benevolent Trust, a forerunner of the trades union movement. His Neptune Works at Walker merged with Swan Hunter in 1903 and the collaboration produced the most advanced ship building facilities in the world, launching the RMS Mauretania for Cunard in 1906 which held the Blue Riband award as fastest ship across the Atlantic for 26 years. The Memoirs was written after JWR retired and covers his entire life from his earliest memories and schooling, including his business ventures, family relationships and personal interests. £200.00