Joseph Richardson

Joseph Richardson (1755–1803) was an English author and politician.

Life

Born at Hexham, Northumberland, he was the only child of Joseph Richardson, a tradesman. He was educated at Haydon Bridge school and admitted as a sizar at St John's College, Cambridge, on 4 July 1774. His father's finances were not adequate to fully support his son's education, and the cost of his residence at college was borne by a titled lady of Northumberland who discovered his talents, but in 1778, she cut off her contributions. Although he was readmitted as a pensioner on 25 September 1780, he left the university without taking a degree.

Richardson, intended as he was for the church, entered the Middle Temple on 24 March 1781, where he was duly called to the bar. In London, he in fact concentrated on journalism, and after appearing as counsel in a few contested election petitions, gave up the legal profession.

Richardson's earliest journalistic post was on the staff of The Morning Post, then still a Whig paper, and he later became one of its proprietors. While connected with the Post, he fought a duel in Hyde Park with Sir Henry Bate Dudley and was wounded in the right arm. He also contributed letters, signed "Englishman", to a paper called The Citizen.

Richard Wilson, Member of Parliament for Ipswich and an old friend, introduced Richardson to the Duke of Northumberland. The Duke's influence brought him the seat of Newport in Cornwall in Parliament from 1796 until his death. He never had the confidence to speak in the House of Commons.