Richardson, James Alexander

2nd Lieutenant James Alexander Richardson

Richardson was born on 17th October 1911 the son of William Richardson, Publican and Mary Richardson nee Lafferty. They had married on 10th September 1907 at St Matthew's Church of Ireland, Belfast.

Richardson joined the Belfast Banking Company on 1st July 1930. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee giving his address and occupation as Tobermore and Auctioneer. He worked in Portrush branch (Belfast News-Letter of 16th August 1930). A further transfer to Head Office occurred in 1931 and then on to Strabane in 1932.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Portrush branch

Belfast Bank, Head Office, Waring Street, Belfast

Belfast Bank, Strabane branch

The Londonderry Sentinel of 10th September 1935 records him as Secretary of Strabane Rugby Club.

It is probable that Richardson volunteered and enlisted into the Territorial Army around 1937. The Belfast Telegraph of 25th September 1937 reports on a J A Richardson being an usher at a Castlederg wedding between Williams and Sinclair.

In 1939 Richardson  was a member of Strabane Tennis Club.

The London Gazette (1941) records a 2nd Lieutenant J A Richardson with Service Number 90355 serving with the Royal Artillery TA. He served as a Desert Rat in Egypt.

 
Following his return from Active Service, Richardson was transferred to Ballymena (1947) and later back to Strabane.

Belfast Bank, Ballymena branch

During the 1950's he was Treasurer of the Ballymena Services Club.

W R Richardson (son) has provided some of the information above.

An anonymous comment was left saying "James Richardson's brother Walter also served as a Desert Rat during WWII as part of the Coleraine Battery, serving likewise in Egypt and elsewhere. He took-over the family public house which their father had founded in 1911, and is still run by James' brothers family to this day."