Hugh Richardson (shipowner)
Encyclopedia
Hugh Richardson, was a Canadian
shipowner, captain, and office-holder.
, England
and went to sea at in 1798, serving with distinction until he was taken captive by the French in 1810. Imprisoned at Verdun
, Arras
, and Paris
, he was not released until eight years later. He married that year and in the spring of 1821 he and his wife Frances came to Canada.
In 1823, became a captain in the 2nd Regiment of militia
at York
(Toronto), under the command of John Beverley Robinson
. He was promoted major in 1830, and transferred to the reserve in 1831. Richardson was appointed a district coroner for Niagara
in 1824, Newcastle
in 1828, and Home
in 1830.
In 1825 he organized the construction of the steamer Canada, designed for the York–Hamilton–Niagara run. It began operation the next year. Richardson went to England in 1827 to raise money to make himself managing-owner, but the purchase put him in financial difficulties. Nevertheless, in 1835 he purchased the steamer Constitution, renamed Transit. The next year the Transit took over the Canada’s Toronto–Niagara–Lewiston itinerary and the latter ship was sold for £1,400.
Deeply interested in the improvement of Toronto harbour, Richardson in 1833 had published a pamphlet, York harbour, which advocated several improvements. At his own expense he had lighted the harbour entrance until 1833 and provided buoys and beacons until 1837. In 1833 Richardson, James Grant Chewett, and William Chisholm
had been appointed commissioners to improve the harbour, and in 1837 he and George Gurnett
sat on another commission which extended the government wharf and built a new lighthouse.
Richardson supported the Church of England
and had his sons educated at Upper Canada College
. He was appointed a magistrate of the Home District
in 1837. When the rebellion broke out that December, Lady Head, the Robinson family, and the families of officials took refuge on Richardson’s Transit in Toronto harbour at Archdeacon John Strachan’s suggestion. On December 7 the Transit sailed to Niagara to warn that town of the rebellion, and in 1838 it was sometimes used to transport troops. Francis Bond Head
appointed Richardson to a special magistracy in 1838.
Richardson purchased the Queen Victoria from James Lockhart in 1839. In 1842 he had the Chief Justice Robinson constructed. Both ships joined the Transit on the Toronto–Niagara route, but rival American lines pushed Richardson into a disastrous rate-cutting war with a Canadian competitor, Donald Bethune
.
In 1846 Richardson declared bankruptcy, and in 1847 his fleet and other assets were sold at a poor price. Richardson moved to Montreal
and captained the John Munn
, plying between Montreal and Quebec
. In 1849 he was captain of his former Transit, which was running as a ferry in the Montreal area.
Richardson was appointed first harbourmaster
of Toronto
in 1850. The post gave him an important social position in the city and a good salary. The first board of harbour commissioners included his old colleagues, Gurnett and Chewett, as well as Thomas Clarkson
and Peter Patterson
representing the Board of Trade
. With their cooperation Richardson began work on the harbour, which he felt was in an advanced state of decay. The Queen’s Wharf was improved and extended, Kivas Tully
superintending much of the work.
Though paralysed for about the last three years of his life, Richardson retained his office until his death on August 2, 1870.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
shipowner, captain, and office-holder.
Biography
He was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and went to sea at in 1798, serving with distinction until he was taken captive by the French in 1810. Imprisoned at Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
, Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
, and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, he was not released until eight years later. He married that year and in the spring of 1821 he and his wife Frances came to Canada.
In 1823, became a captain in the 2nd Regiment of militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
at York
York, Upper Canada
York was the name of Old Toronto between 1793 and 1834. It was the second capital of Upper Canada.- History :The town was established in 1793 by Governor John Graves Simcoe, with a new 'Fort York' on the site of the last French 'Fort Toronto'...
(Toronto), under the command of John Beverley Robinson
John Beverley Robinson
John Beverley Robinson was elected mayor of Toronto in 1856. He was the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario between the years 1880–1887....
. He was promoted major in 1830, and transferred to the reserve in 1831. Richardson was appointed a district coroner for Niagara
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
in 1824, Newcastle
Newcastle, Ontario
Newcastle is a community in the Municipality of Clarington in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. The Town of Newcastle was also the original name of what is now Clarington....
in 1828, and Home
Home District
The Home District was one of four districts of the Province of Quebec created in 1788 in the western reaches of the Montreal District and partitioned in 1791 to create the new colony of Upper Canada. Known as Nassau District until 1792, it was composed of the areas along western Lake Ontario and...
in 1830.
In 1825 he organized the construction of the steamer Canada, designed for the York–Hamilton–Niagara run. It began operation the next year. Richardson went to England in 1827 to raise money to make himself managing-owner, but the purchase put him in financial difficulties. Nevertheless, in 1835 he purchased the steamer Constitution, renamed Transit. The next year the Transit took over the Canada’s Toronto–Niagara–Lewiston itinerary and the latter ship was sold for £1,400.
Deeply interested in the improvement of Toronto harbour, Richardson in 1833 had published a pamphlet, York harbour, which advocated several improvements. At his own expense he had lighted the harbour entrance until 1833 and provided buoys and beacons until 1837. In 1833 Richardson, James Grant Chewett, and William Chisholm
William Chisholm (Upper Canada politician)
William Chisholm was a farmer, businessman and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Jordan Bay, Nova Scotia in 1788, the son of a Scottish immigrant and United Empire Loyalist who originally settled in Tryon County, New York. The family moved to Upper Canada and settled near the current...
had been appointed commissioners to improve the harbour, and in 1837 he and George Gurnett
George Gurnett
George Gurnett was a Canadian journalist and politician.Born in Sussex, England, he emigrated in the 1820s to Virginia and late moved to Ancaster in Upper Canada and finally to York in 1829. When York was incorporated in May 1834 as the city of Toronto, Gurnett was elected to the city council...
sat on another commission which extended the government wharf and built a new lighthouse.
Richardson supported the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and had his sons educated at Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
. He was appointed a magistrate of the Home District
Home District
The Home District was one of four districts of the Province of Quebec created in 1788 in the western reaches of the Montreal District and partitioned in 1791 to create the new colony of Upper Canada. Known as Nassau District until 1792, it was composed of the areas along western Lake Ontario and...
in 1837. When the rebellion broke out that December, Lady Head, the Robinson family, and the families of officials took refuge on Richardson’s Transit in Toronto harbour at Archdeacon John Strachan’s suggestion. On December 7 the Transit sailed to Niagara to warn that town of the rebellion, and in 1838 it was sometimes used to transport troops. Francis Bond Head
Francis Bond Head
Sir Francis Bond Head, 1st Baronet KCH PC , known as "Galloping Head", was Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada during the rebellion of 1837.-Biography:...
appointed Richardson to a special magistracy in 1838.
Richardson purchased the Queen Victoria from James Lockhart in 1839. In 1842 he had the Chief Justice Robinson constructed. Both ships joined the Transit on the Toronto–Niagara route, but rival American lines pushed Richardson into a disastrous rate-cutting war with a Canadian competitor, Donald Bethune
Donald Bethune
Donald Bethune was a lawyer, judge, entrepreneur and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Williamstown in Upper Canada in 1802, the son of Reverend John Bethune. Donald was part of a prominent family which included four bothers of note...
.
In 1846 Richardson declared bankruptcy, and in 1847 his fleet and other assets were sold at a poor price. Richardson moved to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and captained the John Munn
John Munn (shipbuilder)
John Munn was a Scottish-born shipbuilder and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Irvine, Scotland in 1788, the son of a sailor, also named John Munn, and came to Quebec City in 1801, where he began his career as a shipbuilder. In 1814, he went to Montreal, where he manufactured ships...
, plying between Montreal and Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. In 1849 he was captain of his former Transit, which was running as a ferry in the Montreal area.
Richardson was appointed first harbourmaster
Harbourmaster
A harbourmaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities.-Responsibilities:Harbourmasters are normally responsible for issuing...
of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1850. The post gave him an important social position in the city and a good salary. The first board of harbour commissioners included his old colleagues, Gurnett and Chewett, as well as Thomas Clarkson
Thomas Clarkson
Thomas Clarkson , was an English abolitionist, and a leading campaigner against the slave trade in the British Empire. He helped found The Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade and helped achieve passage of the Slave Trade Act of 1807, which ended British trade in slaves...
and Peter Patterson
Peter Patterson
Peter Patterson was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented York West in Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada, from 1871 to 1883....
representing the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
. With their cooperation Richardson began work on the harbour, which he felt was in an advanced state of decay. The Queen’s Wharf was improved and extended, Kivas Tully
Kivas Tully
Kivas Tully was an Irish-Canadian architect.Born in Garryvacum in County Laois, Ireland, Kivas Tully was the son of John P. Tully, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and Alicia Willington...
superintending much of the work.
Though paralysed for about the last three years of his life, Richardson retained his office until his death on August 2, 1870.