John Richards (c. 1842 – 24 January 1913) was a politician in the colony of South Australia.

He was born in Helston, Cornwall and emigrated to South Australia, arriving on the Duke of Bedford in December 1848.[1][2]

He acquired a considerably knowledge of mining, particularly copper mining, and wrote on the subject for The Register, the London Mining Journal and other publications, and ran a successful business in the mining districts of Yorke's Peninsula.[1] He also wrote eloquently and forcefully in defence of Graham Berry.[3]

He represented Wallaroo in the South Australian House of Assembly from February 1875 to April 1878.[4]

He took to drink, and was reported to be homeless in December 1881 when he was convicted cheque fraud and sentenced to imprisonment for one month.[5] He was charged a second time in 1882,[6] however he was acquitted as the bank books were not produced at his trial.[7] He was convicted a second time in June 1882 and sentenced to imprisonment for 3 months.[8][9]

He died at the Destitute Asylum, where he had been incarcerated since 1909.[1]

Family

He married the eldest daughter of George Thomas Crutchett (c. 1825–1893), Moonta's first Town Clerk, and Susan Nichols Crutchett, née Withall (1820–1927). Their children included:

  • Herbert Stanley Richards married Katherine May "Tot" ( –6 July 1931), lived at 3 King Edward Avenue, Lower Mitcham

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Mr John Richards". The Register. 27 January 1913. p. 6. Retrieved 10 December 2022 – via Trove.
  2. ↑ The passenger manifest for the Duke of Bedford does not mention a family named Richards.
  3. ↑ "Mr. Berry and Victorian Politics". Adelaide Observer. 29 March 1879. p. 11. Retrieved 22 August 2015 – via Trove.
  4. ↑ "John Richards". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  5. ↑ "Mr John Richards". Kapunda Herald. 23 December 1881. p. 3. Retrieved 10 December 2022 – via Trove.
  6. ↑ "Adelaide Gossip". The Narracoorte Herald. 25 April 1882. p. 2. Retrieved 22 August 2015 – via Trove.
  7. ↑ "Before his Honour the Chief Justice and Juries: John Riachards". Adelaide Observer. 10 June 1882. p. 30. Retrieved 10 December 2022 – via Trove.
  8. ↑ "Police Court—Adelaide". The Express and Telegraph. 22 June 1882. p. 2. Retrieved 10 December 2022 – via Trove.
  9. ↑ "Adelaide gossip". Port Augusta Dispatch and Flinders' Advertiser. 1 July 1882. p. 3. Retrieved 10 December 2022 – via Trove.
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