I’ve been looking for this family in Portsmouth/Southsea, Mr Richardson was a policeman in Portsmouth, the family were bombed out so rented a house in Admiralty Row, East Wittering, further along the coast in about 1942. The father was not often there due to his job, but my family and Mrs Richardson and her children became great friends, they had a son and daughter whose names I know but as they may still be alive, may not mention but the boy was in mum’s birthday book on 18th March. Mrs Richardson and my granny would even share wash day, one would fire up their boiler one week, and the other the following week to save fuel and they would pack up a huge old pram with a picnic and pop the two youngest from each family, (boy Richardson and my youngest aunt born 1939) and walk to West Wittering.
The family eventually went back to 113 St Augustines Road, Southsea and kept in touch for a while but contact stopped after Mrs Richardson died my uncle thinks because Mr Richardson didn’t really know my family. A few years ago the daughter came back to East Wittering and asked in a shop if our family were still in the village and the shopkeeper, a friend of my uncle’s and said yes but did not offer any more information or take contact details and only mentioned it to my uncle after the event so the opportunity for a reunion was missed.
My mission now is to see if I can trace these people, I have drawn a blank so far, 113 St Augustines Road is not occupied by the Richardsons on the 1939 register. I have tried searching the 1939 for Richardson occupation police/constable/officer. The children’s names are too common be found on BMD and uncle never knew the parents’ first names. Have also tried newspaper reports for Portsmouth, there are hits for PC Richardson but they hold no clues.
Any further thoughts on how I could find out more?
The family eventually went back to 113 St Augustines Road, Southsea and kept in touch for a while but contact stopped after Mrs Richardson died my uncle thinks because Mr Richardson didn’t really know my family. A few years ago the daughter came back to East Wittering and asked in a shop if our family were still in the village and the shopkeeper, a friend of my uncle’s and said yes but did not offer any more information or take contact details and only mentioned it to my uncle after the event so the opportunity for a reunion was missed.
My mission now is to see if I can trace these people, I have drawn a blank so far, 113 St Augustines Road is not occupied by the Richardsons on the 1939 register. I have tried searching the 1939 for Richardson occupation police/constable/officer. The children’s names are too common be found on BMD and uncle never knew the parents’ first names. Have also tried newspaper reports for Portsmouth, there are hits for PC Richardson but they hold no clues.
Any further thoughts on how I could find out more?
Comment