William Richardson (c.1690–1755) was the Member of Parliament for Augher, Ireland, from 1737 to 1755.[1] His elder brother Archibald had been member for Augher in 1692.[2]
The estate had the English name of Somerset, and became the seat of the Richardson family.[3] Richardson married Mary Eyles, fourth daughter of Sir Francis Eyles, 1st Baronet.[4] The original Somerset House built in 1732 burned down in 1802.[5]
Somerset estate descent
On Richardson's death in 1755, the Somerset estate passed to his nephew the Rev. John Richardson, son of his brother John.[1] It was inherited by the Rev. John's son John, member of the Irish parliament for Newtown Limavady. He married, but left no heir on his death in 1800.[6]
John Nash was active in co. Tyrone in the period 1800 to 1820.[7] He left a drawing for Somerset House, Coleraine, made for a Mr Richardson. It is assumed this is for work not carried out.[8] In the 19th century Somerset House was a villa in the style of Sir Richard Morrison.[3]
In the memoirs of Frederick Young by his daughter, Somerset appears as "a fine large property ... including a beautiful salmon leap on the River Bann", owned by "Tom Richardson" (the Rev. Thomas Rumbold Richardson), a cleric and brother-in-law via a cousin marriage to Young.[9] The estate passed to the Torrens family, with the marriage of Barbara Maria Richardson, heiress with her sister Maria Frederica to the Rev. Richardson, to the Rev. Thomas Henry Torrens.[10] Ultimately, during the period of the Irish Land Acts, the estate was offered for purchase to its tenants, and much of it was sold.[11]
^Jenkins, Louisa Hadow Young (1923). General Frederick Young: First Commandant of Sirmur Battalion (Second Gurka Rifles) the Life-story of One of the Old Brigade in India : 1786-1874, Including Reminiscences of Ireland and India in the 'fifties. G. Routledge & sons, Limited. p. 82.