Lewis (Louis) Smith Richardson was born at Hanley in Staffordshire on the 17th September 1880 to parents James Richardson, born 1848 in Burslem, and Emily Nee Holdcott, born 1849 in Smallthorne. They married at Cobridge, Christ Church on the 20th July 1868. Lewis was their fourth child and was christened at the Northwood Holy Trinity Church on the 6th October 1880.

The census of 1881 shows us Lewis Smith Richardson, aged just 6 months, is living at 23 Birch Street, Hanley, with his parents and siblings: James, aged 10,  Sarah, aged 5, and Elizabeth, aged 3. His father, James, is employed as a Potter's Placer, and they have visitors, Lewis Hawkins and his wife, Elizabeth, aged 25, cited as being brother and sister-in-law of his father. 

The census of 1891 shows us that Lewis, now aged 11 years, a school child, is living at 23 Birch Street, Hanley. His father, James, is still employed as a Potter's Placer, and his mother, Emily home duties. Older sister Sarah, aged 16, a Potter's Sponger, Elizabeth, aged 15, a Potter's Cuffer, his younger brother Meshach, aged 8, and two younger sisters, Ann, aged 6, and Mary Ann, aged 1. They also had a boarder, John William Wharton, single, aged 25, a Potters Placer. 

We see that Lewis married Joyce Perry, daughter of Denis and Emma Perry of Paddock Street, Hanley. Joyce was born on 11.10.1883 in Hanley. Lewis and Joyce married at Hope Holy Trinity Church near Hanley, Staffordshire, on the 24th March 1900. Hope Holy Trinity Church was built in 1848, abandoned in 1940, and demolished in 1952. 

From records, we can see Lewis and Joyce were neighbours, with Lewis living at 99 Paddock Street, Hanley, and Joyce living at 101 Paddock Street, Hanley. 

The Census of 1901 shows Lewis working an Earthenware Biscuit Placer, aged 20, living at 97 Paddock Street, Hanley, married to Joyce Nee Perry, aged 19, with their one-year-old son James. Also living with him was his 18-year-old single brother Meshach, who worked as a Potter's Dipping House lad, and youngest brother John, aged 8.

Of note, Lewis’s widowed mother, Emily, is living next door at 99 Paddock St with Lewis's younger sisters Mary, aged 10, Anne, aged 15, and older sister Sarah, aged 26, with her husband James Gilbert and their daughter Florence, aged 3. 

The census of 1911 shows Lewis living at 82 Paddock Street, Hanley, having been married to Joyce for 11 years. The census shows that Joyce and Lewis had had five children by 1911, but only four had survived: James 11, Beatrice 6, Lewis 3, and Denis 1. Lewis is employed as an Earthenware Biscuit Placer. Boarding with them are his Brother James Richardson, aged 40, an Earthenware Biscuit Placer, and his children William Richardson, aged 12, and Emily Richardson, aged 8.

By 1915 Joyce and Lewis had six children: James, 1900; Beatrice, 19.11.1904; Lewis, 03.01.1908; Denis, 19.10.1909; Thomas, 18.04.1912 and Cecil John,  born 24.01.1915. 

Lewis Richardson's military career began as a territorial service soldier with the 5th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment before 1914, but we cannot provide an accurate date. What we can say with certainty is that he signed up for regular service with the 1/5th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment on the 5th October 1914, at which time he was described as being 5’4” tall, 131 lbs, 37’ chest with 3” expansion with satisfactory physical development. He was sent to France, arriving at Le Havre on the 4th March 1915.

His war did not last long, as he was killed in action on the 17th November 1915. The Battalion War Diary tells us that the Battalion had recently taken up position in trenches at Neuve Chapelle, France, and on the 17th November a ‘CRUMP’ landed in the trenches killing 3 men and wounding 6 others, one of whom later died.

CRUMP - High explosive artillery shell. 

He is remembered on the Loos Memorial panel 103-105

For his service and sacrifice, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal

He is remembered on the Hanley Town Hall  Memorial as well as on the Royal Doulton Burslem Memorial. 

Contemporary newspaper articles of the Staffordshire Sentinel mention both Lewis (Louis) and John being reported killed, dated 03.01.1916 and 06.12.1917, and show that both had worked at Messrs Doulton Ltd before military enlistment. 

It is at this point that the spelling of Lewis becomes Louis, and as such, this is the specific spelling used on his memorial with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

Louis had 2 brothers who also served:

Pte 15283 John Richardson killed in action on 2nd July 1915, 7th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment in Mesopotamia, remembered on the Basra War Memorial as well as the Hanley Town Hall memorial and the Royal Doulton, Burslem, Memorial. 

Pte 29215 James Richardson, 3rd Battalion Notts and Derbyshire Regiment, of 26 Picton Street, Hanley, survived the war, being discharged due to sickness and awarded the Silver War Badge. He had served in the Balkans area and was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal. 

SOURCES. 

Marriage: Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England

Joyce Perry: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12648, ED 6, Sch 273; Book: 12648

James Richardson & Emma Marriage: Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England

The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1871 England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 2852; Folio: 54; Page: 7; GSU roll: 836380

Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1881 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2169; Folio: 2; Page: 2; GSU roll: 6097279

(1901 census Emily Richardson) Class: RG13; Piece: 2606; Folio: 110; Page: 19

(1901 census Lewis and John Richardson) Class: RG13; Piece: 2606; Folio: 110; Page: 19

(Lewis and James Richardson) The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911. 

(Lewis Richardson christening)Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008

(Lewis Richardson's marriage) Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538-1973 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. 

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1767614/louis-richardson/ 

Forces War Records, UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 (https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1278/uk-soldiers-died-in-the-great-war-1914-1919: accessed 14 Dec 2025), database and images, https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1278/uk-soldiers-died-in-the-great-war-1914-1919 

BATTALION WAR DIARY WO95 - NATIONAL ARCHIVES

Fold3, UK, WWI, Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/1019/uk-wwi-pension-ledgers-and-index-cards-1914-1923: accessed 14 Dec 2025), database and images, https://www.fold3.com/publication/1019/uk-wwi-pension-ledgers-and-index-cards-1914-1923

Fold3, UK, WWI, British Army Medal Roll Index Cards, 1914-1920 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/932/uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920: accessed 14 Dec 2025), database and images, https://www.fold3.com/publication/932/uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920