The first person with this surname was my 2x great grandmother Martha Richardson.
My ancestral line is:
1 Lois Whimpey
2 Ivon Walter Whimpey (1923-2009)
3 Edith Jean Marr (1922-1990)
6 Wilfred Palmer Marr (1892-1955)
7 Edith Meriden Docwra (1904-1948)
12 Henry Palmer Marr (1859-1944)
13 Mary Reeves (1864-1951)
24 James Marr (1827-1899)
25 Martha Richardson (1827-1882)
Martha was born 15 March 1827, and baptised 15 April 1827 in Cupar, Fife, Scotland. Her baptism record lists her surname as Ritchardson. She was the daughter of David Ritchardson and Margaret Nicol.
The 1841 Census shows the family were living at North Tay Street, Dundee. The household included:
David Richardson, age 35, occupation baker J., not born in County
Margret Richardson, age 50, not born in County
Martha Richardson, age 15, occupation P. L. W. linen, not born in County
Margret Richardson age 13, occupation linen f spinner, not born in county.
Martha married James Marr on 22 August 1845 in Dundee, and in 1849 they migrated to Australia with their son Peter, on the “Ann Miln”. Their eldest child, Agnes, had died in Dundee in 1847. James and Martha had another 11 children after arriving in Australia:
Their children were:
- Agnes Marr 1846-1847
- Peter Marr 1847-1889
- Charles John Marr 1850-1933
- Catherine Marr 1852-1928
- James Marr 1854-1854
- Martha Marr 1855-1857
- Jemima Marr 1857-1913
- Henry Palmer Marr 1859-1944
- Alexander Marr 1861-1934
- David Marr 1862-1863
- William Marr 1864-1864
- Matilda Stewart Gordon Marr 1865-1948
- Thomas Miller Marr 1859-1941.
Martha died 4 November 1882 at Cuddy’s Flat in Victoria. She was buried 7 November 1882 at Maryborough Cemetery, Maryborough, Victoria.
50 David Richardson (ca. 1806-?)
51 Margaret Nicol (1791-1846)
As mentioned above, David and Margaret appear in the 1841 census with their daughter Martha, as well as a Margaret Richardson age 13, who I presume was also their daughter. I have been unable to find a baptism record for Margaret, or a marriage record for David Richardson to Margaret Nicol.
Although I have been able to find a burial record for Margaret Nicol, I have not been able to find David after the 1841 census. Without a more precise age for David, or information about where he was born, I have not been able to find his baptism entry, so I haven’t been able to trace the Richardson family back any further at this stage.
Lois Willis - Genealogy and Family History 