“Richards is a common Celtic Welsh, or Cornish surname based on the English version of the parent’s name ending in -S. In 1881 people with this surname were mainly located in Wales, Cornwall and adjacent South-West counties of England. By 1998 many Welsh and Cornish people had migrated to cities in England particularly those adjacent to these areas. Originally, it was an English surname brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066″ quoted from Wikipedia entry.
Catherine Richards married Peter Truro in Flushing, Cornwall in 1783. She was 20 years old and Peter was an apparently dark, Bengali who by that point in time was earning his living as a sailor. The couple named all of their children after the mother’s family as far as I can tell. Is it possible that, Catherine’s family was also Peter’s foster family in Cornwall? If so then it is even possible that Catherine’s father, Anthony Richards, was a sailor who could have accompanied Peter from India to the UK.
Catherine and Peter raised their family in Flushing–an important watering point for the packet ships. Peter continued as a sailor. Catherine’s brother, Joseph Richards, was a builder in the small port town across from Falmouth. He is believed to have built the archway that protected the watering place. Indeed, in 1994, one could still see the “JR” inscribed on the arch.
I believe that Anthony was Catherine’s father. Anthony Richards Truro was the name of one of the children of Peter and Catherine. A Catherine, daughter of Anthony Richards in Perranarworthal, Cornwall shows up in parish records as the daughter of Faith Spargo. All the other children of Anthony in Perrananworthal are said to be the children of Mary. I am assuming that Mary and Faith could be the same people as Catherine is born between two siblings that are Mary’s children. Of course, two other possibilities should not be written off, despite the evidence that points against it, Anthony could have had two wives or, less likely, there could have been two Anthony Richards of about the same age in the village of 1700 people.
Flushing Truro Perranarworthal Mylor
* Will of Catherine Richards
Truro (In Truro Family)