Thomas Richardson, 1784-1848

On May 15, 1784, Thomas Miles Richardson was born in Newcastle. His father, George Richardson, was the master of Newcastle's St. Andrew's Grammar School.

Richardson was apprenticed to an engraver first, then to a cabinetmaker, whom he left to go into business for himself. After five years of cabinet-making, he became a teacher, filling the position held by his father at the grammar school from 1806 to 1813. Then he chose to pursue an artistic career, and he quickly established himself as a landscape painter. He primarily worked in watercolour and found most of his subjects in the scenery of the Scottish Borders and Highlands, though he travelled as far away as Italy and France in later life.

He was the founder and organiser of exhibitions for Northumberland Inst. for the Promotion of the Fine Arts from 1822

He died at Newcastle on 7 March 1848, leaving a widow and a large family, six of whom followed the father's profession.