The Revd. James Richardson

JAMES RICHARDSON - MAKER OF MELODY


The Rev James Richardson, after a short illness passed away on Tuesday 1st August 1922. Mr Richardson was one of those appointed to Madagascar after the burning of the national idols in 1867, and the consequent great increase of the native congregations . Besides his ministerial training at Cheshunt College, Mr Richardson had also received educational training; and after spending two years in Betsileo country in founding and directing the newly established mission in that province, he removed to Antananarivo in 1872 to take charge of the Normal School in the capital. Here he did a great work for many years in general education as well in the training of native school teachers. A great number of his lads were taught by him the solfa system of music, and in almost all parts of Madagascar there are men who wre instructed by him in that system and able to teach it to others. Mr Richardson was a gifted Malagasy scholar, and all students of the language are under deep obligation to him for the excellent Malagasy-English Dictionary which he edited (1885) and for his Malagasy for Beginners (1883) while the several valuable school books which he wrote have been for many years standard educational textbooks. He was constantly preaching in town or country, his services being greatly appreciated by the Malagasy. Many of the best hymns in the native language were written by Mr Richardson and he edited both hymn and tune books for the native churches. In the year 1877 he undertook a long exploratory evangelistic journey into the south west of the of Madagascar, collecting much valuable information about the then unknown tribes of that region; but on his return journey he was attacked by a band of brigands, who robbed him of all but the clothes he was wearing at the time, so that he escaped with difficulty, and endured many privations before reaching home. Soon after the French occupation Mr Richardson resigned his connection with the Madagascar Mission. In May 1899, he was appointed principal of the Central Training School for Bechuanaland, which the directors contemplated forming but the Boer War and othe circumstances delayed the establishment of the school. In 1903 Mr Richardson resigned his position as a missionary of the L.M.S. on acount of the condition of his eyesight, and settled in pastoral work in East London, South Africa. In 1906 he and his wife retired from active service. He and Mrs Richardson had the happiness of seeing two of their children devote themselves to missionary service , their son John having been a missionary for three years in Madagascar and later in Matebeleland, and their daughter Agnes going out to China in 1920.

J Sibree, Chronicle 1922

The Rev. James Richardson will ever be held in veneration and honour by the Malagasy -as the missionary who introduced the beloved form of vocal music under the Tonic Solfa notation,' which indeed has ever been a real tonic in the spiritual development of the people. To the music he added some of the most popular hymns in the language.

After a brief sojourn in Fianarantsoa he was removed to Tananarive and took charge of the Normal school, which appointment he held for twenty-five years until his resignation in I897. Outside the exacting work of training school teachers, he found relief for his tremendous energy in visiting distant parts of the island in the south as a pioneer missionary, often at the risk of his life, and also in carrying on a large Bible class said to be the biggest in the world, often numbering over I000, at a centre, outside the Capital. After leaving Madagascar, owing to the very peremptory way the French officials commandeered his school premises, he was sent to South Africa as Principal of the Central Training School for Bechuanaland. Here again he got into trouble, and his house was thoroughly sacked by the Boers before ever the work could be commenced. Subsequently he took charge of the Free Church at East London, and ultimately retired to England in 1906, with eyesight much impaired. He passed on to the higher service on August .1. 1922, in his 78th year.

(From W Huckett , Ten Year Review of the Madagascar Mission, page 159, 1921/ 30



REV JAMES RICHARDSON (1844-1922) and MADAGASCAR,

Memories by his son Rev CF Richardson on the occasion of the centenary of Furnace Hill Chapel, Crescent Road, Dukinfield 1905?

(Furnace Hill / Providence Chapel / Crescent Road) where he first received the call from God to go unto the heathen to preach unto them the Gospel. Here my grandfather (Farnsworth) laboured, here he was buried; here too lived my mother (Sarah Farnsworth), here she was born: not far from here my father (James Richardson) was born, 1844 , and through the streets of this town he laboured as a little errand boy. He told me how he studied that he might become a teacher, and how, when he was teaching, he heard of the need of the malagasy, of their heathenism and idolatry, and how he himself offered to go- though the task was not an easy one for him- and preach the Gospel that had done so much for him.

- this church here , in sending out my father and mother to do the work they have done, first of all in Madagascar, and now in South Africa ought to feel proud of those two workers that they have sent forth. I know there is nothing I value so much in my ministerial life as the thought that I have of the faithful way in which my father has obeyed the call of God, and is still, in spite of failing health and infirmity discharging it. He has had a very rough time of it, as it is called in these latter days. He had to go through that Boer War: he had to suffer much of the inconvenience caused by that war, and in the midst of it his health broke down, and he had to give up the work that he loved so well under the London Missionary Society (1903). He was entitled to a pension from that society , and to come back home and have quiet and peace and rest, but he wrote to me and said: “I cannot bear the idea of retiring on a pension when the Society is in such need of funds and so long as I have strength to earn my living by doing work I shall atleast save the Society these pounds every year.” I can assure you, during these last four or five years he has laboured when he ought to have been resting. He has given his services, he has founded a new church in South Africa, in Cape Colony ....... The church at East London, ....a place where there was no Congregational Church before. And I am sure you will be pleased to know that the result of four years labour is that he has built there a church, and a minister’s house, and there is being gathered together a Church of Jesus Christ, and that this has been done when he might have been enjoying a well-earned rest that, I am sure, he has earned for the services he has done in Madagascar and South Africa.



...He is one of the sons of this church, and for 25 years he laboured in Madagascar. He set the education of the natives upon a sound footing. He gave the natives and the native teachers a good grounding for their work, and I remember very well how he said to me, when he got that new Normal School there, there are many, many schools in England that are not better equipped than this school of mine, by my efforts; for he begged from his friends and did not by any means draw from the Society for all the equipment and materials in that school. He said,” This is as good a school as you can find in many parts of England. And he took a pride in that work of education in Madagascar, which compared very favourably with the education that was given to the children in England. I know very well that those who went out as preachers and teachers in Madagascar could speak English and could write English as well and better than many youths in England. And then he had the desire to make the work as thorough as possible. I remember very well when he opened that Normal School of his in Antananarivo, and I remember the way in which the Prime Minister and the Queen of Madagascar came, in order, that they might show their appreciation of the work of the London Missionary Society in that Normal School.

Information from ‘History of LMS 1795 -1895’ The Madagascar Mission p.767

The Normal School

…..From1869 to 1872 Mr. Barker was at its head, and, in the latter year, upon Mr. Barker's retirement it passed into the capable hands of the Rev.J. Richardson, by whom it was most ably superintended until 1897.

The school was designed for youths, above fifteen years of age, who came with recommendations from their church and pastor, and also the approval of the missionary in charge of the district. If able to pass a somewhat searching entrance examination they were received on six months' probation, and afterwards for a three years course in reading, writing, composition, arithmetic, scripture, grammar, geography, school management, and an honours course in English drawing, first book of Euclid, and elementary Algebra. The numbers in recent years have varied from 100 to 304, the smaller numbers falling in the years troubled with war disturbances.

The building in which the school was carried on is of two storeys, with five rooms on the first floor, and one large room on the second, and was erected in 1878 at a cost of £1000. The grant from the Society for the work of the school has been £100 per annum , and in some years it has been worked for a smaller sum. This economy in working has been made possible because in their last year many of the students became teachers of the junior classes. In the ten years, 1880 – 1890, 201 youths passed through the school and there is abundant testimony that many of them became the hopeful and useful workers as teachers in the day schools and Sunday schools, and also as native preachers. In 1888 a very active and useful infant department was initiated with great success to carry on the teaching of English but the conquest of the island has practically put an end to this work.

Girls Central School

This was begun in 1872 by Mrs Richardson and Miss Cameron. It was first held in two rooms of a native house at Andohalo where as many as 90 girls were taught.

HOW WE WERE LOOTED BY THE BOERS


(Type written by Sarah Richardson and found in her Family Bible)

On Nov 12th 1901 the Commandant of Vryburg gave us leave to go out and live at Kaalplaats, (about 2 miles from Vrytourg on the Kuruman road) but at our own risk. As there were wagons passing by the place daily and many coloured people going on foot. as well as others ploughing the land in the immediate vicinity, and others tending their flocks and herds, we were determined to go out, especially as we had to leave the house we were occupying, and there was no other available in the town. The Commandant warned us against taking too large a supply of provisions, or blankets etc. as he said they might tempt the Boers to visit us. So we left most of our groceries, blankets, and winter clothing stored in town. After several very busy days of packing, we left Vryburg on Nov. 27th, the children and our coloured servants going in the wagon, which carried all our heavy goods. Mr. R. and I followed in a spider, and we all arrived there soon after mid-day. Mr. R. was very busy getting our cooking stove put up, and the girls and I were busy making up the beds, and unpacking things that were wanted for meals etc. We had got 4 folding camp bedsteads, as our furniture from England had not yet arrived. The first night the wind got very high and our big dog "Tiger" which Frank had bought from one of the "Tommies", howled very often, so we did not get much sleep. Thursday the 28th was again a very busy day, and a very hot one, unpacking china and glass, and getting out things to make the place look more like a home. Mr. R. and Frank went to Vryburg in the morning for some things we needed. In the evening, we were all sitting on the verandah, looking at the stars. It was a beautiful night, the sky clear and cloudless, and we had a lesson in astronomy. We retired to bed about 10 p.m. The dog howled now and then, but I thought it was the cat teasing him. We had got off to sleep when Tiger awoke us by barking very furiously. He was a large boar hound, we heard the sound of some one moving outside the house. Even then I never thought of the Boers, but thought perhaps it was .some benighted travellers seeking shelter. There was a knocking at. the study door, and Mr. R. got up and went to see who it was. He saw a number of men on horse .back and came back to me and said, ‘My dear, I believe it is the Boers"• Then he opened the front door, and went out and I listened. I heard someone call out very loudly, "Hands up”, but could not hear what my husband said in reply. I wondered what they would do to him, and for a moment I felt as if my heart would stop beating, but then I was helped to be brave, and felt ready for anything. I hoped that if they shot my husband, they would come and shoot me, and in the right place. Then I turned with my face to the door, quite calm and composed. My husband said to them "Why should 1 put my hands up? I am here with my wife and 2 children come to do God's work and have nothing to do with the fighting.”. They covered him with their guns, and told him to go and get a light, as they must search the house. He came into the bedroom for a candle, and told me that he thought they would rob us of all our things. Before he lit the candle, he slipped his watch under the linoleum, and then went out. He purposely lit 2 candles, and put them in the stoop facing the town, because he thought the night watch in town and at the powder magazine would see them. We had been told by a sergeant to They turned out my work basket , took every reel of cotton, and every needle, also all my scissors, big and little, also my tonic medicine Quin-Phos. Two coloured tablecloths, one a Malagasy lamba, were on a chair back, those were taken, Aggle's little sewing mchine (a toy one) and her knitting bag with lots of wool, a satchel of mine which contained many very precious things to me viz. my little packet of photos of Malagasy friends, and a small pair of scissors shaped like a woodpecker, which had been my mother's and grandmother’s. All these put up shades at our windows on the town side, as the lights at night might make the guards in town think the Boers were about, and so confuse them. Then the Boers came into the house , first into the study, where my husband's clothes were, in portmanteau, hold-all, box and bag still unpacked. Unfortunately, he had taken all his clothing, and the leader of the party immediately put aside the portmanteau and hold-all as his special perquisites. They opened the American writing table, ransacking all the drawers, took from letters and papers, pipes, tobacco, hats, boots and shoes and coats which hung up, all went, they made a complete clearance. Some of the children's clothing was packed up with their father's, their mackintoshes, overcoats, and boots went too. – While this was going on, I slipped on my clothes in the darkness, and put my watch in my pocket. Sometimes a face or two peered in upon me, but I knew they could not see me, as well as I could see them, being in the dark. They trooped into our sitting room next, my husband was pleading with them, telling them they were robbing God, the leader -who spoke English well, and who looked quite a gentlemanly fellow, said “We must live". they took. Then they looked into the children's bedroom. Mr. R. said, "Surely you will not waken the children", they opened the lid of Frank's box, and saw a toy cannon, at which the youngest of the band, a lad not much bigger than Frank, smiled. Aggie slept through it all, and only woke up just as they were going away. Then they came into our bedroom, where I lay on the bed dressed, watching them. They did not come near me, but went up to where a few of my dresses hung, and examined them. One man, I specially noticed, he took up my pincushion, which had a bit of Malagasy lace on the top of it. The cushion was the gift of a friend (now dead) from a Xmas tree in the days long ago in Madagascar. I thought as I watched him "now are you going to take that?" He turned and looked at me, just as if he felt me looking at him, and put it down very quickly. They took a frock of Aggie's which was hanging up in our bedroom, broke open my bonnet box, took a box of Frank's new ties and handkerchiefs, and many other smaller things that were lying about the room. Then into the dining room they trooped, and made a famous haul, our box of provisions, tinned and bottled things were all taken, we had what would have lasted us a month probably. They took our table cloth, serviettes, cutlery, silver, (among them a pair of silver serviette rings, a gift from our children, on our silver wedding day, and many other silver wedding gifts). Then into the kitchen and pantry. My husband followed them wherever they went, and expostulated with them, but it was no good, although they were civil, and never said a bad word to us, nor touched us, yet they were most determined, and went about their plundering in a most business-like way. They took all our bread and biscuits everything eatable overturned our white flour in the pantry, and took woollen covering off my bread, which was set for baking the next day. We had two coloured girls with us sleeping in a little room off the kitchen and we were both fearful lest they should suffer harm. But they looked in on them, and they, and our man Pete who was sitting trembling in fear, were not touched. The Boers were not In the house more than half and hour. There were 25 of them, my husband counted them, and went out and looked at their horses, patting them as they stood ready for off. They were in very good condition, both horses and men, were well-fed and well-clad and most of them looked respectable. They took our mare which was very thin, we were going to fatten her up, she would have hard work to keep up with their strong horses poor thing. We found many things that they had taken, thrown away outside the house, our potatoes we found on the stoep too heavy for them to carry perhaps. Mr. R as soon as they were out of sight set off on his bicycle to the nearest blockhouse, which he reached in 6 minutes. For a long time he could not get inside their barbed wire fence, and then he had to be accompanied by a soldier to the jail, where there was telephonic communication with the town. They were ringing for a long time, before they got any reply, everyone in town seemed to be asleep, where the night look-outs were is hard to tell, we had flashed our lights about and torn down the shades in order to attract their attention, but no one saw them, I suppose, because no one came out to aid us in any way. Then daylight came, we looked round to see what there was left for breakfast, although we had not much appetite. I found a little oatmeal in a large tin, probably if it had been in a small tin it would have "been carried off, so we made a little porridge with the one kitchen spoon that was left us, and that and some cold potatoes warmed up as a cake, furnished us with as much as we needed. We sent Frank into town, to order wagons for our remaining goods, and Mr. R. after waiting in vain for anyone to come out from the commandant went in a little later to send a cable home about our misfortunes.



We were busy packing up the things that were left, and then there was a weary waiting until the wagons came. They did not appear until 3.50 p.m. and then they had to be loaded with all that could be put on them, and the spider was fastened on behind the wagon, and we returned to Vryburg. After unloading the goods and seeing them safely stored, it was just getting dark and we had to seek lodging at the Vryburg Hotel, as no other place was to be had, where we stayed for 10 days, and then came on to Cape Town. All the enamelled mugs plates etc. which we had provided for the students, as well as many of use in our kitchen, were eagerly sought after, and fought for among themselves by the Boers. They took all our good English straps, field glass, and. many other things. We were only 2000 yards from the powder magazine where a Maxim gun was mounted. An officer in the train told us that a Maxim was deadly at 4000 yards so we might have been protected but were not. It is alas another of the many ‘might have beens’. One man just before leaving our house came up to my husband and said, ”Here I want a pair of trousers". Mr.. R. said, “You have taken all I had, except these I have on and I am sure I am not going to give you these. " The man slunk off. Also one man had a travelling bag of mine in his hand and Mr. R. said, "This is my wife's, surely you don't want a lady’s bag", and the man let him take it from him and bring it to me in the bedroom. Many people say that we ought to be thankful that we escaped with our lives, and were never touched, because we were completely at their mercy, and many have suffered much more than we have done. My husband took out a waggon the week afterwards in order to bring in the school furniture which had been left behind. Although we were next door to the Commandant’s house, while at the hotel, he never called and never made any enquiries as to the extent of our loss. Of course we went out at our own risk, so cannot claim any compensation. But if we had been Boers left in such a plight, instead of English, the authorities would have sent out wagons for us at their expense, and would have had to provide us with food and lodgings. You see what it is to be only loyal English folk

REV CHARLES FARNSWORTH, born 13th June 1801, died 9th Dec 1865, married SARAH THOMPSON only daughter of Thomas Thompson of Woodhouse, Nr Sheffield and had 7 children, including Sarah, born 1846, who married 11th March 1869 Rev James Richardson. ‘Rev Charles Farnsworth, a blind gentleman, was called to Crescent Rd, Congregational Church, Dukinfield or Providence, in 1843. He was a native of Sheffield, (his father was the manager of Attercliffe Steel Works) and had been educated there but he came to Providence from Liverpool where he had been pastor of the Hanover Street Chapel, which had been burnt down. The communion plate of the Hanover St chapel was presented to Charles Farnsworth on his coming to Dukinfield. This plate was afterwards sent out to Madagascar, and the Queen of the Island was the first person to receive the sacrament from it. He was able to conduct the services himself, but the superintendent of the Sunday School used to read the lessons and give out the hymns. As there was no instrumental music in the services, the person who gave out the hymns also commenced the tune. A band and new choir was formed in 1854 to accompany the singing. The instruments of the band included bassoon, flute, serpent and double-bass fiddle. At that time there was a poor congregation with not 100 persons attending. In 1857 an organ was constructed and Sarah Farnsworth later officiated on the organ.


Mr Farnsworth was a sort of missionary to the whole neighbourhood and if any were sick no matter how many miles distant, nor at what hour of the night or day, he would go. He made a point of visiting every member of his congregation monthly from Communion to Communion. People were very fond of him and although he was blind he was never known to complain. He knew and could repeat all the Psalms and Gospels; also Romans and most of the Epistles, which had been taught him by his mother. He had a remarkable gift in prayer and always necessarily preached extempore. He was never at a loss for words, but in consequence of the terrible affliction from which he suffered he was very much in the hands of and at the mercy of other people. Mrs Sarah Farnsworth died on 30th November 1856, and in October 1859 Rev C Farnsworth married the widow of Dr Whitehead. This appeared to have caused considerable unpleasantness and the congregation began to leave in batches, some going to the Moravians, some to Albion, and some joining the Furnace Hill Church. This marriage might almost be said to have sealed the doom of the congregation. Previous to the marriage the church appears to have prospered and at one time over 300 sittings were let. Matters however grew still more unpleasant and the communion was not celebrated for 6 months. Ultimately Mr. Farnsworth resigned, and on the last occasion of his preaching in the Chapel only four persons including himself were there.

Mr Farnsworth on his resignation removed to Chester but he subsequently returned to Dukinfield and joined the Furnace Hill Church. He died on the 9th December 1865 and was interred at the Chapel. This was the believed to be the last interment to take place there’

( This information has been obtained from "Historical sketch of Crescent Rd Congregational Church Dukinfield )