JOSEPH KIDDLE RICHARDS

Joseph Kiddle Richards was born at Hall Farm, Arminghall, and baptised to John and Elizabeth Richards nee Kiddle at St Mary's Church, on 3 February 1766. 

Arminghall Baptism Register on www.findmypast.com

When he was twelve years old, his grandparents Joseph and Elizabeth Kiddle purchased Canal House, Ashwellthorpe, and he went with them to live there permanently. Whilst his parents and siblings moved around frequently, he remained in Ashwellthorpe, no doubt helping to look after the estate and learning the methods of farming. When his grandfather Joseph Kiddle died in 1788, grandson Joseph, at the age of 22, inherited Canal House and its land, subject to payment of principal and interest which were due on mortgages and payment of various other annuities and legacies [mentioned in (2) above].

Joseph Richards acted as a Churchwarden at All Saints' Ashwellthorpe, along with Thomas Harvey, from Michaelmas 1788 until Michaelmas 1796 and had been selected to continue for the period Michaelmas 1796 to Easter 1797, but his name was crossed out in the Churchwardens' Account Book and Thomas Harvey continued as the lone Churchwarden.

Norfolk Chronicle 27 July 1797 from on www.findmypast.com

Joseph's mother Elizabeth wrote in her diary on 2 August 1797, that "Mr Whaites who married my cousin Mary Rudd, bought Joseph's estate for £4,100"; [This Mary Rudd was from the Little Melton branch of the Rudd family]. Joseph was still in gaol at this time and a further auction was held by William Parson, Auctioneer of Attleborough, at Canal House on 26 and 27 September as the following Norfolk Chronicle notice details.

Norfolk Chronicle on www.findmypast.com

On 26 October 1797, Joseph was released from the castle. His mother wrote "To our great joy Joseph came out of the Castle where he had been confined 24 weeks. During all that time was remarkably well and cheerful. All his friends strove who should most largely contribute to render his stay there as little irksome as possible. He paid his Creditors and proved himself to be a truly honest man".

So that was the end of Joseph Kiddle Richards' connection with Canal House and on 19 March 1798, he left Norfolk with his mother writing in her diary "My dear son Joseph took an affectionate farewell of me and all his Norfolk friends and set off for Marston Park, Derbyshire, where he is going as Steward to Mr Walke and to instruct his servants in the Norfolk way of farming". During the 18th Century, Norfolk had led the way in agricultural improvements including the 4-course field rotation system - wheat in first year, turnips, barley with clover or ryegrass, then grazed (which would be good fertiliser) or cut for animal feed. This Norfolk system was much supported by Lord Townshend ("Turnip Townshend") of Raynham Hall and then Thomas Coke of Holkham Hall, estates of tens of thousand acres.

He stayed at Marston Park until June 1802 when he left to look after a farm for Lord Sheffield at Sheffield Park, Sussex, and then in January 1804, became Steward to Lord Gage at Firle Place, Sussex, where he stayed for 35 years until his death.

Firle Place, Sussex - Martin John Bishop. Creative Commons Share Alike 2.0 Licence

He died at his older brother John [Jack]'s home in Datchet, aged 70 but was buried in St Peter's churchyard, West Firle on 7 August 1836. It is worth noting here that John [Jack] Richards had a successful legal career becoming the solicitor to Prince Augustus Frederick the Duke of Sussex in 1807 [sixth son of King George III] and also being the Lay Rector and owner of the Rectory house of Datchet through his marriage to Eleanor Russell in 1800.