Charles Richardson was born on 16 February 1817 in Woodford, Essex, his father, Charles, was 29 and his mother, Ann, was 27. He married Selina Ellis on 4 November 1840 in Lambeth, Surrey. They had eight children in 13 years.

In the 1860’s Charles Richardson founded two businesses - The Conyer Cement Works, which was located on Conyer's Quay, and the Teynham Field Brickworks (now occupied by a sewage works) with small gauge railway lines running to the quay and Teynham railway station.
There were two London offices, Paddington Wharf and Brunswick Wharf in Vauxhall.

The barges took rubbish from London, the ash from fireplaces being used to strengthen the Richardson foundation bricks. On the return trip up the Thames the barges would be carrying bricks or barrels of Portland cement.

Later on Charles , Rowley and Walter Thomas Richardson combined their interests , forming an alliance with EASTWOODS.


His bricks bore the initial C.R. Some of his barges were: Frederick and Mary Ann, 1852; Sophia, 1856; Frank, 1870; Mabel, 1873; Swift, 1874. Swallow, 1877 and Osprey, 1881, Ruby of 1873, the William & Eleanor, Eliza, Charles ,William,Jeffie ,Phoebe and Lydia.

Richardson's dock at Conyer's Quay was bought by Eastwoods in 1919 when they bought out the cement mills. The Cements works were demolished during the 2nd World War to provide brick rubble for runways and airfields.


He died 30 Jan 1890 in Castle Cary, Church Road, St Mary Church,Torquay

Charles Richardson's company celebrated its centenary in 1951 when the company was owned by his grandchildren, it closed down soon after.