Owen Willans Richardson, 1879-1959

Owen Willans Richardson, one of the most outstanding men of science of this century, was born on 26 April 1879 at Dewsbury, Yorkshire; the son of Josiah H. Richardson and Charlotte M. Richardson. Most of his early childhood was spent at the little mining village of Askern near Doncaster and both his parents are buried there. He was a very precocious boy and gained so many scholarships and exhibitions that his education cost his parents nothing at all. He was a pupil at Batley Grammar School till about 1897 and there is an entry at the school, in the Register kept for the ‘Department of Science and Art’, which, as many older men will remember, used to hold examinations all over England: ‘O. W. Richardson, age last birthday 13, date of entering school September ’91. Address Victoria Crescent, Dewsbury. Father’s occupation: Traveller. Signed O. Richardson.’ According to the present Headmaster, Mr F. W. Scott, Batley Grammar School was founded in 1612 and built beside the Parish Church, but moved up the hill in 1878 to new buildings. It has produced many learned men and scientists; but like many other schools (or indeed most schools) it suffered severely from the tyranny of examinations, that bane of education in England.