Born at Glasgow, 15 December 1902, the second child and second son of Henry Edward Richardson, glass manufacturer, and Emily Elizabeth Smith, his wife. He was educated at the Glasgow High School, 1908-14. His father retired from business in 1914, and coming south sent his son to the Dudley Grammar School. He matriculated and attended classes at Birmingham University, and took his clinical training at the London, Guy's, and St Bartholomew's hospitals. He served as house surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, at the Birmingham General Hospital, and at the Royal Hospital, Wolverhampton. He was resident surgical officer at the Huddersfield Infirmary at the time of his death. He died unmarried at his father's house, The Cedars, Kingswinford, near Dudley, on 16 September 1935, aged 32, and was buried at Wordesley.