Prestatyn grave Norman Vernon Richardson
Grave of Norman Vernon Richardson (d.1902)
Norman Richardson and his father Henry both died accidentally, within four years of each other.
On 25 June 1902 Norman, aged 10, was bathing in the sea at Prestatyn beach with 10 other schoolboys, under the care of Robert Scott, assistant master at Bastion House School. Robert split the boys into two groups so that he could keep watch over all of the bathers. He kept between the children and the open sea but one boy strayed into deep water and needed help.
While Robert carried the boy to the beach, four other pupils – including Norman – got into trouble in the water. Robert and bystanders rescued three but couldn’t find Norman, who had previously been diagnosed with a weak heart. His body was found later that day, and he was buried in the churchyard.
Henry Blanchard Richardson, also an assistant school master, was living at South View, Prestatyn, at the time. Later he lived at Tŷ Gwyn in Llanymynech, a village in Powys and Shropshire (straddling the Wales-England border). His brother taught music at St Chad’s Preparatory School in Nant Hall Road, Prestatyn.
On 1 July 1906 – almost exactly four years after Norman’s death – Henry was descending a hill called Sweeney Bank near Oswestry on his bicycle when he was accidentally thrown over the handlebar and landed on his head. He died of his injuries in hospital, aged 46. His body was brought here for burial with his son.
His wife Mary Beatrice lived twice as long as her husband and died, aged 91, in 1949.