Eric Richardson was born in Didsbury on October 12, 1890. His father was a cotton yarn agent and by 1911 he was living at Mellor Lodge in Marple and was assisting in the family business.
He enlisted as a private in the 6th Battalion Manchester Regiment and on July 20, 1910 was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 9th Manchester Regiment. On December 7, 1911 he was promoted to Lieutenant.
He sailed with the battalion to Egypt and served with them through their training and preparations for action and was promoted to Captain on February 9, 1915. He landed with the Battalion in Gallipoli on May 9, 1915. He was appointed Staff Captain to the 126th Brigade on October 16, 1915. And on December 2, 1915 reported sick to hospital. He was subsequently invalided to the UK and struck off the strength of the battalion.
At some point later during the war he transferred to the 8th Manchesters.
Just before the end of the war he married Dora de Maria, in London, on November 6, 1918 and they had a son, Geoffrey Thomas Richardson, in 1920. The marriage did not last and in 1925 he married Hilda Mary Parkinson and they had a son, David Clifford Richardson, in late 1928. Approximately two years later another child was born and Ann Richardson was born in 1932. By 1939 they were living in Bournemouth and he was working for the Ministry of Labour.
In World War II he joined the Army Officers Emergency Reserve and was appointed as Major in the Pioneers. He lost his life on active service on June 5, 1943. Major Eric Richardson was 52 years old.