George Richardson (ice hockey)

Captain George Taylor Richardson (September 14, 1886 – February 9, 1916)[1] was a Canadian ice hockey player, businessman, and later a soldier. Richardson played hockey for Queen's University and the 14th Regiment of Kingston, and was considered one of the finest amateurs of his time. He is enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and is the namesake of the George Richardson Memorial Trophy. Richardson was part of a prominent business family that owned and operated a grain processing business in Kingston, Ontario. He joined the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in World War I, and died in action in Belgium.

George Richardson
Photograph of George Taylor Richardson, c.1914
Born(1886-09-14)September 14, 1886
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
DiedFebruary 9, 1916(1916-02-09) (aged 29)
Wulverghem, Belgium
Ice hockey career
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1950
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shot Left
Played for Queen's University
Kingston Frontenacs
Playing career 1902–1912
Military career
Allegiance Canada
Service/branchCanadian Expeditionary Force
Years of service1914–1916
RankCaptain
Battles/warsWorld War I
AwardsLegion of Honour

Personal life

Richardson was born and raised in Kingston, and graduated from Queen's with a bachelor of science degree in 1906.[2] He was part of the prominent local Richardson family. His grandfather, James Richardson was the founder of James Richardson & Sons.[3][4] His uncle, Henry Westman Richardson, was a businessman and a Canadian senator. His sister, Agnes was the benefactor of the Agnes Etherington Art Centre.[4] His brother, James Armstrong Richardson Sr. was a businessman, aviator, and chancellor of Queen's University.[4] His niece, Agnes Benidickson was the first female chancellor of Queen's University.[4] His nephews, James Armstrong Richardson was Manitoba businessman, and Canadian federal cabinet minister; and George Taylor Richardson was a Manitoba businessman, and Order of Manitoba recipient.[5]

Playing career
George Richardson and the Queen's University Golden Gaels with the 1906 Intercollegiate championship trophy.

Richardson played for the Queen's University Golden Gaels from 1903 to 1906, when the team won the Intercollegiate Hockey Union in 1903, and the Canadian Intercollegiate championship in 1904, and 1906.[6] He was known as a gentlemanly player, and an adept goal scorer. He scored five times against Princeton and Yale when Queen's won the 1903 title.[7] The 1906 Queen's team challenged the Ottawa Hockey Club for the Stanley Cup.[3] Richardson played left wing for the 14th Regiment of Kingston team from 1907 to 1909. The 1908 team won the Ontario Hockey Association title, and the J. Ross Robertson Cup, as Richardson scored seven goals in one game against Stratford.[7] Richardson won the 1909 Allan Cup a year later.[3] He then joined the Kingston Frontenacs as team president, when the juniors won the OHA title in 1911 and 1912.[1][3] Richardson never pursued a professional hockey career, since he was wealthy enough from working in the family business.[2]

Military service

Richardson began his military career as a Lieutenant with The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment, and when World War I was declared, he joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force on September 22, 1914 at CFB Valcartier.[8] Richardson was promoted to Captain as a result of being the sole survivor in the 2nd Battalion during the a battle near Saint-Julien in Langemark [8] Captain Richardson bought boots and gas masks for men under his command.[2][6] He was killed in action February 9, 1916, resulting from being shot three times in the hips and abdomen, in a battle near Wulverghem.[9] He is buried in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension in Bailleul, Nord in plot 2, row B, grave 74. or grave 2027.[8]

Posthumous honours
George Richardson Memorial Trophy at the Hockey Hall of Fame

Richardson became a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour of the French Third Republic on March 19, 1916.[1][8] Captain Richardson is listed on page 154, of the Book of Remembrance for World War I.[10] He bequeathed $15,000 to Queen's University for art and athletics, $5,000 for bathing facilities in Kingston, $30,000 to city charities, and $30,000 form a trust fund for the education of the children of the married men in his company, that were disabled or killed in battle.[11] The George Taylor Richardson Memorial Fund was established to provide grants for the stimulation of the arts at Queen's University.[12] Richardson Memorial Stadium at Queen's is named in his honour.[13] From 1932 to 1971, The Eastern Canada junior hockey champion won the George Richardson Memorial Trophy, and advanced to the Memorial Cup.[14] Richardson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950,[7] and into the Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.[3]

Career statistics
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1903–04 Queen's University CIHU 4 6 0 6 3 — — — — —
1904–05 Queen's University CIHU 4 6 0 6 0 — — — — —
1905–06 Queen's University CIHU 4 11 0 11 2 — — — — —
1905–06 Queen's University St-Cup — — — — — 2 3 0 3 0
1906–07 Kingston's 14th Regiment OHA-Sr. 7 23 0 23 0 2 2 0 2 0
1907–08 Kingston's 14th Regiment OHA-Sr. 3 9 3 12 12 4 18 0 18 9
1908–09 Kingston's 14th Regiment OHA-Sr. 4 8 0 8 9 2 13 0 13 0
1909–10 Kingston Frontenacs Exhib. — — — — — 2 8 0 8 —
1911–12 Kingston Frontenacs OHA-Sr. — — — — — 1 1 0 1 0
CIHU totals 12 23 0 23 5 — — — — —
OHA-Sr. totals 14 40 3 43 21 9 34 0 34 9

References
  1. "Captain George Richardson". Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  2. "Richardson, George Taylor". Queen's Encyclopedia. Queen's University. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  3. Kennedy, Patrick (2015-01-16). "Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame: George T Richardson will be inducted 99 years after his death in the First World War". The Kingston Whig. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  4. "Richardson Family". Queen's Encyclopedia. Queen's University. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  5. "Memorable Manitobans: George Taylor Richardson (1924–2014)". Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  6. "War hero George Richardson". Original Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  7. "Richardson, George — Honoured Member". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  8. "In memory of Captain George Taylor Richardson". Canadian Virtual War Memorial. Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
  9. "Circumstances of Death Registers, First World War". Circumstances of Death Registers, First World War. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
  10. "First World War Book of Remembrance". Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
  11. "Capt. Richardson Remembered Men". The Toronto Sunday World. Kingston: Toronto World. 1916-03-05. p. 4. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
  12. "George Taylor Richardson Memorial Fund". Queen's University. Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  13. "George Richardson Memorial Stadium". Queen's Encyclopedia. Queen's University. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  14. "History of hockey and the Canadian military". Veterans Affairs Canada. 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
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