James Cleland Richardson, the eldest son of David and Mary Richardson, was born November 25, 1895 at Bellshill, Lanarkshire. He was the second of eight siblings consisting of three brothers and five sisters. The family lived in Rutherglen where David was Police Inspector and Fire Chief.
In 1913, David Richardson with his children, James Cleland (age 17 1/2), Alice (age 15 1/2) and David (age 13 1/2) sailed from Glasgow, Scotland via Molville, Ireland to Canada. On May 23, 1913 they arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, aboard the S.S. Parisian. They then journeyed across Canada by train to Vancouver.
In August 1913 while in Vancouver, David Richardson secured the Chilliwack Chief of Police position and moved to Chilliwack. David's wife, Mary arrived in Quebec two months later on October 13, 1913 aboard the S.S. Pretorian.
With Mary were her daughters Mary (age 20), Isabel (age 8), Janet (age 3) and son Robert (age 6). One child Alexa (age 10 in 1913) remained in Scotland for several years, but came to Canada in 1949, initially living in Chilliwack with her parents.
James and his sister Mary remained in Vancouver where James secured an electricians apprenticeship in a False Creek factory. In 1914 James first distinguished himself by attempting to save the life of a boy who had fallen and drowned in the creek. During this period James became a member of Vancouver's 72nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders Cadet Corps pipe band with the intent of perfecting his skill with the instrument that he loved, the Scottish Highland Bagpipe.
James Richardson proved to be an excellent piper and piped at celebrations in Chiiliwack for St. Andrews Night in 1913 and Burns Night 1914. Both occasions were reported in the Chilliwack Progress with the citation on the St. Andrews night Celebration: "For so young a piper, Master Richardson was very good indeed."
On July 1, 1914 James won three first place prizes in the bagpipe competition at the Scottish Sports Day event held in Victoria. He also won first prize at the Scottish Highland Games held at Brockton Point that same year.
With the outbreak of war in August 1914 James Richardson and the first detachment of the 72nd Seaforths left for Valcartier, Quebec. Absorbed by the 16th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, James Richardson became one of 110 "originals" of the newly formed 16th Battalion. As a Piper with the 16th (Canadian) Scottish Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, James Richardson was awarded the Victoria Cross, the British Commonwealth's highest decoration for gallantry in the face of the enemy.
The award was made for rallying his company, October 8, 1916, at Regina Trench, on the Somme, France. After Richardson's company went "over the top" they were held up by concentrations of barbed wire and subjected to intense enemy fire. Richardson played his pipes while walking outside the wire, thereby inspiring his company to successfully rush and capture the position. Later, the same day, Richardson assisted a wounded officer and was escorting enemy prisoners when he realized he had left his pipes behind. In attempting to retrieve the pipes he was lost in action. He was later buried at Adanac Military Cemetery, France. Richardson was 20 years old.
In April 1919, David and Mary Richardson were summoned to Victoria to receive from Lieutenant Governor Barnard, their son's posthumous Victoria Cross. The decoration was presented to David Richardson in the Ritz Hotel, then being used as a Knight's of Columbus Army "Hut". Upon the Richardson's return to Chilliwack the Victoria Cross was exhibited in a local store window.
David Richardson left the police force in 1920 and became the janitor at Chilliwack High School. Known as "Chief" he was a prominent mason, a supporter of the St. Andrew's and Caledonia Society; a member of Cooke's Presbyterian Church and a founding member of the Chilliwack Lawn Bowling Club. He died in February 1955. Mary Richardson, who claimed she was just a housekeeper, was active in the Women's Missionary Society of Cooke's Presbyterian Church. Mary Richardson died in June 1956.
During their lifetime James’ parents participated in two memorable events including the 1936 Vimy Pilgrimage when both David and Mary Richardson together with their daughter Alice and son David Jr. attended the unveiling of the Vimy War Memorial. At that time they visited the grave of their son and sibling at Adanac Military Cemetery. In 1939 during the Royal Visit both David and Mary were presented to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Chilliwack.