Nat Gould

Richard Gould 1794-1865

Richard Gould was born in 1794, the son of Joseph Gould 1754-1821 and his wife nee Anne Wardle 1760-1816.

By 1813, together with his brothers William Gould 1786-1839 and Joseph Gould 1784-1833, Richard Gould had become a partner in the family business in Manchester called Nathaniel Joseph and George Gould & Co. The firm then had six Gould partners, his father Joseph Gould 1754-1821 and uncles Nathaniel Gould 1756-1820 and George Gould 1763-1842, his brothers Joseph and William, and himself.

The partnership lasted until 31 October 1817, when the three older Gould brothers left the business, but Joseph Gould and brothers William and Richard continued trading.
Later he may have left the firm and set up his own business Richard Gould & Co. cotton spinners and fustian manufacturers, lining at Woodley near Radcliffe.

If so, then still later he moved to Todmorden just over the border in Yorkshire. In 1824/25 he was listed in Baines’ Lancashire Directory as “Richard Gould gentleman Roomfield Lane” at Todmorden. He seems to have been unmarried.

He died at Roomfield, Todmorden on 21 February 1865 aged 70 (1). His Will was proved on 29 March 1865 (2).

In the churchyard of Christ Church in Todmorden there is a monumental inscription commemorating “Richard Gould of Todmorden, formerly of Ardwick Green, Manchester, who died 21st February 1865”, and also three children of his nephew William Gould and his wife Martha Ann Gould who died in their infancy. They are Edward Vaughan Gould (died on 6 December 1865 aged 1 year), Thomas Gould (died on 15 July 1870 aged 27 days), and Emily Gould (born on 2 August 1873 and died on 12 October 1873 aged 10 weeks and 4 days).

(1) Leeds Mercury 25 February 1865; Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 25 February 1865; Manchester Times 4 March 1865. The first of these newspapers incorrectly stated his age as 72 years.
(2) The Will of Richard Gould "late of Roomfield in the Township of Langfield in the Parish of Halifax in the County of York Gentleman deceased who died on 21 February 1865 at Roomfield aforesaid was proved at Wakefield by the oaths of Thomas Gould of Sheffield in the County aforesaid Solicitor the Brother and Charles Gould of Sheffield aforesaid Solicitor the Nephew the Executors." Effects under £16,000. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1865) page 141.
Charles Gould was actually a barrister.