Edward Richards: Difference between revisions

Edward Richards
Edward Richards
1st Premier of Bermuda
	In office; 18 April 1973 – 2 December 1975
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Edwin Leather
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	John Sharpe
2nd Government Leader of Bermuda
	In office; 29 December 1971 – 18 April 1973
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Roland Robinson; Richard Sharples (assassinated); Edwin Leather;
Preceded by	Henry Tucker
Succeeded by	Office renamed Premier
Personal details
Born	4 October 1908; Guyana
Died	May 1991 (aged 82); Bermuda
Political party	United Bermuda Party

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Sir Edward Trenton "ET" Richards (4 October 1908^[1] – May 1991) was the first Black Bermudian to head the government of Bermuda and the first Premier of Bermuda. He was the leader of the United Bermuda Party (UBP) between 1971 and 1973. He was a vocal critic of segregation.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Biography[edit]

Richards was born in Berbice,^[3] British Guiana (now Guyana), the youngest of three siblings. After his mother died while he was an infant, he was raised by his father and grandmother. He trained as a teacher in Georgetown, and in 1930, at the age of 21, he joined his sister Pearl in Bermuda, where he taught mathematics, Latin and games at the Berkeley Institute.^[4] He also worked as associate editor of the Bermuda Recorder, and on its pages made known his opposition to segregation.^[4] He became a Bermudian citizen seven years after his arrival.^[1]

In 1943 he went to Britain to study law at Middle Temple.^[4] While studying in London, he assisted Dr. E. F. Gordon to present a celebrated petition from the Bermuda Workers' Association to the British Colonial Secretary in 1946.^[5] Richards was called to the UK bar in 1946^[4] and to the Bermuda Bar on 31 January 1947, becoming the fourth black lawyer to practice in Bermuda.^[1]

In 1948 he was elected to Parliament representing Warwick Parish, serving in this position for the following two decades.^[1]

In 1963, Richards welcomed Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia when Selassie visited Bermuda with his granddaughter Princess Hirut Desta.^[6]^[7]

Political life[edit]

In 1968, he was appointed Deputy Government Leader and Deputy Leader of the UBP. In December 1971, he became Bermuda's first black Government Leader. In 1973, The Constitution Amendment (Consequential Amendments) Act 1973 changed the Government Leader's title to Premier.^[1] Richards held the position of Premier until December 1975.

Sir Edward Richards retired from politics on 29 December 1975, and from law practice in 1986, at the age of 78.^[1] He died in May 1991 at the age of 83.^[3]

Honours and recognition[edit]

Richards was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1970.^[3] Richards was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

A portrait of Richards is one of 80 painted by Esther Dai for display at the Historic Museum in Bermuda.^[8]

In June 2015, Richards and Gladys Morrell were named National Heroes of Bermuda.^[9]

Family[edit]

In 1940 Richards married Madree Williams, with whom he had three children.^[3] His son, E. T. "Bob" Richards, is a politician and member of the House of Assembly of Bermuda for the United Bermuda Party. His elder daughter is circuit judge Patricia Dangor,^[10] who now lives in London, England, with her children and grandchildren. His younger daughter is the writer Angela Barry,^[11] who remains in Bermuda with her children and grandchildren.

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Sir Edward “ET” Richards", Bernews.
^ "This month in history: E. T. Richards becomes Island's first black leader, December 29, 1971". Bermuda Biographies.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e E. T. (Bob) Richards, "A centennial for a peaceful warrior", The Royal Gazette, 10 October 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Black history month: Saluting our heroes – E.T. Richards: first black in BDA to receive a knighthood", Bermuda Sun, 29 February 2008.
^ "As Bermuda celebrates its 400th Anniversary, the United Bermuda Party salutes the contributions of the late Sir Edward Trenton Richards". OneBermuda.
^ Keith Archibald Forbes, "Bermuda's History from 1952 to 1999", Bermuda Online.
^ Letter, The Royal Gazette, 28 May 2013.
^ Amanda Dale, "Family donates portraits of black Bermudians", Bermuda Sun, 1 June 2011.
^ "National Heroes: Gladys Morrell, Sir ET Richards", Bernews, 8 June 2015.
^ "Patricia Dangor", BLD.
^ Kim Dismont Robinson, "The Atlantic Adventure" Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine (review of Angela Barry's Endangered Species), The Bermudian.

External links[edit]

Bernews: Sir ET Richards: biography, photos
E. T. (Bob) Richards, "A centennial for a peaceful warrior", The Royal Gazette, 10 October 2008.
"Black history month: Saluting our heroes – E. T. Richards: first black in BDA to receive a knighthood", Bermuda Sun, 29 February 2008.

[Bernews-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Sir Edward “ET” Richards", Bernews.

[2] "This month in history: E. T. Richards becomes Island's first black leader, December 29, 1971". Bermuda Biographies.

[BobRichards-3] E. T. (Bob) Richards, "A centennial for a peaceful warrior", The Royal Gazette, 10 October 2008.

[BDASun-4] "Black history month: Saluting our heroes – E.T. Richards: first black in BDA to receive a knighthood", Bermuda Sun, 29 February 2008.

[5] "As Bermuda celebrates its 400th Anniversary, the United Bermuda Party salutes the contributions of the late Sir Edward Trenton Richards". OneBermuda.

[6] Keith Archibald Forbes, "Bermuda's History from 1952 to 1999", Bermuda Online.

[7] Letter, The Royal Gazette, 28 May 2013.

[8] Amanda Dale, "Family donates portraits of black Bermudians", Bermuda Sun, 1 June 2011.

[9] "National Heroes: Gladys Morrell, Sir ET Richards", Bernews, 8 June 2015.

[10] "Patricia Dangor", BLD.

[11] Kim Dismont Robinson, "The Atlantic Adventure" Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine (review of Angela Barry's Endangered Species), The Bermudian.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Bermudian politician}}
 {{other people}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
-{{Infobox prime minister
+{{Infobox officeholder
-| name          = Edward Richards
-| image         =
+| name           = Edward Richards
-| order         = 2nd [[Premier of Bermuda]]
+| image          =
+| order2         = 2nd [[Premier of Bermuda|Government Leader of Bermuda]]
-| term_start    = 18 April 1973
-| term_end      = 2 December 1975
+| term_start2    = 29 December 1971
+| term_end2      = 18 April 1973
-| vicepresident =
+| predecessor2   = [[Henry Tucker (Bermudian politician)|Henry Tucker]]
-| predecessor   =
+|monarch2	 = [[Elizabeth II]]
-| successor     = [[John Henry Sharpe|John Sharpe]]
-| birth_date    = 1908
+| governor2       = {{Plain list|
+* [[Roland Robinson, 1st Baron Martonmere|Roland Robinson]]
+* [[Richard Sharples]] <small>(assassinated)</small>
+* [[Edwin Leather]]
+}}
+| successor2     = ''Office renamed Premier''
+| order1         = 1st [[Premier of Bermuda]]
+| term_start1    = 18 April 1973
+| term_end1      = 2 December 1975
+|monarch1		= [[Elizabeth II]]
+| governor1     = [[Edwin Leather]]
+| predecessor1   = New office
+| successor1     = [[John Henry Sharpe|John Sharpe]]
+| birth_date    = 4 October 1908
 | birth_place   = [[Guyana]]
-| death_date    = 1991
+| death_date    = May 1991 (aged 82)
 | death_place   = Bermuda
 | constituency  =
@@ Line 20: / Line 34: @@
 }}
-'''Sir Edward Trenton "ET" Richards''' (4 October 1908<ref name=Bernews>[http://bernews.com/bermuda-profiles/sir-edward-et-richards/ "Sir Edward “ET” Richards", Bernews.]</ref>–1991) was the first Black Bermudian to head the government of [[Bermuda]] and the second [[List of Premiers of Bermuda|Premier]] of [[Bermuda]]. He was the leader of the [[United Bermuda Party]] (UBP) between 1971 and 1973. He was a vocal critic of segregation.<ref>[http://bermudabiographies.bm/Archive/index-dec07.html "This month in history: E. T. Richards becomes Island's first black leader, December 29, 1971".] Bermuda Biographies.</ref><ref name=BobRichards /><ref name=BDASun />
+'''Sir Edward Trenton "ET" Richards''' (4 October 1908<ref name=Bernews>[http://bernews.com/bermuda-profiles/sir-edward-et-richards/ "Sir Edward “ET” Richards"], ''Bernews''.</ref> – May 1991) was the first Black Bermudian to head the government of [[Bermuda]] and the first [[List of Premiers of Bermuda|Premier]] of [[Bermuda]]. He was the leader of the [[United Bermuda Party]] (UBP) between 1971 and 1973. He was a vocal critic of segregation.<ref>[http://bermudabiographies.bm/Archive/index-dec07.html "This month in history: E. T. Richards becomes Island's first black leader, December 29, 1971"]. Bermuda Biographies.</ref><ref name=BobRichards /><ref name=BDASun />
 ==Biography==
-Richards was born in [[Berbice]],<ref name=BobRichards>E. T. (Bob) Richards, [http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20081010/COMMENT/310109951 "A centennial for a peaceful warrior"], ''The Royal Gazette'', 10 October 2008.</ref> British Guiana (now [[Guyana]]), the youngest of three siblings. After his mother died while he was an infant, he was raised by his father and grandmother. He trained as a teacher in [[Georgetown, Guyana|Georgetown]], and in 1930, at the age of 21, he joined his sister Pearl in Bermuda, where he taught mathematics, Latin and games at the Berkeley Institute.<ref name=BDASun>[http://www.bermudasun.bm/Content/NEWS/News/Article/Black-history-month--Saluting-our-heroes/24/270/36746 "Black history month: Saluting our heroes - E.T. Richards: first black in BDA to receive a knighthood"], ''Bermuda Sun'', 29 February 2008.</ref> He also worked as associate editor of the ''Bermuda Recorder'', and on its pages made known his opposition to segregation.<ref name=BDASun /> He became a Bermudian citizen seven years after his arrival.<ref name=Bernews />
+Richards was born in [[Berbice]],<ref name=BobRichards>E. T. (Bob) Richards, [http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20081010/COMMENT/310109951 "A centennial for a peaceful warrior"], ''The Royal Gazette'', 10 October 2008.</ref> British Guiana (now [[Guyana]]), the youngest of three siblings. After his mother died while he was an infant, he was raised by his father and grandmother. He trained as a teacher in [[Georgetown, Guyana|Georgetown]], and in 1930, at the age of 21, he joined his sister Pearl in Bermuda, where he taught mathematics, Latin and games at the Berkeley Institute.<ref name=BDASun>[http://www.bermudasun.bm/Content/NEWS/News/Article/Black-history-month--Saluting-our-heroes/24/270/36746 "Black history month: Saluting our heroes – E.T. Richards: first black in BDA to receive a knighthood"], ''Bermuda Sun'', 29 February 2008.</ref> He also worked as associate editor of the ''Bermuda Recorder'', and on its pages made known his opposition to segregation.<ref name=BDASun /> He became a Bermudian citizen seven years after his arrival.<ref name=Bernews />
 In 1943 he went to Britain to study law at [[Middle Temple]].<ref name=BDASun /> While studying in [[London]], he assisted Dr. [[E. F. Gordon]] to present a celebrated petition from the Bermuda Workers' Association to the British Colonial Secretary in 1946.<ref>[http://www.onebda.com/the-ubp-story/12-sir-edward-trenton-richards "As Bermuda celebrates its 400th Anniversary, the United Bermuda Party salutes the contributions of the late Sir Edward Trenton Richards"]. OneBermuda.</ref> Richards was called to the UK bar in 1946<ref name=BDASun /> and to the Bermuda Bar on 31 January 1947, becoming the fourth black lawyer to practice in Bermuda.<ref name=Bernews />
@@ Line 29: / Line 43: @@
 In 1948 he was elected to Parliament representing [[Warwick Parish]], serving in this position for the following two decades.<ref name=Bernews />
-In 1963, Richards welcomed Emperor [[Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia|Haile Selassie]] of [[Ethiopia]] when Selassie visited Bermuda with his granddaughter [[Hirut Desta|Princess Ruth Desta]].<ref>[http://www.bermuda-online.org/history1952-1999.htm "Bermuda's History from 1952 to 1999"], Bermuda Online.</ref><ref>[http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20130528/COMMENT03/705289972 Letter], ''The Royal Gazette'', 28 May 2013.</ref>
+In 1963, Richards welcomed [[Emperor of Ethiopia|Emperor]] [[Haile Selassie]] of [[Ethiopian Empire|Ethiopia]] when Selassie visited Bermuda with his granddaughter Princess [[Hirut Desta]].<ref>Keith Archibald Forbes, [http://www.bermuda-online.org/history1952-1999.htm "Bermuda's History from 1952 to 1999"], Bermuda Online.</ref><ref>[http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20130528/COMMENT03/705289972 Letter], ''The Royal Gazette'', 28 May 2013.</ref>
 ==Political life==
 {{Politics of Bermuda}}
-In 1968, he was appointed Deputy Government Leader and Deputy Leader of the UBP. In December 1971, he became Bermuda’s first black Government Leader. In 1973, The Constitution Amendment (Consequential Amendments) Act 1973 changed the Government Leader’s title to Premier.<ref name=Bernews /> Richards held the position of Premier until December 1975.
+In 1968, he was appointed Deputy Government Leader and Deputy Leader of the UBP. In December 1971, he became Bermuda's first black Government Leader. In 1973, The Constitution Amendment (Consequential Amendments) Act 1973 changed the Government Leader's title to Premier.<ref name=Bernews /> Richards held the position of Premier until December 1975.
 Sir Edward Richards retired from politics on 29 December 1975, and from law practice in 1986, at the age of 78.<ref name=Bernews /> He died in May 1991 at the age of 83.<ref name=BobRichards />
@@ Line 42: / Line 56: @@
 A portrait of Richards is one of 80 painted by Esther Dai for display at the Historic Museum in Bermuda.<ref>Amanda Dale, [http://bermudasun.bm/Content/Default/Homepage-Article-Rotator/Article/Family-donates-portraits-of-black-Bermudians/-3/1288/52368 "Family donates portraits of black Bermudians"], ''Bermuda Sun'', 1 June 2011.</ref>
+In June 2015, Richards and [[Gladys Morrell]] were named National Heroes of Bermuda.<ref>[http://bernews.com/2015/06/bermudas-national-heroes-2015/ "National Heroes: Gladys Morrell, Sir ET Richards"], ''Bernews'', 8 June 2015.</ref>
 ==Family==
-In 1940 Richards married Madree Williams, with whom he had three children.<ref name=BobRichards /> His son, E. T. "Bob" Richards, is a politician and member of the [[House of Assembly of Bermuda]] for the [[United Bermuda Party]]. His elder daughter is circuit judge Patricia Dangor,<ref>[http://www.blackletterlawpublication.com/profile/patricia-dangor-0 "Patricia Dangor"], BLD.</ref> who now lives in London, England, with her children and grandchildren. His younger daughter is the writer [[Angela Barry]],<ref>Kim Dismont Robinson, [http://www.peepaltreepress.com/review_display.asp?rev_id=317 "The Atlantic Adventure"] (review of Angela Barry's ''Endangered Species''), ''The Bermudian''.</ref> who remains in Bermuda with her children and grandchildren.
+In 1940 Richards married Madree Williams, with whom he had three children.<ref name=BobRichards /> His son, E. T. "Bob" Richards, is a politician and member of the [[House of Assembly of Bermuda]] for the [[United Bermuda Party]]. His elder daughter is circuit judge Patricia Dangor,<ref>[http://www.blackletterlawpublication.com/profile/patricia-dangor-0 "Patricia Dangor"], BLD.</ref> who now lives in London, England, with her children and grandchildren. His younger daughter is the writer [[Angela Barry]],<ref>Kim Dismont Robinson, [http://www.peepaltreepress.com/review_display.asp?rev_id=317 "The Atlantic Adventure"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715063052/http://www.peepaltreepress.com/review_display.asp?rev_id=317 |date=15 July 2011 }} (review of Angela Barry's ''Endangered Species''), ''The Bermudian''.</ref> who remains in Bermuda with her children and grandchildren.
 ==Further reading==
-* J. Randolf Williams, ''Peaceful Warrior: Sir Edward Trenton Richards'' (Camden, Hamilton, 1988) - official biography.
+* J. Randolf Williams, ''Peaceful Warrior: Sir Edward Trenton Richards'' (Camden, Hamilton, 1988) – official biography.
 ==References==
-{{Reflist|30em}}
+{{Reflist|}}
 ==External links==
 * [http://bernews.com/bermuda-profiles/sir-edward-et-richards/ Bernews: Sir ET Richards: biography, photos]
 * E. T. (Bob) Richards, [http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20081010/COMMENT/310109951 "A centennial for a peaceful warrior"], ''The Royal Gazette'', 10 October 2008.
-* [http://www.bermudasun.bm/Content/NEWS/News/Article/Black-history-month--Saluting-our-heroes/24/270/36746 "Black history month: Saluting our heroes - E. T. Richards: first black in BDA to receive a knighthood"], ''Bermuda Sun'', 29 February 2008.
+* [http://www.bermudasun.bm/Content/NEWS/News/Article/Black-history-month--Saluting-our-heroes/24/270/36746 "Black history month: Saluting our heroes – E. T. Richards: first black in BDA to receive a knighthood"], ''Bermuda Sun'', 29 February 2008.
 {{Premiers of Bermuda}}
+{{Authority control}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2010}}
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-| NAME              =Richards, Edward
-| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
-| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Bermudian politician
-| DATE OF BIRTH     = 4 October 1908
-| PLACE OF BIRTH    = [[Guyana]]
-| DATE OF DEATH     = 1991
-| PLACE OF DEATH    = Bermuda
-}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Edward}}
 [[Category:1908 births]]
@@ Line 76: / Line 83: @@
 [[Category:Premiers of Bermuda]]
 [[Category:Guyanese emigrants to Bermuda]]
-[[Category:Bermudian lawyers]]
+[[Category:20th-century Bermudian lawyers]]
+[[Category:National Heroes of Bermuda]]