William Richardson

William Richardson (1690–1755) was the Member of Parliament for Augher, Ireland, from 1737 to 1755. His elder brother Archibald had been member for Augher in 1692.

Life He was the son of William Richardson of Tullyreavey, near Cookstown, and brother of the Rev. John Richardson. He was an agent for the Irish Society of London, and made a fortune. Richardson married Mary Eyles, fourth daughter of Sir Francis Eyles, 1st Baronet. The original Somerset House built in 1732 burned down in 1802.

Somerset estate descent On Richardson's death in 1755, the Somerset estate passed to his nephew the Rev. John Richardson, son of his brother John.

John Nash was active in County Tyrone in the period 1800 to 1820. He left a drawing for Somerset House, Coleraine, made for a Mr Richardson. It is assumed this is for work not carried out. In the 19th century Somerset House was a villa in the style of Sir Richard Morrison. The estate passed to the Torrens family, with the marriage of Barbara Maria Richardson, heiress with her sister Maria Frederica to the Rev. Richardson, to the Rev. Thomas Henry Torrens. Ultimately, during the period of the Irish Land Acts, the estate was offered for purchase to its tenants, and much of it was sold.