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| Dick Richmond |
 James Richmond was born on Wednesday, 2nd April, 1879, in Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire. The midfielder signed for Thistle on Friday, 24th June, 1898, having most recently been with Dumbarton. Aged 19, he made his first known appearance on Wednesday, 17th August, 1898, in a 4-0 friendly defeat at home to Celtic. Dick scored his only known goal for Thistle on Saturday, 22nd October, 1898, in a 3-2 win away to St Bernard's in the SFL First Division. He played his last known game for the club on Saturday, 13th May, 1899, in a 1-0 defeat away to Third Lanark in the Glasgow League, having appeared for the Thistle on at least 18 occasions. His club-list included Dumbarton, Partick Thistle and Johannesburg. Dick died on Sunday, 24th January, 1971, in Johannesburg, Gauteng, aged 91. |
 The son of Thomas Richmond (boilermaker) and Ann Richmond (née Colquhoun), who were married in Dumbarton in 1878. James (later known as Dick) was the first born and was followed by three sisters; Susan (b. 1881), Jane (b. 1883) and Ann (b. 1890). As with many of our Jagsmen, tragedy is never far away. His poor mother was widowed when she was only 33 and left to bring up four young kiddies, the last of which was born in the same year the Dad died, 1890. The Dad himself, Thomas, was only 38 years old when he died, it is just horrendous. As a footballer, Dick was also known as 'the Mighty Mite' (he was a tough wee centre half) and 'the Holt of Scotland' (a reference to Everton's Johnny Holt). He played with his hometown team, Dumbarton, in 1897-98. Although registered as a Jag for 7 seasons, in reality he only played at Meadowside for one season, running into a financial dispute with the club by September, 1899. He possibly fled, frustrated. Bound for Cape Town, Dick set sail from Southampton in August 1902. He was playing in South Africa with Johannesburg by (at least) August, 1903, making him only the second Jag that we know of to have played abroad, following on from the incredible John Caldwell back in 1889! Dick followed his Dad’s trade as a boilermaker and married a Rutherglen lass by the name of Susan Margaret McNally on the 27th February 1908 in Johannesburg, he 29, she 30. Unfortunately, we haven’t the time to investigate further to see if she went out with him to South Africa, he met her there or he came back for her, although we do know that he did make a number of trips back home. Dick passed away in the Braamfontein area of Johannesburg, early in 1971. He was buried there on the 1st February. What a long innings he had at 91, and for the tough age that he lived in we doff our caps to him. |
| (WS/JK) |
