Richard Pitchford
Richard and Margaret Pitchford
Richard Pitchford was born in 1839 in Hertfordshire, England.
He arrived in Western Australia in 1863, and later moved on to South Australia, where he married Miss Margaret Wilkinson, from Wales. They were to have a family of nine children.
Around 1889, the family settled in Mornington, and built a large timber house at 42-46 Tanti Avenue, named "Glenthorne".
A unit development called "Weeroona Gardens" is now situated on the site where "Glenthorne" once stood.
Glenthorne c.1910
A large party was held at Glenthorne in 1908 to celebrate the wedding of their daughter Catherine, to Mr. Albert Ward.
Mr. Pitchford ran a Coach building and Wheelwright business in Barkly Street, just north of Main Street, and two sons John and Richard worked with him.
Mornington Standard 30 July, 1896 p.2
John Pitchford
Sadly, another son, Arthur, died in Egypt during the 1st World War.
All the Pitchford children were trained in many aspects of music, with son John becoming bandmaster of an early brass band in 1895.
Richard (Dick) played the cornet and the girls often gave recitals on the organ and singing.
Margaret died in 1910, aged 63 years, and Richard, at the age of 72, died in 1912. Both are buried in the Mornington cemetery.
Photos courtesy, Ruth McLeod, family descendant.
Margaret and Richard Pitchford
The wedding of Catherine Pitchford, to Mr. Albert Ward, at Glenthorne, in 1908
