Major James Stanley Richer was born on 4 July 1836 in Clerkenwell, London the son of James and Sophia Richer. He was baptised on 28 July 1836 at St James's Church, Clerkenwell and the family resided at Lloyd's Row, Clerkenwell. His father was an Office Clerk. He enlisted into the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade in 1854, transferring to the 3rd Battalion as Corporal on its formation 4 April 1855.
On Easter Day, 23 March 1856 he married Rosina Gray at The Parish Church of St Peter, Farnborough, Hampshire. His occupation was given as Colour-Sergeant, 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade and his address was shown as North Camp, Farnborough. They had nine children, all born in different locations, which would probably correspond to the places where he was posted. Their children were: Abigail Sophia Richer, born 30 June 1857, Dum Dum, West Bengal; James Henry Richer, born 23 August 1860, Naini Tel, Uttarakhand, India; Frederick Arthur Richer, born 29 August 1862, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India; Edwin Robert Richer, born 11 September 1867, Rawalpindi, Punjab; Rosina Sophia Richer, born 12 November 1870, West Bengal; Florence Maud Richer, born April 1873, Portsmouth, Hampshire; Lillian Nellie Richer, born 28 March 1876, Garrison of Chatham, Kent; Ellen Jessie Richer, born 12 June 1878, Woolwich, Kent and May Lucy Richer, born Curragh Camp, The Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland.
He served at the Siege of Lucknow in 1857, in the Oude Campaign in 1858, and at Battle of Shabkadr in 1864. Having become the Regimental Sergeant-Major in 1867, he was commissioned as Quartermaster in 1875 and as Lieutenant on 25 August 1880. He received his Long Service & Good Conduct medal in March 1873. Promoted to Captain on 16 August 1884 he retired on 1 November 1884 with the honorary rank of Major. On 7 April 1869 whilst based in Dinapore, Bengal (now called Danapur, Bihar, India) he was initiated as a Freemason in the True Brothers Lodge No.1210, but resigned from this lodge on 31 December 1870.
On leaving the army Major Richer worked first for the London Tramways Company and then for the Army & Navy Auxiliary Stores. Electoral registers from 1890 to 1895 show that he was living at 30 Crofton Road, Camberwell and the 1891 census confirms this and gives his occupation Superintendent Tramways. Electoral registers from 1897 show that he had moved to 119 Bushey Hill Road, Camberwell.
He was a passenger in a Diamler motor car being driven by Edwin Root Sewell when it crashed in Grove Hill, Harrow on 25 February 1899. He died from his injuries, aged 62 years, at the Cottage Hospital, Harrow on 1 March 1899 and was buried in Harrow on 4 March 1899. Administration of his estate was granted to his widow and effects totalled £481-15s-0d.
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