Solomon Richards

Solomon Richards was a professional soldier who fought in Ireland first for Cromwell and then for William of Orange. He is best known for his part in a failed attempt to relieve the Siege of Derry in 1689. Family He was born in 1619 and his baptism on 14 November 1619 is recorded in the parish registers of St Andrew, Holborn. The register states that he was the son of Salloman Richards and his wife Ann, a cutler living near the Cross Keyes. He married first Rhoda daughter of Samuel Wilson and Anne Miller. She was buried on 7 Nov 1645 at St Olave, Old Jewery having died in childbirth. They had a daughter Rhoda. He married secondly Abigail Goddard daughter of Henry Goddard, shipbuilder. The marriage took place before Henry made his will on 30 Aug 1647. Her brother Jonathon Goddard was Cromwell's personal physician. With Cromwell Solomon Richards served as lieutenant-colonel of Oliver Cromwell's own regiment in the New Model Army. He took part in the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland and was granted an estate of 3,000 acres at Solsborough in County Wexford, probably under the terms of the Act for the Settlement of Ireland of 1652. After Augustinian Friar William Tirry was arrested at Fethard while vested for Mass on Holy Saturday, 25 March, 1654, he was tried at Clonmel on 26 April, by a jury and a panel of Commonwealth judges, including Colonel Richards, for violating the Proclamation of 6 January 1653, which defined it as high treason for priests to remain in Ireland. In his own defense, Fr. Tirry replied that while he viewed the Commonwealth as the lawful government, he had no choice but to disobey its laws, as the Pope had ordered him to remain in Ireland. Fr. Tirry was according found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, which was carried out in Clonmel on 2 May 1654.