William Richards

William Richards (1749–1818) was a Welsh Baptist minister; he spent much of his life in King's Lynn, in Norfolk, and wrote a history of the town. His other publications included a Welsh-English dictionary. Life Richards was born at Penrydd, near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, towards the end of 1749. His father, Henry Richards (died 1 July 1768, aged 59), was a farmer, who moved in 1758 to St. Clears, Carmarthenshire. He had only one year's schooling, in his twelfth year. In 1768 he was admitted a member of the Particular Baptist congregation at Rhydwillim, Carmarthenshire. He became an occasional preacher at Salem Chapel, St. Clears, which had been projected by his father, and built in 1769. In 1773 he became a student in the Baptist dissenting academy at Bristol, under Hugh Evans (1712–1781). Leaving in September 1775, he acted as assistant to John Ash at Pershore, Worcestershire for about nine months. On the recommendation of Hugh Evans, he was invited to an unsettled congregation in Broad Street, Lynn, Norfolk, and agreed to go for a year, from 7 July 1776. During this year he succeeded in healing divisions and organising his flock as a Baptist church; his settlement as regular pastor at Lynn dates from 1778. He declined a call to Norwich. He was an assiduous preacher, conducting three services each Sunday without notes. When absent on his visits to Wales, his place was taken by Timothy Durrant. In 1793 he received the diploma of M.A. from Brown University, Rhode Island, a Baptist foundation.