BIO

Herbert Richards was a quick forward who contributed to Norwood's 1887 premiership along with his celebrated twin, Norman, and older brother Tom.

Herbert and Norman were born at Stepney on 28 June 1865, in the middle of the seven children of William Richards and his wife Elizabeth (née Hughes).

Norman made his senior debut in 1885, two years before his twin.  In a match between Norwood and a Norwood Junior 25 on 17 April 1886, Herbert was the best player for the juniors and Norman was best on the ground with the seniors, who won 8.13 to 2.1.  

After Norwood's success in 1887, Herbert and Norman played two seasons with Adelaide and so missed the opportunity to participate in a hat-trick of premierships.  Herbert made the most of his move, topping his new club's goalkicking with a tally of 16.  He kicked a good goal and his brother defended with typical authority when Adelaide downed Port Adelaide, 5.7 to 4.7, on 19 May 1888.  

Both brothers stuck with the fading Adelaide club in 1889 and both kicked two goals, though Norman was the principal defender.  Herbert does not appear as a player after that but Norman returned to Norwood in 1890, enjoying another premiership in 1891 and extending his career to a decade.

After football, the Richards twins moved to Western Australia.  Herbert married Isabel Sullivan and was trading as an ironmonger in Kalgoorlie in 1903 when his brother sadly succumbed to tetanus in Fremantle.  Norman was only 38 and left a bride of just two months.  Herbert was a hardware assistant at Mullingar in 1916 before he and his wife moved to Victoria, where he was successively a timber worker, dealer and labourer while living at North Melbourne, West Brunswick, Melbourne West and Carlton.  

Isabel, 58, died at West Brunswick in 1933.  Herbert survived her by 14 years and was 81 at his death in Northcote in 1947

P Robins April 2019