Richard Costain (1839–1902) was the founder of Costain Group, one of the United Kingdom's largest, oldest and best-known construction businesses.
Early life
He was born and raised in the Isle of Man. His father was a shoe maker.[1]
He married on 8 March 1866 at Rushen parish church, to the sixth daughter of Richard Kneen, of Cross-e-Caley in Rushen. Costain lived at Birkdale Park, in Southport.[2]
Career
Richard Costain moved to Crosby, Merseyside where, in 1865, he founded a small but well-equipped construction business.[3] In the early days of the business, he worked in partnership with his brother-in-law William Kneen and together they expanded the business until it was operating both in Lancashire and on the Isle of Man.[4] He worked with Richard Kneen of Southport in the 1860s, with the business at 3, Albert Road, in Waterloo, known as Costain and Kneen.[5]
Kneen and Costain purchased tracts of land, then built many houses on them.[6] Masons and joiners were recruited from Arbory on the Isle of Man.[6]
Personal life
Richard Costain later lived at Blundellsands, located near Crosby.[7]
He died in West Derby in 1902,[7] leaving the business, by then known as Richard Costain Limited, to his son William Percy Costain.[3] He died aged 63 on 1 July 1902, at 'Port-y-Shee'.[8] His funeral was at St Luke's Church, Great Crosby.[9]
Family
In 1866, Costain married Margaret Kneen.[6]
References
- Isle of Man Times Saturday 29 March 1884, page 3^
- Manchester Courier Monday 19 March 1866, page 4^
- Sir Richard Rylandes Costain Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, retrieved 12 May 2020^
- William Kneen Manx Notebook, retrieved 12 May 2020^
- Liverpool Daily Post Thursday 30 May 1867, page 4^
- Isle of Man Genealogy (1)^
- Isle of Man Genealogy (2)^
- Liverpool Weekly Courier Saturday 5 July 1902, page 6^
- Liverpool Mercury Saturday 5 July 1902, page 8^