Our first record of Richard is of his marriage to Esther Winstandly in the Parish Church of St.Elphin in Warrington on 16 December 1776. Both are listed as "of this Parish" and neither signed the register in person.

Richard was born about 1753 but we have no knowledge of his place of birth and little of his parentage.  His father may have been John Hitchcock, a fishmonger who died in Warrington aged 70 years in 1782 and his mother may have been Betty Hitchcock a widow who also died in Warrington in 1790 aged 75.  It is more likely that he had siblings, Elizabeth, born about 1749 and Peter, born about 1756 but although the evidence is strong we have no definite proof.

Between 1776 and 1804 Richard's occupation is variously described as fisherman, weaver and mariner.  Perhaps he was a weaver when fishing was not in season and as Joseph Rylance, the husband of Elizabeth, was also a fisherman if John was his father possibly they supported his business.

Richard was no stranger to grief.  The first four children born to Esther;  William, Thomas, a second William and John all died before their third birthday, their seventh child, Mary, died at 10 months while their tenth, Joseph, died aged three.  A second son, John, married Jane Caldwell in 1807 and had four children. The first three died before reaching the age of two and then John himself died in 1816 aged only 31. Finally the fourth child, Esther died in the workhouse in 1825 aged 11.  Richard had a son, also named Richard, who married Ellen Davies in 1809.  They had seven children but four died in infancy.  Richard's own wife , Esther, died in 1803 at the age of 46.

Little is known of Richard after the death of his wife.  For 28 years we have no information until his death at the end of 1832.  However it is possible that he maintained a relationship with his brother in law, Joseph Rylance, as St.Elphins records the burials of Ellen, Joseph's second wife in 1828, Joseph in 1829 and finally Richard himself in January 1833 but in each case the last place of residence was Manchester, the growing city and great centre of commerce 20 miles to the east of Warrington.