Matthew Richley was the son of a tailor, but became the most influential local historian in Bishop Auckland. He was a pupil at Barrington School, but also taught there, at the Grammar School and at Hamsterley. He became a poet, author and curator and librarian at the Mechanics Institute, and a great local benefactor. His headstone in the cemetery has been knocked over and his family will re-erect that, but we would like to erect a plaque in his honour in the town.