Editing Richard Seddon (section)

==Early life and family==
Seddon was born in the town of [[Eccleston, St Helens|Eccleston]], near [[St Helens, Merseyside|St Helens in Lancashire, England]], on 22 June 1845.{{sfn|Brooking|2014|p=11}} His father Thomas Seddon (born 1817) was a school headmaster, and his mother Jane Lindsay was a teacher; they married on 8 February 1842 at Christ Church, Eccleston. Richard was the third of their eight children.

Despite this background, Seddon did not perform well at school, and was described as unruly. Despite his parents' attempt to give him a [[classics|classical]] education, Seddon developed an interest in engineering, but was removed from school at age 12. After working on his grandfather Richard's farm at [[Barrow Nook]] Hall for two years,{{sfn|Brooking|2014|p=17}} Seddon was an apprentice at [[Robert Daglish|Daglish's]] [[Foundry]] in [[Sutton, Merseyside|Sutton]]. He later worked at [[George Forrester and Company|Vauxhall foundry]] in [[Liverpool]],{{sfn|Hamer|2014|p=1}} where he attained a Board of Trade Certificate as a mechanical engineer.{{sfn|Brooking|2014|p=51}} During his time in Lancashire, he was heavily influenced by [[social liberalism]], and many of its ideas would form part of his political philosophy as a politician.{{sfn|Brooking|2014|pp=22–25}}

On 15 June 1862, at the age of 16, Seddon decided to emigrate to [[Australia]], working his passage to Melbourne on the [[SS Great Britain|SS ''Great Britain'']].{{sfn|Brooking|2014|p=13}} He later provided his reasoning: "A restlessness to get away to see new, broad lands seized me: My work was irksome. I felt cramped."{{sfn|Brooking|2014|p=54}} He entered the railway workshops at [[Williamstown, Victoria|Williamstown]], and also worked in the goldfields at [[Bendigo]]; he did not meet with any great success. In either 1865 or 1866, he became engaged to Louisa Jane Spotswood, but her family would not permit marriage until Seddon was financially secure.

Seddon moved to New Zealand's [[West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast]] in 1866. Initially, he worked the goldfields in [[Waimea, New Zealand|Waimea]]. He is believed to have prospered here, and he returned briefly to Melbourne to marry Louisa. He established a store, and then expanded his business to include the sale of alcohol, becoming a [[Public house|publican]]. He was followed to the West Coast by his older sister Phoebe, younger brothers Edward and Jim and younger sister Mary.{{sfn|Brooking|2014|p=2}} Phoebe married William Cunliffe on 9 May 1863 at Holy Trinity Church Eccleston. Their son Bill was Labour MP [[David Cunliffe]]'s grandfather, making Richard Seddon David Cunliffe's great-great-uncle.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.greystar.co.nz/content/cunliffe%E2%80%99s-great-uncle-dick|title=Cunliffe's great-uncle Dick|work=Grey Star|access-date=14 January 2015}}</ref>