We have also this week, to publish, with feelings of regret and sympathy, the portraits of two young Englishmen who were among the murdered victims of mob fury at Alexandria on that fatal Sunday afternoon. They were both from Manchester, and engaged in commercial business; they were in joint charge of a stock of cotton goods, worth about £4000, stored in the Manchester House, Place des Consuls, at Alexandria. Mr. Robert James Dobson, who was but twenty years of age, was son of Mr. Robert Dobson, of Manchester, and brother to Mr. John R. Dobson, of the Gresham Shipping House, Bloom-street, in that city. Mr. Reginald John Richardson, who was seven or eight years older, was acting for Mr. Dobson, senior, in his business at Alexandria, and was assisted by the younger gentleman. It appears that they were personally acquainted with some members of the staff of the Eastern Telegraph Company at Alexandria. During the riots on the Marina, an attempt was made by the telegraph officials to secure the shore end of the submarine cable in the harbour from being destroyed or damaged by the mob. This drew upon them a murderous attack; and Mr. Richardson and Mr. Dobson, seeing their friends in danger, gallantly interposed to aid in their defence. They were unhappily struck down, and either killed on the spot, or so much injured by savage blows and wounds as to die shortly afterwards in the hospital. The other Englishmen killed were Dr. H. Ribton, Mr. Pibworth, chief engineer of H.M.S. Superb, and two seamen of H.M.S. Helicon; while Mr. Cookson, the British Consul-General, was severely beaten. Several of the other European victims of this massacre, being Maltese, were British subjects; and our Government will demand full satisfaction. Germans, Italians, Greeks, and one American, were killed in the affray, which cost above fifty lives of foreigners, and as many of the natives. The sketch on our front page was drawn by an eyewitness in the Rue des Soeurs.
Source: The Illustrated London News, July 1, 1882, p.6
