Bernal Heights Preservation Society Honoring the history of San Francisco's Bernal Heights and supporting the preservation
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440 Cortland -- History of a Meat Market and a Family
South San Francisco resident Gloria Wiegner Lane has done extensive research into the house at 440 Cortland her father grew up in.
Clement Richardson and Bridget Mary Sheehan married in 1874 and had six children (later nine) when they moved into the house at 440 Cortland Avenue in 1887. Clement, a roustabout on the docks, was killed in an accident in 1897; aided by several of her children, Bridget ran a coal yard on Mission Street while taking in boarders. In 1902, her son George opened Bernal Meats at 448 Cortland; later, his younger brother Walter helped with this enterprise, which flourished for 25 years. In the photo below, dated 1909, son Bill Richardson can be seen with two of Bridget? grandchildren, Florence and Melvin Wiegner. The bunting was to honor the citywide Portola Festival, which celebrated San Francisco's renaissance from ruin after the earthquake.
This building stood where Good Life Grocery is today.
Bridget Richardson. After Clement died in 1897, Bridget ran a coal yard at 3501 Mission. By that time she was 44 years old with eight of her nine children still living at home.
Clement Richardson