W. Richards of London (and then of Liverpool) was founded by William Richards. They are still in business to this day and are of no immediate relation to Westley Richards.
W. Richards was a name used for knock-off guns in Belgium and sold in the Americas even before Westley Richards was well enough known to be a subject of "knock offs". So either they were making knock offs of the real W. Richards or they were just picking arbitrary Anglo names to give the product some esteem.
Here is a best grade English Made W. Richards of Liverpool gun that I've consigned with a gun shop. It was owned by a very wealthy Baronet in England and as you can see, it is a truly best gun not to be confused with Belgian hardware store junk.
http://coveyandnye.com/purveyor-of-fine-...ards-best-grade
