Where did the name "Twosign" come from?
An interesting feature of the Richardson family history is the recurrence of the name "Twosign" (or "Tousine" as it was written in the 1841 census) as a given name through at least three generations. I have searched for the occurrence of the name in any other family, and found none. This inevitably leads to speculation as to the origin of the name.
According to descendants of the Richardsons, there is a family legend that the
name Twosign came from a shipwrecked cabin boy (or black cabin boy in one
version of the story), who became in some way linked with the Richardson family,
possibly by adoption or marriage. Even assuming that the story has been
embellished over the generations, it is likely that it contains some fragments
of the truth, and
provides the basis for a plausible explanation for the name.
Noting that the Sussex coast is close to France, this is the first place to look
for an origin for the name Twosign. A quick search of French Christian names
immediately gives a possible candidate - Toussaint (pronounced too-sang or
too-sign). The name originates from the common practice, particularly in
catholic countries, of naming children after religious artefacts, usually saints
but also including festivals such as Christmas (Noel) and All Saints Day
(Toussaint). Toussaint and the similar-sounding Toussin are also found as a
surnames. On arrival in England, the French pronunciation would naturally have
been retained. Most ordinary people were unable to read or write prior to the
mid-19th century, so the name would not be erroneously pronounced in English as
"Two-Saint" as would happen today, as the French spelling would be unknown to
anyone including the name's owner. When his name was first written down in
England, probably by a church clerk, an English phonetic spelling would have
been used, and "Two-Sign" is a close approximation, built from two common
English words, to the French pronunciation of Toussaint.
The theory given above is the one I would put my money on for the origin of the
name "Twosign". But it is still only a theory, and if anyone can come up with a
better explanation, or more evidence to support this explanation, I'll be
pleased to hear it!