Richard was the only son of Thomas Southwell and his wife Elizabeth Starkey.
His father was the 1st Baronet Southwell of Castle Mattress, County Limerick.
In 1661, Southwell was elected to the Irish House of Commons for Askeaton in County Limerick, representing the borough until 1666.
[3] Having predeceased his father, Southwell's oldest son Thomas succeeded his grandfather as baronet and was later elevated to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Southwell.
This article about a Member of the Parliament of Ireland (up to 1800) is a stub.