Livesey was born on the 25th March 1884 in Blackburn, Lancashire. He was the son of James William Livesey (born 1860) and Mary Ellen Haworth Edmondson (born 1863). Richard married Ethel Maud Talbot in July 1913, but Ethel unfortunately died on 6th March 1919, the same month that her son Maxwell was born. There was an elder daughter, Kathleen M Livesey, born in 1914. Richard re-married in September 1921 to Ivy Valeria Dawson and they had a son James Dawson Livesey (1925-1997).

His marriage registration of 8th July 1913, shows his age as 29 and his Rank or Profession as "Solicitor and Undergraduate of S. Catharine's College Cambridge". A newspaper cutting from 1939, states that he gave up the law in 1911 to enter the church and was appointed curate at St Augustine's church Hull in March 1915.

There were no blood grandchildren from this line.

The Revd. was Vicar of Langtoft until his death on 1st December 1950.