Richard Gardner (1812 – 4 June 1856), was an English member of the United Kingdom Parliament, representing Leicestershire. Gardner was born in Manchester, the eldest son of Robert Gardner, then a merchant in London. He attended first Charterhouse School, then Manchester School, then finally Wadham College, Oxford University where he graduated with a BA in 1838, at the same time he joined the Inner Temple and practised as a barrister. Through this time he spoke about universal suffrage and published some political pamphlets on the subject. He was elected as a Liberal member of parliament for Leicester in 1847 and was defeated in June, 1848, then re-elected in the general election of 1852, and held the seat until his death 4 June 1856.