Richard was educated at the London Hospital, where he graduated M.B. in 1897 and M.D. (in Gynaecology and Obstetrics) in 1904. He became F.R.C.S. in 1907. After holding the appointments of house-physician, house-surgeon, and receiving-roon officer at the London Hospital, he served in the Boer war as a civil surgeon in the South African Field Force. At the end of the Boer war he became resident medical officer in Queen Charlotte's Lying-in Hospital, where he was elected physician, then went onto join the staff of the Samaritan Hospital. In 1907 he was appointed obstetric registrar and tutor at the London Hospital, and in 1912 was elected assistant obstetric physician and lecturer on midwifery to nurses. During the Great War he served with the R.A.M.C. (T.F.) and commanded the London Hospital section of the University Officers' Training Corps. He died within 24 hours after having an operation. He was the son of Richard and Margaret (nee Burns) Maxwell of Oxford Gardens, W.