Worsted spinner and manufacturer, of Bradford. With his father, also Richard Fawcett, he was one of Bradford's first mill owners, building a mill in 1801and acquiring Holme Mill (then recently destroyed by fire) in 1804 and rebuilding it with one of the town's first steam engines. In 1825 he led the town's last St. Blaise procession in celebration of the woolcombers' patron saint. That same year saw the weavers and hand combers strike, and although a major employer he refused to implement the more extreme measures demanded by other mill owners, including a lock-out. Originally a member at the WM Octagon chapel, he came into possession of the old preaching house on the opening of Kirkgate chapel in 1811, of which he became a trustee. He was then living in Horton. He served as one of the town's Improvement Commisioners.

His uncle, the Rev. John Fawcett (1740-1817) was influenced in his youth by George Whitefield and was later minister of Wainsgate Baptist chapel, Hebden Bridge. A prolific hymn-writer, his Hymns adapted to the Circumstances of Public and Private Worship (Leeds, 1782) included the hymn, 'Blest be the tie that binds'.

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