From the correspondence from his friends, it appeared that he moved to Cornwall due to the health of his mother-in-law.
Richard Malone’s mother-in-law died only a year after leaving London and then Richard wanted to return to London in 1867. He had heard that the incumbent of Paddington was going to be the new Dean of Exeter so he wrote to the Bishop to find out if he could be considered for that parish.
It is very hard and unpleasant to hint at any peculiar fitness I have for the position I should like: but I may mention that in a very hard post in Westminster I was enabled to organise all the institutions of the District: and that the late Dean of Westminster selected me as an Easter preacher in the Abbey. I venture to write to Vice Chancellor Wood and other Westminster friends to testify to my qualifications should your Lordship deem their knowledge of my work more accurate than your own. [19]