Betty Ridley
Encyclopedia
Dame Mildred Betty Ridley, DBE (September 10, 1909 - August 1, 2005) was a leading figure in the life of the Church of England from the 1960s into the 1980s, serving as Third Church Estates Commissioner from 1972 until 1981, the first woman to hold the post. She is also remembered her role in the very successful and moving television programme Evensong, shown in the BBC
's Everyman
series in December 1992.
Her father, Henry Mosley, was then Rector of Poplar, London
. He was later appointed Bishop of Stepney
and, after nine years, Bishop of Southwell. She was educated at the independent North London Collegiate School
and at Cheltenham Ladies' College
. Aged 19, she married Michael Ridley, her father's chaplain, and that determined the course of her life for the next 25 years. Michael Ridley became incumbent of parishes in Pimlico
and Finchley
, then died at an early age in 1953, leaving his widow with four children.
Ridley had always had a strong belief that women should not be excluded from those whom the Church would accept as candidates for Holy Orders. (Her father was at one time chairman of a central Council for Women's Church Work). She took many opportunities to forward this cause. She was, for example, in 1979 a founding member of the Movement for the Ordination of Women.
As a widow Ridley recognised periodic bereavements as a fact of life. Her only brother had been killed on the last day of the battle of El Alamein
. Yet it was not long before new doors were opened. Her experience as a mother, a bishop's daughter and a parson's wife soon found various new outlets. And there was music. She was a member of the Bach Choir for the greater part of her adult life, singing under Reginald Jacques
and David Willcocks. Music had always featured largely in the life of the family.
Before her husband died, she was elected to the Anglican Church Assembly and joined the Council for Woman's Work. She played a major part in settling the structures of the Assembly's successor body, the General Synod. For the first decade of its life, she was at the heart of the new Synod. She served for 25 years on the Central Board of Finance and she was a member "the first woman to be appointed" of the Advisory Council for the Training of the Ministry. In 1982 she chaired the Crown Appointments Commission that led to the appointment of John Habgood as Archbishop of York.
But there was not only Church House, the headquarters of the Synod, there was also Millbank, the home of the Church Commissioners. From 1959 to 1981 she was herself a Commissioner, and active on various committees. In 1972 Archbishop Michael Ramsey
appointed her to succeed Sir Hubert Ashton
as Third Church Estates Commissioner, the first woman to hold the post, one which she held until 1981.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Everyman
Everyman
In literature and drama, the term everyman has come to mean an ordinary individual, with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify easily, and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances...
series in December 1992.
Her father, Henry Mosley, was then Rector of Poplar, London
Poplar, London
Poplar is a historic, mainly residential area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is about east of Charing Cross. Historically a hamlet in the parish of Stepney, Middlesex, in 1817 Poplar became a civil parish. In 1855 the Poplar District of the Metropolis was...
. He was later appointed Bishop of Stepney
Bishop of Stepney
The Bishop of Stepney is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of London, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Stepney, an inner-city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets...
and, after nine years, Bishop of Southwell. She was educated at the independent North London Collegiate School
North London Collegiate School
North London Collegiate School is an independent day school for girls founded in 1850 in Camden Town, and now in the London Borough of Harrow.The Good Schools Guide called the school an "Academically stunning outer London school in a glorious setting which, in 2003, demonstrated its refusal to rest...
and at Cheltenham Ladies' College
Cheltenham Ladies' College
The Cheltenham Ladies' College is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.-History:The school was founded in 1853...
. Aged 19, she married Michael Ridley, her father's chaplain, and that determined the course of her life for the next 25 years. Michael Ridley became incumbent of parishes in Pimlico
Pimlico
Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
and Finchley
Finchley
Finchley is a district in Barnet in north London, England. Finchley is on high ground, about north of Charing Cross. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, becoming a municipal borough in 1933, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965...
, then died at an early age in 1953, leaving his widow with four children.
Ridley had always had a strong belief that women should not be excluded from those whom the Church would accept as candidates for Holy Orders. (Her father was at one time chairman of a central Council for Women's Church Work). She took many opportunities to forward this cause. She was, for example, in 1979 a founding member of the Movement for the Ordination of Women.
As a widow Ridley recognised periodic bereavements as a fact of life. Her only brother had been killed on the last day of the battle of El Alamein
El Alamein
El Alamein is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. As of 2007, it has a local population of 7,397 inhabitants.- Climate :...
. Yet it was not long before new doors were opened. Her experience as a mother, a bishop's daughter and a parson's wife soon found various new outlets. And there was music. She was a member of the Bach Choir for the greater part of her adult life, singing under Reginald Jacques
Reginald Jacques
Thomas Reginald Jacques was an English choral and orchestral conductor. His legacy includes various choral music arrangements, but he is not primarily remembered as a composer....
and David Willcocks. Music had always featured largely in the life of the family.
Before her husband died, she was elected to the Anglican Church Assembly and joined the Council for Woman's Work. She played a major part in settling the structures of the Assembly's successor body, the General Synod. For the first decade of its life, she was at the heart of the new Synod. She served for 25 years on the Central Board of Finance and she was a member "the first woman to be appointed" of the Advisory Council for the Training of the Ministry. In 1982 she chaired the Crown Appointments Commission that led to the appointment of John Habgood as Archbishop of York.
But there was not only Church House, the headquarters of the Synod, there was also Millbank, the home of the Church Commissioners. From 1959 to 1981 she was herself a Commissioner, and active on various committees. In 1972 Archbishop Michael Ramsey
Michael Ramsey
Arthur Michael Ramsey, Baron Ramsey of Canterbury PC was the 100th Archbishop of Canterbury. He was appointed on 31 May 1961 and was in office from June 1961 to 1974.-Career:...
appointed her to succeed Sir Hubert Ashton
Hubert Ashton
Sir Hubert Ashton KBE MC was an English cricketer and politician...
as Third Church Estates Commissioner, the first woman to hold the post, one which she held until 1981.
External links
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/aug/04/religion.gender
- http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr5805.html