Matthew Ridley, 1st Viscount Ridley
Encyclopedia
Matthew White Ridley, 1st Viscount Ridley PC, DL
(25 July 1842 – 28 November 1904), known as Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bt from 1877 to 1900, was a British
Conservative
politician and statesman. He notably served as Home Secretary
from 1895 to 1900.
, the eldest son of Sir Matthew White Ridley, 4th Baronet
and his wife the Hon. Cecilia Anne, daughter of James Parke, 1st Baron Wensleydale
and his wife Cecilia Arabella Frances Barlow. He was educated at Harrow
and Balliol College, Oxford
. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts
in 1865, he was a Fellow
of All Souls
for nine years.
for Northumberland North, and held this seat for seventeen years before being returned as member for the Blackpool
Division of North Lancashire
in 1886. Having been Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
for two years in Disraeli's administration, Sir Matthew Ridley (as he became when he succeeded his father as fifth baronet in 1877) was Financial Secretary to the Treasury
in Lord Salisbury's interim government of 1885 to 1886. In 1895, after the fall of Lord Rosbery's ministry, and having already failed in April of that year to be elected Speaker of the House of Commons
, Ridley became Home Secretary
, and held this post until his retirement in 1900. He was that same year created Viscount Ridley and Baron Wensleydale, of Blagdon and Blyth
in the County
of Northumberland
.
and his wife Isabella Weir-Hogg, on 10 December 1873. They were parents to five children:
Lord Ridley died aged 62 at his Blagdon
home, and was buried there.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(25 July 1842 – 28 November 1904), known as Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bt from 1877 to 1900, was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and statesman. He notably served as Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
from 1895 to 1900.
Background and education
Ridley was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the eldest son of Sir Matthew White Ridley, 4th Baronet
Sir Matthew Ridley, 4th Baronet
Sir Matthew White Ridley, 4th Baronet was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.He was appointed High Sheriff of Northumberland for 1841 and then served as Member of Parliament for Northumberland North from 1859 to 1868.He inherited the baronetcy on the death in 1836 of his father...
and his wife the Hon. Cecilia Anne, daughter of James Parke, 1st Baron Wensleydale
James Parke, 1st Baron Wensleydale
James Parke, 1st Baron Wensleydale PC was a British barrister and judge. After an education at The King's School, Macclesfield and Trinity College, Cambridge he studied under a special pleader, before being called to the Bar by the Inner Temple in 1813...
and his wife Cecilia Arabella Frances Barlow. He was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1865, he was a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of All Souls
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
for nine years.
Political career
In 1868, he was elected Conservative Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Northumberland North, and held this seat for seventeen years before being returned as member for the Blackpool
Blackpool (UK Parliament constituency)
Blackpool was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Blackpool in Lancashire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
Division of North Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
in 1886. Having been Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
-Non-permanent and parliamentary under-secretaries, 1782-present:*April 1782: Evan Nepean*April 1782: Thomas Orde*July 1782: Henry Strachey*April 1783: George North*February 1784: Hon. John Townshend*June 1789: Scrope Bernard*July 1794: The Hon...
for two years in Disraeli's administration, Sir Matthew Ridley (as he became when he succeeded his father as fifth baronet in 1877) was Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Secretary to the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are several Secretaries to the Treasury, who are junior Treasury ministers nominally acting as secretaries to HM Treasury. The origins of the office are unclear, although it probably originated during Lord Burghley's tenure as Lord Treasurer in the 16th century. The...
in Lord Salisbury's interim government of 1885 to 1886. In 1895, after the fall of Lord Rosbery's ministry, and having already failed in April of that year to be elected Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
, Ridley became Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, and held this post until his retirement in 1900. He was that same year created Viscount Ridley and Baron Wensleydale, of Blagdon and Blyth
Blyth, Northumberland
Blyth is a town and civil parish in southeast Northumberland, England. It lies on the coast, to the south of the River Blyth and is approximately 21 kilometres northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne...
in the County
Counties of England
Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...
of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
.
Family
Lord Ridley married Mary Georgiana Marjoribanks (1850 – 14 March 1909), daughter of Dudley Marjoribanks, 1st Baron TweedmouthDudley Marjoribanks, 1st Baron Tweedmouth
Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks, 1st Baron Tweedmouth was a Scottish businessman and a Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1853 until 1880, when he was elevated to thepeerage as Baron Tweedmouth...
and his wife Isabella Weir-Hogg, on 10 December 1873. They were parents to five children:
- Matthew White Ridley, 2nd Viscount RidleyMatthew White Ridley, 2nd Viscount RidleyMatthew White Ridley, 2nd Viscount Ridley was a British Conservative politician, elected as the Member of Parliament for Stalybridge at the 1900 general election. He vacated the seat on succeeding to his father's peerage in 1904.Ridley was the son and heir of Sir Matthew White Ridley, 1st Viscount...
(6 December 1874 – 14 February 1916) - Cecilia Marjorie Ridley (1879 – 16 August 1896)
- Hon. Stella Ridley (born 1884), married Rupert GwynneRupert GwynneRupert Sackville Gwynne , was a British Conservative politician. He was Member of Parliament for Eastbourne from 1910 to 1924.-Early years:...
- Hon. Sir Jasper Nicholas Ridley (6 January 1887 – 1 October 1951). He was a Knight Commander of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. - Hon. Grace Ridley (1889 – 22 September 1959), married Roundell Palmer, 3rd Earl of SelborneRoundell Palmer, 3rd Earl of SelborneRoundell Cecil Palmer, 3rd Earl of Selborne, CH, PC was a British Conservative politician, known as Viscount Wolmer from 1895 to 1941....
.
Lord Ridley died aged 62 at his Blagdon
Blagdon
Blagdon is a village and civil parish in the ceremonial county of Somerset, within the unitary authority of North Somerset, in England. It is located in the Mendip Hills, a recognised Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. According to the 2001 census it has a population of 1,172...
home, and was buried there.