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RIDLEYS OF BURY ST. EDMUND'S, ENGLAND.
Constance Ridley (1), fifth daughter of James² (1), was born in
Sydney, Australia.
Ambrose Ridley³ (1), fourth son of James2 (1), was born in Sydney,
Australia, and is now (1884) at home with his aged parents.
RIDLEYS OF BURY ST. EDMUND'S, ENGLAND.
The Ridleys have been tanners at Bury St. Edmund's for a long period
of time, and moved and added the tan-yards there to their business at
Soham, about one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy years
ago. Early in the sixteenth century, a Richard (or Henry) Ridley was
head of the tan-yard firm at Soham, and had a son.
Lancellot Ridley² (1), who carried on the tannery business at Soham
and St. Edmund's. From him descended directly
John Ridley (1), who moved the entire business to Bury St. Ed-
mund's. He married Mary and had issue two sons (probably other
sons and daughters), of whom hereafter. He died Sept. 3. 1779, aged
70; his wife died in 1781, and was buried in the same ground.
John Ridley (2), son of John³ (1), became head of this family, and
of the tan-yard firm. He married and had issue two (probably others)
sons, of whom hereafter.
Rev. Thomas Ridley' (1), son of John³ (1), was divinity minister,
from whom descended Thomas Ridley and others, of Ipswich.
FIFTH GENERATION.
John Ridley (3), Esq., eldest son of John (2), was born at Bury St-
Edmund's, and became a magistrate for that borough. He was a promi.
nent and learned man. He married, had issue, and died in 1853, aged 73.
William Ridley5 (1), second son of John¹ (2), was born at Bury St.
Edmund's, May 28, 1786(?); married in 1811 to Maria, eldest daughter of
Thomas Dixon, of County of Essex, and had issue eleven children, of
whom hereafter. He was a "substantial and highly respected miller,"
and a biographical notice of him was published in an English journal at
the time of his death, June 3, 1852. His wife died May 7, 1837. Mr.
Ridley was 66 years of age.
SIXTH GENERATION.
John Ridley (4), a son of John5 (3), was born at Bury St. Edmund's;
married his second cousin, named Ridley, and had issue a daughter (prob
ably other issue), who was married to a Mr. Ridley of Reading. His first
wife dying, he married, secondly, Catherine E., who is now living.
Mr. Ridley is a magistrate of Bury, now old and infirm; his memory so
impaired he could not aid me in my researches. It is though the pos-
sesses the family records.
Thomas-Dixon Ridley" (1), eldest son of William (1), was born
March 22, 1814, at Hartford End, Essex, Eng.; married June 17, 1841,
Lydia, eldest daughter of William C. Wells, of Chelmsford, Essex, brewer,
and had issue five children, of whom hereafter. He died Feb. 10, 1882.
Occupation not known; supposed to have been a miller.
