Matthew White Ridley, 4th Viscount Ridley (29 July 1925 – 22 March 2012), was a British nobleman. He notably served as

Lord Steward of the Household The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is an official of the Royal Household in England. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government. Until 1782, the office was one of considerable political importance ...

from 1989 to 2001.

Background, education and military service

Ridley was the son of

Matthew White Ridley, 3rd Viscount Ridley Matthew White Ridley, 3rd Viscount Ridley (16 December 1902 – 25 February 1964) was a British peer, landowner, public servant and race car driver. He was also the third Baron Wensleydale and seventh Baronet Ridley. Biography Early life and ...

, and Ursula Lutyens, daughter of

Sir Edwin Lutyens Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens ( ; 29 March 1869 – 1 January 1944) was an English architect known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era. He designed many English country houses, war memoria ...

. His younger brother

Nicholas Ridley, Baron Ridley of Liddesdale Nicholas Ridley, Baron Ridley of Liddesdale, (17 February 1929 – 4 March 1993), was a British Conservative Party politician and government minister. As President of the Selsdon Group, a free-market lobby within the Conservative Party, he was ...

, was a prominent Conservative Party politician who served as a government minister for nearly all of

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...

's years as Prime Minister. Matthew Ridley was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, ...

and spent several months studying agriculture at King's College, University of Durham (now Newcastle University). The Second World War interrupted his education and he joined the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...

, serving in Normandy and Germany in 1944–45. He then studied at Oxford, graduating with a degree in Agriculture from

Balliol College Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the ...

in 1948. He then served as an '' aide-de-camp'' to Sir Evelyn Baring, then

Governor of Kenya This article contains a list of chairmen, administrators, commissioners and governors of British Kenya Colony. The office of Governor of Kenya was replaced by the office of Governor General in 1963 and then later replaced by a President of Kenya ...

. During this time he furthered his interest in nature and science. In 1955, Ridley and zoologist Lord Richard Percy spent four months on an uninhabited island in the

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, ...

studying the plight of the dwindling sooty tern. Later he joined the Territorial Army, reaching the rank of Brevet

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

in the Northumberland Hussars: he became Honorary Colonel of that unit in 1979.

Public life

Ridley succeeded his father in the viscountcy in 1964. He was Chairman of Northumberland County Council from 1967 to 1979. He chaired several companies and societies, before serving as Chancellor of the University of Newcastle from 1988 to 1999, as

Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland. Since 1802, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Northumberland. *Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland *Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland ? ...

from 1984 to 2000, and as

from 1989 to 2001. He was succeeded by the

Duke of Abercorn The title Duke of Abercorn () is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1868 and bestowed upon James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Abercorn. Although the Dukedom is in the Peerage of Ireland, it refers to Abercorn, West Lothian, and th ...

as Lord Steward in 2001. He was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter in 1992 and appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

in 1994. He retired in 1999 and did not stand for election as a hereditary peer after the House of Lords Act.

Marriage and children

Ridley was married on 3 January 1953 to Lady Anne Katharine Gabrielle Lumley (born 16 November 1928, died 2006), daughter of Lawrence Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarbrough. They had four children together: *

Hon. ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific Style (ma ...

Cecilia Anne Ridley (born 1 December 1953) * Hon. Rose Emily Ridley (13 August 1956 – 24 June 2020), married

Owen Paterson Owen William Paterson (born 24 June 1956) is a British former politician who served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2010 to 2012 and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2012 to 2014 under Prime Minist ...

in 1980 and had two sons and a daughter * Matthew White Ridley, 5th Viscount Ridley (born 7 February 1958) * Hon. Mary Victoria Ridley (born 30 November 1962) Ridley died on 22 March 2012 and was succeeded in the viscountcy by his only son.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ridley, Matthew Ridley, 4th Viscount 1925 births 2012 deaths Military personnel from Northumberland British colonels Knights of the Garter Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Lord-Lieutenants of Northumberland Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford British Army personnel of World War II Coldstream Guards officers People associated with Newcastle University Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Northumberland Hussars officers Matthew Lutyens family People educated at Eton College