Ridleys of Willimoteswick, Ridleys of Blagdon Hall and Ridley Glass Works

[Genie24]

I am trying to establish links with my Ridley ancestors to the above. My great x 3 grandfather Thomas Ridley 1808-1867 was one of 6 children having 2 sisters and 3 brothers. All sons were boatbuilders as was  their father Robert Ridley 1780-1843. He was living at Dent's Hole on the 1841 census. This family is mentioned in the Google book - The History of the Ancient Rydales which states that they were descended from the ancient family - Ridleys of Willimoteswick.

Robert married Margaret Craggs on 23 November 1800. His  father was Aaron Ridley (there are a lot of Aarons in my family) I think born around 1755. His mother was Catherine White born about 1754.  Margarets parents were Thomas Craggs and Margaret Wright.
Thomas (G x 3) married Elizabeth French at All Saints Church in 1830. Her father was Henry French and in his will it states he was of St. Lawrence Without the Walls and was in partnership with Matthew White Ridley (of Blagdon Hall) at Crown Glass Works . He managed it alongside  a John Head who was an executor in  his will together with a Thomas Jackson and Thomas Ridley.

I know that beside the Crown Glass Works there was also, among others,  the Ridley Brothers Bottle Glass Works at St Peter's Quay and the Wright Brothers Flint Glass Works, Forth Street, Newcastle.
Robert Ridley had 4 sons - Thomas (my line),  Robert White Ridley, George Stoker Ridley and John Wright Ridley so I think that these families are connected but I can't find the connection.

Can anyone help or advise where I can find more information about these glass works or the White Ridley, Wright pedigrees so I can hopefully trace the marriages. The Blagdon Estate website refers to two Ridley White marriges so I think this is another one.

[pityackafromblyth]

Genie24, One place you could start searching is  www.englandsnortheast.co.uk  there is reference on that site to chemicals and glass making in the North East.  It seems the main site was Lemington at Newcastle-on-Tyne.  However, there was also glass making at Walker.  A friend who was born in the 1920s, and who lived at Byker told me there was also glass making in the Byker area.
Wikipedia result shows only reference to Lemington for glass works at Newcastle.
A google search will probably show other sites for historical glass works in the area.
Best of luck.

[pityackafromblyth]

Genie24, Bingo re www.englandsnortheast.co.uk   There is reference to glass works at Byker, which commenced in the 1600s; and also Ouseburn (Newcastle).  They are very close to the river those two districts.  In that area is also St.Peter's Quay, which you mention, and it is also known as St. Peter's basin.

[Genie24]

Thanks for the link to the website. It looks very interesting so worth a proper look.
Since posting, I came across an 1982 university thesis about North East glass making. It has a reference to my great x 4 grandfather being  a manager with John Head 'in the early years of the century'. Henry died in 1815 and John Head in 1824 at which time Sir Matthew White Ridley offered the management of the Crown Glass Works  to someone outside the partnership - William Lorraine. The Crown Glass Works was sometimes referred to as the Broad and Crown Glass Works which was put up for sale in 1848.
There is also a reference to Thomas Ridley of The North Tyne Glass Company at St. Peter's Quay acquired by William Richardson son of Thomas Richardson. is partners were Robert Gothard, a local shipbuilded  and John Ridley which according to this thesus was 'no relation to Sir Matthew White Ridley'.
So really I am no further forward. I will continue to delve into the glassmaking records.

Thanks again.

[WolfieSmith]

Can't help with links to the stated families, and you've probably got most of this anyway, but I've written it down so you may as well have it. I think Aaron, at least from his burial, is born around 1745, not 1755. And I think Roberts wife Margaret is the daughter of Thomas Craggs and Ann Curry, not Margaret Wright. Some trees on Ancestry have Margaret born Newcastle in 1774, daughter of Thomas Craggs and Margaret Wright. But on her first 3 childrens baptisms her father is Thomas Craggs, a Pipemaker of Sunderland, and on the 4th a Pipemaker of Gateshead. And on the same trees in 1851 census, she's born Sunderland.

3 Dec 1777. Marriage at Cockfield, Durham. Aron Ridley of Newcastle St. John and Catherine White of this Parish.

25 Oct 1778. Baptism at Cockfield, Durham. Thomas Ridley, son of Aaron and Catherine Ridley of Newcastle.

17 Sep 1780. Baptism at Newcastle All Saints. Robert Ridley, son of Aaron Ridley, Tallow Chandler.

28 Dec 1783. Baptism at Gateshead St. Mary. Aaron Ridley, son of Aaron Ridley.

7 Aug 1785. Baptism at Gateshead St. Mary. Eleanor Ridley, daughter of Aaron Ridley.

7 Sep 1785. Burial at Gateshead St. Mary. Aaron, son of Aaron Ridley

4 Jan 1794. Burial at Gateshead St. Mary. Catherine, wife of Aaron Ridley, Tallow Chandler.

20 Jan 1820. Burial at Gateshead St. Mary. Aaron Ridley, age 75.
 
23 Nov 1800. Marriage at Gateshead St. Mary. Robert Ridley and Margaret Craggs.

On the baptisms of Robert and Margarets first 3 children at Newcastle All Saints, Margaret is down as daughter of Thomas Craggs, Pipemaker of Sunderland, on the 4th she is daughter of Thomas Craggs, Pipemaker of Gateshead.

So this is likely to be Margarets baptism :

22 Aug 1798. Bishopwearmouth. Margaret Craggs, born 20 Mar 1776, an adult, 1st daughter of Thomas Craggs, Pipemaker, Native of Durham, & Ann, formerly Curry, Native of Pelton.

19 June 1774. Marriage at Sunderland, Thomas Craggs and Ann Curry.

You have Robert and Margaret in Byker in 1841. This is likely to be widowed Margaret in 1851.

44 Ouse Burn, Byker
Margaret Ridley, wid, 75, b. Formerly a Servant, b. Sunderland,
HO107/2408/66/15

Alan.

[Genie24]

Hi Alan,
Sorry for late reply. I saw your message late last night and tried to reply on my tablet but it was playing up.
Thank you so much for taking the  time and trouble to give me this information. I am going to have a good look at everything and get my Ridleys sorted out once and for all. I am particularly excited about the information for Aaron Rudley and Catherine White. I had no idea he was a Tallow Chandler but I knew his grandson, also Aaron was a Tallow Chandler as it is stated on the 1841 census for him.
I will follow the Thomas Craggs and Ann Curry possibility but one of Robert and Margaret's sons was named John Wright Ridley.
I think the Ouseburn, Byker address for Margaret in 1841 must be correct as the Ridley sons of Robert and Margaret  were all shipbuilders and all lived around that area.
Can I ask where you found the information. Do you have access to the Newcastle/Gateshead registers?
Since posting, I have been in contact with a descendant of Henry French via one of his daughter's Eleanor. Her evidence proves without a doubt that my great x 3 grandmother was not Elizabeth French as she died in 1838 aged 33 and only had two sons. This lady has the monumental record of Henry' burial with his wife, sons and daughter Elizabeth.  She was married to Thomas Ridley who owned the Glass Bottle works not my Thomas Ridley boatbuilder. So good to rule this out. If you look at online trees, most people have my great x 2 grandfather Aaron Ridley as having mother Elizabeth French. I have sent off for his birth certificate to settle this confusion and will take it from there. There was another marriage in 1830 of a Thomas Ridley to an Elizabeth Chambers but I can't find any Chambers connections around that area. I think his mother was definitely Elizabeth born St. Anthony's Newcastle but neither of these. I need to find a definite baptism for their eldest child Margaret who I have as born 1830 (from another tree) so the marriage could be before that.
Thank you so much. I will get back once I have had a good look.
Julie

[Genie24]

I have been busy all day as have found most of the records you mention on Familysearch on The Durham Diocese Bishop's Transcripts. the only one I can't find is the burial of Aron Ridley 20th January 1820.
I haven't got around to the Craggs/Curry connection yet.
I already had Margaret Ridley widow of Robert living in Ouse Burn. I think it is definitely her.
Thanks again. I think I have made a lot of progress with my Ridleys.
Julie

[WolfieSmith]

Julie,

The Aaron Ridley 1820 Gateshead burial is on Freereg (www.freereg.org.uk).

It seems that Aaron passed the Tallow Chandlery trade and presumably the business on to his oldest son Thomas.

Marriage at Gateshead. 25 Sep 1811. Thomas Ridley and Jane McIntire.

Baptism at Gateshead. 24 Jan 1813. Aaron Ridley, son of Thomas Ridley, Tallow Chandler, and Jane, formerly McIntire.

Thomas Ridley, Tallow Chandler of Gateshead, will proved 1847, leaves everything to his wife Jane.

Janes Probate 1850 is claimed by her sons Aaron Ridley, Cheesemonger, and Thomas Ridley, Tallow Chandler, both of Gateshead.

Alan.

[WolfieSmith]

Just to add the last Ridley marriage and baptism I wrote down on Saturday, before I bin the piece of paper.

Marriage at Gateshead, 18 June 1805. Joseph Harrison and Eleanor Ridley.

Baptism at Gateshead, 16 Nov 1806. Joseph Harrison, son of Joseph Harrison, Block and Mast Maker, Native of Heddon on the Wall, and his wife Eleanor, daughter of Aaron Ridley, Native of Gateshead.

Alan.