John Ridley (inventor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Ridley
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| Born | 26 May 1806 near West Boldon, County Durham, England
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| Died | 25 November 1887 (aged 81) London, England
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| Occupation | miller, inventor, landowner, investor, farming machinery manufacturer, farmer and preacher |
| Known for | Ridley harvesting machine |
| Spouse(s) | Mary White Pybus (1807–1884) |
| Children | born England: Mary Elizabeth Ridley (1836–1840), Anne Eleanor Ridley (1839–1924); born Hindmarsh, South Australia: Mary Elizabeth Ridley (1843–), Jane Taylor Ridley (1845–1929) |
John Ridley (born May 26, 1806 – died November 25, 1887) was an English inventor and businessman. He lived in Australia for a while. John Ridley is most famous for inventing a special machine called "Ridley's Stripper." This machine helped farmers harvest wheat much faster. It would cut off the tops of the wheat plants, and then the grains would be separated later. A part of Adelaide, Australia, called Ridleyton, is named after him.
Contents
Who Was John Ridley?
Early Life and Education
John Ridley was born in England, near a place called West Boldon. His father, also named John, was a miller, which means he operated a mill to grind grain into flour. Sadly, John's father passed away when John was only five years old.
His mother, Mary, continued to run the family business. When John was 15, he started helping manage the mill. John didn't go to school for very long. However, he loved to read books and had an amazing memory. He found an encyclopedia when he was young and was fascinated by the science articles. Science and religion were his biggest interests throughout his life. He started giving speeches about religion at 18. By age 23, he was a recognized local preacher.
Moving to Australia
After his mother died in 1835, John Ridley married Mary Pybus. In November 1839, they sailed to South Australia on a ship called the Warrior. They arrived in Adelaide on April 17, 1840, with their two young children.
John Ridley's Work in Australia
Starting a New Life
When John Ridley arrived in South Australia, he bought land near Hindmarsh, close to Adelaide. He took over a flour mill and installed the first steam engine in South Australia. This engine, a Watt's Beam engine, could cut wood and grind grain. He also started growing wheat on his land in Hindmarsh.
John Ridley was very good at planning ahead. He thought that the government's spending might lead to economic problems. He also believed that more farms would start growing crops. So, he rented out his farm. He then focused on finding grain for his mill, buying more land, and investing in a new copper mine at Burra. He was also very interested in new machines. He even spent time trying to build a windmill to pump water. People said that if his baby cried at night, he would immediately think of a machine to rock the cradle!
Inventing the Wheat Stripper
By 1843, the farms in the colony were growing so much wheat that there weren't enough workers to harvest it all. This was a big problem. John Ridley spent a lot of time trying to invent a machine that could harvest wheat. He got ideas from a picture in a book called An Encyclopaedia of Agriculture.
In September 1843, a local committee offered a prize of £40 for the best design of a harvesting machine. John Ridley didn't enter the contest because his machine was almost finished. It was being built at a factory owned by John Stokes Bagshaw. On September 23, 1843, it was reported that no machine had been shown that the committee felt was good enough.
But in October, Ridley's machine was ready for its first tests. A month later, an improved version of the machine was successfully tested on his tenant's farm. It harvested about 70 acres (28 hectares) of wheat in just one week! On November 18, 1843, the Adelaide Observer newspaper announced that "a further trial of Mr Ridley's machine has established its success."
Over the next year, John Ridley worked on making his machine even better. In 1845, he built seven of these machines. By 1850, more than 50 of his machines were being used in South Australia. Some were even sent to other places. The Ridley stripper was later recognized as a very important invention by Engineers Australia.
Later Life and Legacy
Returning to England
John Ridley made a good amount of money from his harvesting machine. But he earned even more from his investments in the Burra copper mine, his flour mill, and his land. He was quite wealthy. In 1853, he and his family left Australia for a long trip through Europe.
After several years, they settled back in England. There, he spent his time on inventing new things and focusing on his religious beliefs. He paid to print thousands of copies of religious speeches and writings that he believed in. He gave these out to many people. He was also an active preacher and gave many gifts to churches and missions.
John Ridley's Lasting Impact
John Ridley passed away on November 25, 1887, in London. He was survived by his two daughters. A special silver candelabrum, given to him by old friends from South Australia in 1861, is now kept at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute.
John Ridley truly cared about helping others and improving things in a practical way. These things were more important to him than making money. He was very independent and didn't want government rewards in South Australia. His memory is honored there by the Ridley memorial scholarship at Roseworthy Agricultural College. There are also memorial gates at the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society's showground in Wayville, and an area for voting called Ridley.
His machine, which could both cut and separate the grain, was incredibly helpful for Australia. Even though it was improved over the years, no major new invention came along until Hugh Victor McKay built his harvester about 40 years later. John Ridley chose not to get a patent for his machine, and he refused any offers of money or rewards for it.
In 1933, the Ridley Gates were built at the Adelaide Showgrounds in Wayville to honor him.
The Adelaide suburb of Ridleyton is named after him. Also, Ridley Grove, a street in the suburbs of Ferryden Park and Woodville Gardens, carries his name.
