Frederick Edward Ridgeway

C.S. B.Beadles

18 February 2018, 16:34

To A.M.L. RIDGEWAY. Hello, I'm Christopher Beadles, 71 years old,- now (since 1976) living in France. My Father, Dr.H.F.S.Beadles bought Bishop's Cottage, Wallace Rd.(Alfred Russel Wallace lived next door),Broadstone, Dorset in 1948 from an antique dealer (or heir). B.C.was built in 1910(?). Your G.G.Grandfather used it as a holiday house. Originally 3 acres ,tennis court, apple orchard a 7 bedroom house. It stood almost at the top of the hill leading to Broadstone with views to Poole Harbour (4 miles away) and the Purbeck Hills.
I use the past tense as my Father sold it (unfortunately)(1973?) to a development company - there are now 2 blocks of flats! I'm writing to know if any old photos exist of this place.

As above, great grandson of Bishop F E Ridgeway

24 October 2016, 01:45

Greetings, My name is Adrian Moray Lancelot Ridgeway ARCM (Hons), LRAM (Royal College of Music, Kensington) the Great Grandson of the Rt. Rev Fredrick Edward Ridgeway, Bishop of Kensington, Bishop of Salisbury Cathedral. It is with superb delight that I have come across these lovely pictures, these as presented and preserved by your distinguished gallery. I cannot tell you how much joy has filled my heart seeing his kindly gentle face in these portraits. I have over the years researched him, but only now have I had the time to spend on my quest. At this time I will just fill you in with a few details, hopefully a little later with more. Alas I have myself been hospitalized for almost one year, this following a very close encounter with death by severe acute pancreatitis last November. It's a long unworthy story. Bishop Fredrick was father to my Grand Father, the Rev. Neville Vibart Ridgeway. Rev. V as he was known was the School Chaplin at Tonbridge School, Kent, also the House Master of Ferox Hall. Following his retirement he moved to Bermuda to assist the Rev Canon Peter Evans, Rector of St. Paul's Parish Church in Paget. For the past 27 years I myself have served the same St. Paul's as Organist & Master of the Choir. Rev Vibart (V!) was father to my Father, Group Captain Moray Vibart Ridgeway, RAF. He had a distinguished career in Castal Command and Bommer Command and was Station Commander at Grantham AFS. He was also King George VI private pilot and somewhere we have photographs of Moray with the King in full flight suits, parachute packs and all. After the war my Father briefly settled in the US where he reunited with his American wife, Pat and fathered 3 children. In a short time the after effects of the war complied and conspired to eventually end the marriage and my Father moved to Bermuda, reunited with Rev Vibart, his father and his second wife, a French lady named Clarinda. Shortly before my Father had met and married my Mother, Pamela Mary Holbrow from Bradford-on- Avon, near Bath, Whiltshire. I was born on August 5, 1957 and my sister Andromeda Mary was born on July 18, 1961. I myself continued the Tonbridge tradition and was awarded a full Organ Scholarship to the school in 1971. After a convoluted period of history I eventually was awarded a position at the Royal College of Music, studying organ performance, composition with Dr. William Lloyd Webber (father of Andrew), and piano with Professor Dr John Russell. Dr Russell wrote and conducted the musical score for the famous post war movie epic "Dangerous Moonlight" I could go on some more, but will stop here. I have rather taken the liberty of writing about myself I'm afraid and fear that it's not relevant with regard the subject in question, my Great Grand Father, Bishop Fredrick of whom I am so very proud. A lovely effigy of hi can be found in the North Transept of Salisbury Cathedral. He was affectionatly known as the "little" Bishop because of his somewhat slight stature. His death in office on 4 May 1921 was recorded in the Times, apparently with great sorrow. He was highly regarded not only for his intellectual brilliance but more importantly his tremendous kindness and generosity. Whilst at Kensington, he would regularly take trips to the East End of London and literally give his wealth away to all who needed it most. These unusual happenings caught the attention of the magazine, Vanity Fair who published an article, complete with a caricature image of him complete with his case and umbrella!! I hope, God willing that I will eventually recover from this awful thing that has happened to me and that I will be able to come to the Gallery and see the portraits/photographs in person. That would be a marvelous day indeed! As I say, next month will see me as having been hospitalized for a year, awful as I'm sure you can imagine, separated from my beloved St Paul's and it's magnificent pipe organ, itself designed similarity to the fine "Willis" organ in Salisbury Cathedral. Please forgive my ramblings, but I was just so overwhelmingly excited to see my great grand dad in the world famous NPG. Breathtaking! Thank you so much for taking such good care of him all these years. May he remain with you for eternity. Thank you and God Bless you all, Quickly typed on a tiny iPad in the Kind Edward VII Memorial Hospital, Bermuda.