1836, July 15th

Died, at Richmond, Surrey, in his 58th year, Sir Matthew White Ridley, of Blagdon and Heaton, in the county of Northumberland, Bart., M.P. for Newcastle. He was born August 18th, 1778 the eldest son of Matthew, the second baron by Sarah, daughter and sole heiress of Benjamin Colburne, of Bath, esq. He was educated at Oxford, and took his degree of B.A., March 9, 1798. He was first elected member for Newcastle on his father’s retirement at the general election of 1812. He sat during eight parliaments, and for the space of 24 years. At the two last elections he had to encounter a poll, but the result proved the high esteem in which he was held by his fellow townsmen. His principles were those of the old whigs; and in his address at the last election he declared himself a sincere and practical reformer but in the extreme measures which characterised the later periods of his political career they inclined to conservatism. Sir Matthew married, August 13, 1803, Laura, youngest daughter of George Hawkins, esq., by whom he had six sons and six daughters. A portrait of Sir Matthew, painted by James Ramsay, esq., has been published, drawn on stone by W. Taylor.