Lindsay Tasman Ride

Sir Lindsay Tasman Ride (10 October 1898 – 17 October 1977) was an Australian physiologist, soldier, and vice chancellor of the University of Hong Kong.

Early life Ride was born in Newstead, Victoria. He was the fifth child of Australian-born parents William Ride and Eliza Mary (née Best). His father was a pioneering Presbyterian missionary and his mother the daughter of a stonemason.

Education and WWI

Ride attended three state schools in the country before being awarded a scholarship to Scotch College, Melbourne. There he took an active interest in sport by participating in rifle shooting, athletics, rowing, cricket and football. He was the president of the Students' Representative Council from 1921 to 1922. Ride was elected Victorian Rhodes scholar for 1922. At New College, Oxford, 'Blue' Ride as he was known, became captain of boats and steward of the junior common-room. With only mediocre academic results, authorities were nevertheless impressed to the point that they rated him 'a good Rhodes Scholar' and a 'first rate fellow'.

Honours and public duties Appointed OBE in 1942 Made CBE in 1944 Knight Bachelor in 1962

Education Honorary doctorates in Law from the University of Toronto, the University of Melbourne, the University of London and The University of Hong Kong

Singing Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music, London (1962) President and conductor of the Hong Kong Singers He was chairman of the Hong Kong Music Society

Military Honorary Colonel of the Hong Kong Regiment

Others In 1967, Ride was a member of the 1967 commission of inquiry into the 1966 Kowloon riots. Together with his wife, Mary, he was also the author of A Monumental Survey of the Old Protestant Cemetery in Macau

Death

Sir Lindsay died on 17 October 1977 in Hong Kong and was cremated. He was survived by his widow, and his children (two sons and two daughters) from his first marriage.

His son was the noted zoologist William David Lindsay Ride. His grandson is the writer, curator, and academic Peter Ride.

The Ming-Ai (London) Institute interviewed Ride's daughter as part of the British Chinese Armed Forces Heritage project.