Samuel Forde Ridley

Samuel Forde Ridley (1864 – 17 November 1944) was a British industrialist and Conservative Party politician.

Biography Born 1864, he was son of Samuel Edwin Ridley of St Helens, Isle of Wight and his wife Nona Jackson Kent. After education at Clifton College he entered the family firm of Ridley, Whitley and Company, linoleum manufacturers.

He first entered politics in 1895, when he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Conservative-backed Moderate Party in the London County Council elections of that year. Ridley's pro war stance saw him unexpectedly take the seat from Pickersgill at the general election of that year. He was instead chosen to contest the Kent borough of Rochester. He was able to unseat the sitting Liberal MP when an election was held in January 1910, but was himself defeated when a further election was held in December of the same year. In the following year he indicated that he would not contest the seat again.

He died at "Pantiles", Budleigh Salterton, Devon on 17 November 1944.