People from Stoke-on-Trent
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William Ridgway	[ Web Site Index ]

William Ridgway 1788-1864

William Ridgway held the office of Chief Bailiff of Hanley and Shelton in 1830.

John and William were sons of Job Ridgway. In 1802 they joined their fathers Cauldon Place works (1802 was when the works were built), in 1808 they became partners and in 1813, when Job died, the brothers continued in partnership. They also had the Bell Works from their uncle George. This partnership ended in 1830 with John taking the Cauldon Works and William retaining the Bell works.
These works he ran on his own and also with his son and other partners, including his son in law Francis Morley.
William Ridgway operate six factories in the Hanley area, including: Cobden Works, High Street Works, Church Bank Works and the Broad Street Works.
He retired in 1854 in ill health and financial difficulty. 
Like many of his family members he was a member of Bethesda Chapel in Albion Street, Hanley.

British and Foreign Bible Society (Hanley Branch) - with Josiah Wedgwood II and Leonard James Abington, William Ridgeway helped to found the Hanley Branch.