Description

Extended Data

Location notes

Date notes

This is the date Ridley was officially granted the land. [1]

Biographical information

Along with Walcott, Ridley was one of the first large land grantees in WA. Both had substantial capital and were awarded prime allotments on Wadjuk Noongar Boodjar (Country), on Derbarl Yerrigan (the Swan River), opposite the Governor of WA and near the junction of the Helena and Swan Rivers. American historian Warren Bert Kimberly described Ridley and Walcott amongst those first colonists who had ‘chosen places where the soil appeared most promising, and where they could partake of the advantage of river transit’. [1] Kimberly recorded awards of land in 1830 on the Swan 'to C. D. Ridley, 1,432½ acres in fee simple, 1st May; and on 14th December 1830 James Wallcott, 16,083, fee simple; 17th December, Charles D. Ridley, 8,750.' [1] Ridley was granted 12,546 acres of land. The Western Australian Dictionary of Biography states that he selected '8750 acres in the Avon district, 317.5 acres at Helena and 143.5 acres at Swan'. [7] Jane Lydon explains that 'Before 1832 ... colonists arriving before the end of 1830 could claim 40 acres for every £3 of capital invested, and those arriving after December 1830 could claim 20 acres. According to the land schedule (or Return of Property on which land has been claimed from 1st September to 30th June 1830) ... Ridley’s property comprised one wife, four children, one friend, six servants; £93 servants and children, £154 12s. 10d. livestock, £429 9s. 2 ½ d., provisions £107 6s. 4 ½ d., seeds and plants £5 10s. 6d., miscellaneous £151 17s. 8d., totalling £940 16s. 7d. (inapplicable £214 1s). [1] Though Ridley and Walcott had adjoining blocks, there are signs that they went their own ways after arrival, such as a dispute in late 1835 regarding an agreement to erect a party fence between their adjoining properties. But they were still neighbours in February 1837 when the local newspaper reported a terrible fire at the Walcott property, 'which, in less than ten minutes, destroyed the whole of the thatched dwelling-house, and kitchen adjoining, with about thirty bushels of barley, and ten of wheat, in the latter building.' Ridley's son is referenced as one of the Walcott's neighbours in this article. [1]

Links to slavery the slave trade

As above

Attitudes around race

Attitudes around labour

Images

References