A Ridgway Dynasty - Part 4 (by a Ridgway Family Historian)
Ridgways and the Clyde General Store

Old Store, Ballarto Road

With the advent of the railway, in 1888, many changes occurred in the district. Due to the station being situated one and a half miles south of Clyde village, the centre of population shifted to the railhead and the village of Clyde ceased to progress.

The general store which was situated opposite the railway station, had been opened to serve the people of the district with household supplies, and came into the Ridgway family in 1893, when Thomas, married widow Sarah (nee Hall) Williams.

At the time of his brother George’s death in 1904, the store was transferred to his widow. George had married Ethel Annie Pruden on the 29th November, 1893, at May Villa, Clyde - presumably this was the name of the family property which was their home until his death.

In 1905, to accommodate her young family of five, a four-roomed dwelling from the family property west of the rail-town was placed on skids and dragged by bullock teams to the site of the present store.


Clyde General Store, Railway Road

  Death of Anthony Ridgway
Somewhat suddenly, on the 27th January, 1890 at the age of 68 years, Anthony died from choleraic diarrhoea and asthenia after an illness lasting one week. He was buried at Cranbourne Cemetery on 29th January 1890, by Joseph Espie, undertaker.

The Mornington County Herald of Friday, January 31st, 1890 recorded: ‘Special sermons having reference to the death of Mr. A. Ridgway will be preached at the Church of England, Clyde, on Sunday afternoon, and St. John’s Church, Cranbourne in the evening.’

Death of Sophia Ridgway
Fourteen years later in 1904, the month of June proved momentous for the Ridgway family-on the 2nd, George met his untimely death from general peritonitis in Gipps’ Ward of the Melbourne Hospital three days after falling from his horse. He was buried at Cranbourne Cemetery and on the following day; on the 23rd June his fifth surviving child, Leslie John (my father) was born posthumously; and on the 30th after an illness of eight days, his mother Sophia died from pneumonia at the age of 78 years, being buried on the 4th July, also at Cranbourne Cemetery by Joseph Espie.

Ridgway Family Descendents
Anthony and Sophia Ridgway were outlived >by their ‘dynasty’ of twelve surviving children, sixty-nine grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren, ten of their children having married over the preceding years to incorporate in the family the names of THOMPSON, BARNES, HAINES, BARTLETT, STEPHENS, SALTER, CADD (daughter of John, younger brother of Sophia) HALL, WILLIAMS, PRUDEN (twice, as George and Mark married sisters) CHURCHILL and STEWART.

This extensive family has since played an active role in the affairs of the district, both civic and sporting.

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Ridgway Dynasty

Pastoral Pioneers- Anthony Ridgway 3 Ridgway Sons and Daughters
1 Anthony Ridgway's journey to Clyde 4 Ridgways and the Clyde General Store
2 Anthony Ridgway settles in Clyde 5. Ridgway Family Photos