This single storey bungalow at 164 Powderham Street (Town section 271) was built for Mr Ambrose Ridd in 1935. The builders were Jones & Sandford; architect unknown.
Ambrose Ridd was well known in the dairy industry and was acknowledged as a pioneer in the development of milking machines. Mr Ridd was born in England and arrived in New Zealand in his early twenties. After settling first in Otago he moved to farm at Waipuku, Taranaki.
He spent a number of years developing his machine which he began demonstrating at agricultural shows about 1906-07. By 1908 he had secured a patent for the milking machine and set up the Ridd Milking Machine Co. Ltd. With a head office in Queen Street the company expanded to include branch offices in Auckland, Hamilton, Whangarei and Palmerston North. The company also had extensive business interests in Australia. The company ceased trading in 1964-65.
Ambrose Ridd died at his residence in Powderham Street on 22 January 1940 and was buried at Te Hēnui cemetery.
The house was demolished in 2012 to provide more space for the adjacent business.
Related documents:
Ridd Milking Machine at Winter Show (Taranaki Herald 12 June 924)
U.S. Patent for Ridd Milking Machine (17 March 1925)
Ridd Company Advertisement (Taranaki Herald 24 August 1937)
Milking Machines of Yesteryear (Vintage Farming #74, November 1995)
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