Peter Douglas Ridsdale, BSc., FRSC, CEng, MIM

The announcement is made, with the deepest regret, of the death of Peter Ridsdale on 18th June 2006. Peter joined Ridsdale & Co, set up by his father and grandfather in 1912 as an analytical laboratory, when he left school, and apart from his time at Leeds University, and with the Royal Signals in Italy during the War and at Catterick for a short spell afterwards, worked for the Company all his life.

In 1935, Ridsdale & Co was incorporated as a Limited Company and also formed a separate Company, Bureau of Analysed Samples Limited to prepare the then-called Standard Samples (which are now known as Reference Materials). They moved in 1952 from the centre of Middlesbrough to Newham Hall, Newby, some five miles away in the countryside to accommodate expansion of the Companies and to benefit from the cleaner atmosphere outside the Middlesbrough City Centre, which was necessary for the preparation of the Reference Materials.

The highlights of Peter's most successful career were the firm establishment of Ridsdale & Co Ltd as internationally renowned manufacturers of Foundry Laboratory Sand Testing Equipment and the pre-eminence of Bureau of Analysed Samples Ltd (BAS) as world class Certified Reference Materials Producers. Indeed, BAS has recently been officially accredited as a Reference Materials Producer within the International Standards Organisation (ISO) framework, and is in the first batch of UK Producers to be thus recognised.

Peter was awarded a Distinguished Service Certificate by the British Standards Institution (BSI) in 1992 and was elected more recently a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, both in recognition of his long and meritorious service to the analytical community.

Outside of work, not only was Peter a devoted family man, but he also found time to join the Round Table, of which he became President and he was subsequently elected as a Rotarian. He also served as a Magistrate for over 30 years. In addition, his leisure pursuits were many and varied, being a keen Sailor, Golfer, Gardener, Lover of Music, Historic Houses and the Countryside in general, Cruiser par excellence, Driver of fast cars and very Snappy Dresser.

Peter's wife of 55 years, Margaret, sadly died in 1999, but he is survived by his daughters Anne (Kitching), Claire (Miller) and Jane (Meeres) and six Grandchildren, who deeply appreciated the many messages of condolence they have received.   Donations in Peter's memory may be made to the RNLI or NSPCC.