Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Riddell, Thomas
RIDDELL, Sir THOMAS (d. 1652), royalist, was the third son of Sir Thomas Riddell of Gateshead, and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Coniers of Sochburne, Durham (Surtees, Durham, ii. 128; Foster, Durham Pedigrees). The father was recorder and sheriff of Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1601, mayor in 1604 and 1616, and represented the borough of Newcastle-on-Tyne in the three parliaments of 1620–1, 1625, and 1627–8. He was, like his son, with whom he is often confused, a recusant and a royalist (see several references to his recusancy in the Diary of Ambrose Barnes, Surtees Soc. vol. 1.) Along with his son, he was ordered by the House of Commons to be sent for in custody in November 1644 (Commons' Journ. iii. 700), was admitted to his composition as a delinquent royalist on 9 July 1649 (Cal. of Committee for Compounding, p. 2037), and died on 30 March 1650 (see Hist. MSS. Comm. 10th Rep. iv. 234, 13th Rep. i. 1).
The son Thomas in March 1640 was elected, along with Sir Peter Riddell, to represent Newcastle in the Short parliament (cf. Cal. State Papers, Domestic, ccccxlix. 30, 30 March 1640; Return of Members, i. 482). He attempted to raise Newcastle against the Scots in 1640 (Diary of Ambrose Barnes, pp. 330, 336), and subsequently became colonel of a regiment in the royalist army, was knighted, and appointed governor of Tynemouth Castle. Thence he made an unsuccessful sally in support of the Duke of Newcastle on 9 March 1643–4 (State Papers, Dom. Car. I, D i. 13). When the parliamentary forces gained possession of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Riddell was summoned, in October 1644, to yield up Tynemouth, but refused (Hist. MSS. Comm. 6th Rep. p. 33a). A year later he surrendered the castle to Leslie (Lord Leven) on honourable terms (State Papers, Dom. Car. I, D xi. 30, 26 Oct. 1645). He does not appear to have compounded for his estates, for on 13 March 1648–9 his name was added to the list of delinquents to be subjected to confiscation (Cal. of Committee for Compounding, p. 139; cf. Commons' Journals, vi. 498, 594). In the following November, 1650, an order was issued for his arrest (2 Nov.), and on the 10th another order in parliament was made that the council of state should prevent his going into the northern parts (Council Books, I. 88, p. 49). Riddell died at Antwerp, and was buried in the church of St. Jacques in 1652. He married, on 13 April 1629, Barbara, daughter of Sir Alexander Davison of Blakiston, Durham, widow of Ralph Calverley (for his descendants see Surtees, Durham).
[Authorities cited; Hodgson's Northumberland, II. ii. 104; Sykes's Local Records, i. 93; Betham's Baronage, iv. 53; Burke's Commoners, iii. 209; Ridlon's Hist. of the Ancient Ryedales, p. 140, gives a view of Fenham Hall; Gent. Mag. 1825, i. 591.]