Ridge & Co

Ridge & Co (c.1774-1841), established in Chichester, was a past constituent of NatWest.

Brief history

This private bank was established by 1774 as John Chaldecott. In that year John Chaldecott was appointed to receive and exchange deficient gold coin. The firm had a number of partnership and name changes and by 1841 was trading as Ridge & Co. It was also known as Chichester Old Bank. The firm lost funds by the failure of its London agent and subsequent capital withdrawals made by the partners. The bank failed in 1841 with liabilities of £140,000 of which 6s 6d in the pound was eventually paid. London & County Banking Co of London opened a branch in the town immediately following this failure.

Detailed list of name changes

  • John Chaldecott from 1774
  • Griffiths, Chaldecott, Drew & Trew in 1783
  • Griffiths, Chaldecott & Drew by 1790
  • Griffiths, Drew & Co by 1796
  • Ridge & Murray from 1807
  • Ridge, Murray & Ridge by 1821
  • William Ridge, William Ridge jnr. and Charles Ridge by 1827
  • William Ridge, Charles Ridge & William Newland by 1841

Also known as Chichester Old Bank.

Summary of our archive holdings

Our archival records of Ridge & Co have the reference code RID.

For help understanding words used here, check our glossary of banking record types (PDF 68 KB).

  • customer account passbook 1824-39

Summary of archive holdings elsewhere