Ridley, John (1806-1887), was the inventor of a reaping machine that reduced harvesting costs and revolutionized the Australian wheat industry. Using the machine, farmers could reap up to 12 acres (5 hectares) of wheat a day.
Ridley was born in Durham, England, on May 26, 1806. He immigrated to South Australia in 1839 and built a flour mill near Adelaide. He invented his machine, called a stripper, in 1843. Similar machines were soon in use throughout Australia. But Ridley declined to patent his invention and refused to profit from it. In 1853, he returned to England. Ridley died on Nov. 25, 1887.
