Early life

Riddiford was born in Featherston in 1914 a grandson of "King" Riddiford and Sydney Johnston of Oruawharo. He was educated in the UK at Downside School, Somerset, and New College, Oxford. He gained an MA in Modern Greats from Oxford, and also an LLB from the University of New Zealand. From 1932 to 1937, he farmed in the Wairarapa on family-owned land.^[1]

For a number of years Riddiford was also a director of The Dominion newspaper (now The Dominion Post).^[2]

Military service

He joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1939 and was an officer with the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery. He was a prisoner of war in Italy from 1941 until his escape in 1943.^[1] He was awarded the MC in World War II.^[2] From 1946, he had a law practice in Wellington.^[1]

Political career

Riddiford contested the Petone electorate in the 1957 election,^[1] but was beaten by the incumbent, Labour's Michael Moohan.^[3] In the 1960 election, he stood in the Wellington Central electorate and defeated the incumbent, Labour's Frank Kitts.^[4] Riddiford's win in Wellington Central was considered a surprise as the electorate had been held by Labour for the previous 42 years as well as Riddiford's rather aristocratic manner of campaigning which many thought unsuitable within an urban liberal electorate.^[5] In 1970 he suffered a heart attack. Riddiford would remain in Parliament until 1972, when he retired and succeeded by Ken Comber.^[6] Under Keith Holyoake, he was Minister of Justice (1969–1972) and Attorney-General (1971–1972).^[7]