Brian Ridley's poetry was published in Australian journals including Poetry Australia, Twentieth Century, Southerly, the Bulletin, Makar and Meanjin. He was a teacher of German, French and Latin and won a German government scholarship that allowed him to spend two years in Munich from 1966 to 1968.
Ridley was a counsellor for the Poetry Society of Australia in the late 1960s (while his wife, Suzanne Ridley (q.v.) was secretary). He also served on the committee of the Australian Society of Authors. Together, Ridley and his wife were at the heart of the Canberra literary scene for over three decades from the early 1970s onwards. Their circle of friends included Eric Rolls, Dorothy Green, Judith Wright, A. D. Hope, Clem Christesen, Patrick White and Dal Stivens (qq.v.)
Ridley worked in various Australian government departments including Treasury and Prime Minister and Cabinet. He also worked at the Australian War Memorial.
Sources include: Mark O'Connor, 'Respected Patron of Literature and Poetry a Genial Host', Canberra Times (16 July 2009): 11.
