William Ritchie (editor)
Encyclopedia
William Ritchie was a Scottish
lawyer, journalist and newspaper
owner.
He was born at Lundin Mill
, Fife
, where his father had a flax dressing business.
At the age of 19 he moved to Edinburgh, and after some years employment in the offices of two firms of solicitors, he joined the Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland
in 1808.
After contributing to various publications for a number of years, in 1816 he joined with Charles Maclaren
, his elder brother John Ritchie
and others in founding The Scotsman
newspaper, the first number of which appeared the following year.
Ritchie was joint editor of the paper with Maclaren until Ritchie's death in 1831.
In 1824 he published Essays on Constitutional Law and Forms of Process and in 1827 was appointed a commissioner under the Improvements Act. He campaigned for reform of policing and prison conditions, especially for poor debtors.
He was survived by his wife Alison Sandeman.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
lawyer, journalist and newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
owner.
He was born at Lundin Mill
Lundin Links
Lundin Links is a small village in Fife, Scotland. The village is best known for its two golf courses. The 18 hole course, Lundin Golf Club, was used as a pre-qualifying course when The Open Championship is held at St. Andrews. Lundin Links Ladies 9 hole course is the oldest woman's golf course in...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, where his father had a flax dressing business.
At the age of 19 he moved to Edinburgh, and after some years employment in the offices of two firms of solicitors, he joined the Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland
Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland
The Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland is a professional association of solicitors in Scotland representing those lawyers who practice in and around the College of Justice...
in 1808.
After contributing to various publications for a number of years, in 1816 he joined with Charles Maclaren
Charles Maclaren
Charles Maclaren was a Scottish editor born in Ormiston, Haddingtonshire, the son of a farmer and cattle-dealer. He was almost entirely self-educated, and when a young man became a clerk in Edinburgh. In 1817, with others, he established The Scotsman newspaper in Edinburgh and at first acted as...
, his elder brother John Ritchie
John Ritchie (newspaper owner)
John Ritchie was a Scottish newspaper owner.He was born at Kirkcaldy, Fife, and at an early age went in service to a small farmer near Largo. Later he returned to Kirkcaldy, working as a hand-loom weaver...
and others in founding The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
newspaper, the first number of which appeared the following year.
Ritchie was joint editor of the paper with Maclaren until Ritchie's death in 1831.
In 1824 he published Essays on Constitutional Law and Forms of Process and in 1827 was appointed a commissioner under the Improvements Act. He campaigned for reform of policing and prison conditions, especially for poor debtors.
He was survived by his wife Alison Sandeman.