William Ritchie


1781 - 1831

Publisher. Born at Lundie Mill (Lundin Links), Ritchie was the son of a flax-dresser. He came to Edinburgh in 1781 and gained employment in a solicitor's office. He went on to practice as a solicitor and become a member of the Society of Solicitors of the Supreme Courts in 1808.

He was the main force behind the founding of The Scotsman, with Charles MacLaren (1782 - 1866) and John Ramsay McCulloch (1789 - 1864), as a radical and reforming newspaper having despaired at the weaknesses of the existing newspapers in the city. He wrote for the first issue on the 25th January 1817 and contributed to the paper until his death.


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