William Ritchie (1817–1862) was an English barrister,

Advocate-General of Bengal The Advocate-General of Bengal was charged with advising the Government of the British administered Bengal Presidency on legal matters. The Presidency existed from 1765 to 1947. Prior to 1858, when it was administered by the East India Company, t ...

from 1855 to 1862.

Life

William Ritchie was born at

Southampton Row The A4200 is a major thoroughfare in central London. It runs between the A4 at Aldwych, to the A400 Hampstead Road/Camden High Street, at Mornington Crescent tube station. Kingsway Kingsway is a major road in central London, designa ...

, London in 1817. His father John Ritchie was a Scottish-born merchant of

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

. His mother Charlotte Thackeray was aunt to

William Makepeace Thackeray William Makepeace Thackeray (; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was a British novelist, author and illustrator. He is known for his satirical works, particularly his 1848 novel ''Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portrait of British society, and t ...

. The Thackeray family from Hadley had a long association with India, and her nephew was the novelist. Ritchie was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, ...

1829 to 1835, and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

, where he matriculated in 1835, graduating B.A. in 1839 and M.A. in 1842. After Cambridge, he entered the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and ...

. He lived with his family in Albany Street, London while reading for the Bar. His father John was the director of a bank that failed in November 1841, causing the Ritchie family to leave for the continent, to escape creditors. Ritchie was called to the bar in 1842. He looked to the legal system of

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

where he could earn an immediate income, rather than staying in London hoping for briefs. He built up a practice at the Calcutta Bar. He was appointed Advocate-General of Bengal in (1855?), also appointed the second

Vice Chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor ...

of the

University of Calcutta The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, ...

in 1859. William was appointed Legislative Member of the Council of the Governor-General of India in (1860?). William held these offices until his death in Calcutta on 22 March 1862. Ritchie had a popular reputation for his gentle, amiable, overly-polite manner and his honourable character. This reputation earned him the nickname "Gentleman Ritchie" at Cambridge.

Family

Ritchie proposed to Augusta Trimmer on 28 August 1842 before sailing for India on 1 September on the ''Prince of Wales''. After he made a name for himself at the bar in Calcutta. Augusta joined him there in 1845. They were married on 4 December at St. John's Church, and had eight children. There were sons: * William Irvine Ritchie (1850–1903) of the Education Office * John Gerald Ritchie (1853–1921) of the Indian Civil Service * Richmond Ritchie (1854–1912) * Edward Duguid Ritchie (1859–1912), physician. The daughters were: * Augusta Charlotte (1847–1910), the eldest, married Douglas William Freshfield; * Emily (1851–1932), unmarried. * Blanche, married Francis Warre-Cornish. * Elinor, married Herbert Paul.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ritchie, William Members of the Council of the Governor General of India Vice Chancellors of the University of Calcutta People educated at Eton College Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge 1817 births 1862 deaths Members of the Inner Temple English barristers