Leitch Ritchie

Ritchie was at first an apprentice in a banking office, but at an early age went to London with letters of introduction to literary people.

Called back by his father, to take up a position in a Glasgow trading firm, he started in 1818, with some friends, a fortnightly publication, The Wanderers, which ran to 21 numbers (4 April 1818 to 9 January 1819).

The London Weekly Review, on which he had been employed, passed into other hands, he and the former editor, James Augustus St. John, went to live in Normandy.

In addition to his other engagements, he with William Kennedy, started a monthly periodical, The Englishman's Magazine, which ran to seven numbers (April to October 1831), when his own illness caused its abandonment.

The latter part of his working life was spent in Scotland in editing Chambers's Journal, and other publications by his employers.

He visited many places abroad, and the result was twelve illustrated volumes to which he supplied the letterpress.