Background
Born on 28 May 1887, he was the youngest son of John Macfarlane Ritchie and Ella Ritchie, of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Born on 28 May 1887, he was the youngest son of John Macfarlane Ritchie and Ella Ritchie, of Dunedin, New Zealand.
He was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School, Wanganui, New Zealand. Street John"s College, Cambridge (Bachelor 1910. Master of Arts 1914); and Leeds Clergy School (1910).
He was ordained in the Anglican ministry as a deacon in 1911 and a priest in 1912. His first pastoral appointment was a curate at Saint Michael"s, Chester Square, London, 1911-1914. During the First World War, he served as an acting chaplain for temporary service in the Royal Navy, 1914-1919.
After the war, he was briefly a curate at All Saints Church, Dunedin, New Zealand, 1920-1922, before returning to England where was a curate at Street Martin-in-the-Fields, London, 1922-1927.
He served as the Rector of Street John"s, Edinburgh, 1927-1939, and a canon of Street Mary"s Cathedral, Edinburgh, 1937-1939. He was then Archdeacon of Northumberland, 1939-1954, and a canon of Street Nicholas" Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1939-1954.
Followed by as a canon of Street George’s Chapel, Windsor, 1954-1958. He also served as a chaplain to King George VI and then to Queen Elizabeth II, and a chaplain to Heathfield School, Ascot.
He died in Polzeath, Cornwall on 8 September 1958, aged 71.