Date of Birth: 18/10/1836
Place of Birth: Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Date of Death: 16/08/1891
Place of Death: Auburn, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Casino School of Arts Enabling Bill Committee No.9 |
05 Aug 1891 |
17 Sep 1891 |
1 month 13 days |
|
| Sydney Electric Lighting Bill Committee No.7 |
04 Aug 1891 |
26 Aug 1891 |
23 days |
|
| Member for Central Cumberland |
17 Jun 1891 |
16 Aug 1891 |
2 months |
|
| Borough of Newcastle Electric Lighting Bill Committee No.40 (No.2) |
06 Nov 1890 |
12 Nov 1890 |
7 days |
|
| Borough of Newcastle Electric Lighting Bill Committee No.23 |
03 Jul 1890 |
16 Jul 1890 |
14 days |
|
| Mrs Cunynghame, late Superintendent of Macquarie Street Asylum for Infirm and Destitute, Parramatta Committee No.8 |
30 Apr 1890 |
23 Sep 1890 |
4 months 25 days |
|
| Mrs Cunynghame, Late superintendent of Macquarie Street Asylum for Infirm and Destitute, Parramatta Committee No.23 |
05 Jul 1889 |
27 Sep 1889 |
2 months 23 days |
|
| Municipalities of Ryde and Hunter’s Hill Bill Committee No.18 |
28 Jun 1889 |
03 Jul 1889 |
6 days |
|
| Warwick Farm Railway Bill Committee No.17 |
11 Jun 1889 |
25 Jun 1889 |
15 days |
|
| Working of the Fisheries Act Committee No.13 |
21 May 1889 |
27 Aug 1889 |
3 months 7 days |
|
| Member for Central Cumberland |
09 Feb 1889 |
06 Jun 1891 |
2 years 3 months 29 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly |
09 Feb 1889 |
16 Aug 1891 |
2 years 6 months 8 days |
|
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Company Director and retired manufacturer. Arrived in Sydney with family joining elder brother in 1848. Worked in a woollen mill at Parramatta where father was a manager. Journeyed to Turon diggings for 18 months then apprenticed to Joseph Whiting, blacksmith at Parramatta. Took over the Sydney business in 1857. Moved to Parramatta in 1860s. Developed large engineering works which made ploughs and other engineering products. Filled large contracts for railway rolling stock. Opened branch at Wickham, near Newcastle in 1879. Merged with Hudson Brothers in 1883 and became managing director of their Clyde works. Retired from firm in 1884. Became a director of Mason Brothers Limited, merchants and importers in Sydney. President of Central Cumberland Agricultural and Horticultural Association; Chairman of Auburn Progress Association. Original member of Parramatta volunteers. Connected with many benevolent and social movements. Freemason.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Alderman at Parramatta from 1877. Chairman of Works Committee in 1879.
Personal
Son of John Ritchie, dyer, and Barbara Henderson. Married (1) Jemima Fergus Douglas on 25 March 1859 at Parramatta and had issue, 1 daughter and 3 sons. Presbyterian. Married (2) Clara Henderson, sister of his first wife and had issue 3 daughters and 4 sons. Presbyterian.
