James Ritchie (b 1811?) was a seaman and Harbour Master for the Port of Glasgow.
Born in Stevenston, Ritchie went to sea at an early age and gained valuable experience on the trade routes to North America, latterly visiting many of the world’s great ports as a ship's captain. This stood him in good stead when he entered the service of the Clyde Navigation Trust in 1851 and he became Harbour Master in 1864.
At a time of rapid expansion in trade, Ritchie was faced with the difficult task of allocating available berths to incoming traffic. His appetite for hard work earned him the respect of those who had dealings with him. During his time as Harbour Master, dock facilities on the Clyde were greatly expanded.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 920.04 BAI
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
captains, docks, Glasgow Harbour, Harbour Masters, harbours, ports, River Clyde, seamen, shipping, trade