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.
For some time Ritchie was editor of The Era, a sporting and dramatic newspaper, and was subsequently first editor of the Indian News and Chronicle of Eastern Affairs (No. 1, 11 June 1840), the copyright of which he was eventually given by the proprietor; and he later sold the newspaper.