Douglas Hamilton Ritchie

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The Honourable
Douglas Hamilton Ritchie
FDSRCS, FDSRCSEd, MP
Member of Parliament
for Borrowdale
In office
1965–1979
Preceded by
Succeeded byHilary Squires
ConstituencyBorrowdale
Personal details
Born14 February 1918
Saint Andrew Parish, Colony of Jamaica
Died1999
South Africa
Alma materRoyal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Royal College of Surgeons of England (LDS)
OccupationDentist; politician
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch/serviceRoyal Air Force
Years of service1941–1945
RankFlying Officer
Battles/warsWorld War II

Douglas Archibald Hamilton Ritchie (14 February 1918 – 1999) was a Rhodesian dentist and politician. Born in the Colony of Jamaica to British parents, his family moved to the United Kingdom in his youth. After serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II, he moved to Southern Rhodesia and practised dentistry. He soon became one of the leading dentists in Rhodesia, and was elected to the Medical Council of Rhodesia in 1958. He entered politics in the 1960s, joining Rhodesian Front and representing the Salisbury suburb of Borrowdale as a member of parliament from 1965 to 1979. In the years following Zimbabwe's independence and the demise of Rhodesia, he emigrated to South Africa and engaged in general practice, dying there in 1999.

Early life and education[]

Douglas Archibald Hamilton Ritchie was born on 14 February 1918 in Crossroads, Saint Andrew Parish in the Colony of Jamaica.[1] His parents, originally from the United Kingdom, were Blanch Louise Reid[2] and Archibald Hamilton Ritchie,[3] a University of Glasgow alumnus.[4] His family moved back to Britain in his youth. Hamilton Ritchie went on to dentistry, earning his Licentiate in Dental Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1941.[5] He was awarded the Fellowship of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FDRSCS), and in 1969, awarded the Fellowship of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FDRSCSEd).[5]

World War II service[]

After earning his Licentiate of Dental Surgery in 1941, and after qualification to practice dentistry, Hamilton Ritchie commenced service in the Royal Air Force amidst World War II,[5] being granted commission as a Dental Branch flying officer on 13 May 1941.[6] He served at the plastic and jaw injuries unit at East Grinstead, Sussex, and became a consultant specialist in dental surgery to the Ministry of Health.[5]

Career in Rhodesia[]

Following the end of the war, Hamilton Ritchie remained in Britain for several years, before emigrating to Southern Rhodesia in 1950, where he commenced general and consultant practice.[5] He soon became one of the leading dentists in the colony. He was appointed honorary oral surgeon to the Salisbury hospital system, and in 1958 was elected to the Medical Council of Rhodesia.[5]

Political career[]

In 1965, Hamilton Ritchie was elected to the Rhodesian House of Assembly, representing the constituency of Borrowdale, a suburb of Salisbury, as a member of the party Rhodesian Front.[5] In 1970, he ran for re-election, defeating Centre Party challenger Thomas Bashford with 63% of the vote. He ran for re-election again in 1974, defeating Rhodesia Party candidate Peter Bridger and the independent Wendy Ann Truen with 66% of vote. He ran for re-election for the last time in 1977, defeating with 74% of the vote challengers Lance Halford Reynolds of the , Robert Sutton of the Rhodesian Action Party, and the independent Wendy Ann Truen.

In the years following Zimbabwe's independence, Hamilton Ritchie emigrated to South Africa and continued to practice dentistry. He died there in 1999.[7]

Electoral history[]

Year Office Constituency Candidate Candidate
Name Party % Name Party %
1965 Member of Parliament Borrowdale Douglas Hamilton Ritchie RF
1970 Member of Parliament Borrowdale Douglas Hamilton Ritchie RF 62.6 Thomas Bashford CP 37.4
1974 Member of Parliament Borrowdale Douglas Hamilton Ritchie RF 65.5 Peter Bridger RP 34.3
Wendy Ann Truen Ind. 0.2
1977 Member of Parliament Borrowdale Douglas Hamilton Ritchie RF 74.4 Lance Halford Reynolds 15.0
Robert Sutton RAP 10.1
Wendy Ann Truen Ind. 0.5

References[]

  1. ^ "Douglas Archibald Hamilton Ritchie". FamilySearch.
  2. ^ "Blanch Louise Reid". FamilySearch. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Archibald Hamilton Ritchie". FamilySearch. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  4. ^ Glasgow, University of (1 January 1905). Glasgow University Calendar for the Year 1905-6. J. MacLehose.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Forbes, J. I. (May 1969). "Douglas Archibald Hamilton Ritchie". The Central African Journal of Medicine. 15: 116.
  6. ^ "Dental Branch" (PDF). The London Gazette. 20 June 1941. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  7. ^ "All results for Douglas Archibald Hamilton Ritchie in All Collections". myheritage.com. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
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