William Ridgewell worked as a lithographer, illustrator and comic strip cartoonist. His first drawings were published, as postcards, when he was 17. Stationed in India during World War I he drew posters for the Indian War Loan and contributed cartoons and sketches to The Looker-On and Indian Ink. Upon his return to Britain, Ridgewell worked for Tit-Bits, Bystander, Punch and Passing Show. He drew advertisements for many diverse companies, including Stone's Ginger Wine and Pratt's Petrol.
