AustLit

John Ramsay was born to Australian parents and educated at Fort Street High School, Sydney. His sister was the journalist and writer Isabel Ramsay. On leaving school he joined the staff of the Daily Telegraph and began contributing stories and poems to the Lone Hand, the Bulletin and other Sydney periodicals. Ramsay spent some years in Noumea and his later writing reflects his experience there. On returning to Sydney, Ramsay worked for the Sun newspaper.

Ramsay died suddenly from heart-failure in June 1915.