Alexander Gibson Riddell was born in Liverpool, England on 6 November 1892. He was the youngest of five children born to ship’s rigger John Riddell and the former Martha Hampton Gibson, both natives of Liverpool.

Riddell’s father seemingly died sometime prior to 1898, although what became of him is unknown; his mother remarried to widower Daniel Crone, another ship’s rigger, and by 1901 the family lived at 13 High Park Street, Toxteth Park. 

When he first went to sea is not certain, but in April 1912 Riddell was serving as an extra ship’s cook aboard the eastward-bound voyage of the Carpathia when that ship rescued the survivors of the Titanic. 

A veteran of WWI, Riddell later returned to sea following his demobilisation; he was married in Holyhead, Wales in September 1923 to Sarah Ellen Williams (b. 1891) and they had two children. 

Alex Riddell died in Liverpool on 6 February 1977. His widow Sarah passed away in 1997, not long after her 105th birthday.