Ziegler was born in Barrackpore (also known as Barrackpur) in the West Bengal state of India, close to Kolkata in 1872. He attended school in Kolkata before matriculating at Pembroke in 1909. He took firsts in parts I and II of the Law Tripos in 1911 and 1912 respectively. In his obituary it was noted that "He had the deserved reputation of being able to get the dullest people through their law exams, and he coached not only Pembroke men but law students from nearly every other college. But Pembroke was his first love and he showed a rare devotion to the college." He died in 1957.