#15250, Robert Charles RANSOME

We much regret to record the death on Friday last, the 5th inst., of Mr. Robert Charles Ransome, the senior partner in the well-known firm of Ransomes, Head, and Jefferies Limited, of Ipswich. Mr. R. C. Ransome, was the son of the late Mr. Robert Ransome, of Ipswich, and grandson of Mr. Robert Ransome, of Yarmouth, to whom the Ipswich firm owes its origin early in the present century. The works of the firm formerly occupied a site in the Old Foundry-road, Ipswich, and it was there that at the age of sixteen the subject of the present notice commenced serving his time as apprentice in the various shops. Like his father and grandfather before him he devoted himself energetically to the devolopment of the business, and at the age of about twenty-four he became a partner and took especially under his charge the foreign relations of the firm, travelling all over the Continent and to Egypt, and in 1869 paying a visit to the United States. Possessed of great business talents and having a good practical knowledge of agricultural requirements, Mr. Ransome’s foreign visits had an important influence, not only on the interests of his own firm, but also on the general development of the export trade in agricultural implements from this country —a trade which the quality of the implements turned out in the early days at the Orwell Works did so much to originate.

Notwithstanding the heavy business demands upon his energies, Mr. Ransome found time to devote much attention to public duties connected with his native town. In 1867 he was chosen mayor of the town, from 1871 to 1883 (when ill-health compelled him to resign the post) he was chairman to the School Board, in 1873 he became president of the Ipswich Liberal Association, and in 1877 he was elected alderman, an office which he retained until the time of his death. He was also on the Commission of the Peace for the county of Suffolk, a magistrate for the borough of Ipswich, and a member of the Committee of Management of the Ipswich Docks, while he was also for many years on the Council of the Smithfield Club (where he was succeeded by his brother and partner Mr. James E. Ransome), and on the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. About two years ago, as most of our readers are aware, the firm of which Mr. Ransome was the senior partner was converted into a limited liability company—Ransomes, Head, and Jefferies, Limited—in which Mr. R. C. Ransome retained the leading position, with his partners, Mr. J. E. Ransome and Mr. J. R. Jefferies, as directors.

In 1879, in consequence of serious ill-health, Mr. Ransome was advised to pay a visit to Australia, and in November of that year he started for the antipodes via the Suez Canal, returning the following autumn via New Zealand and America. In our southern colonies as elsewhere abroad Mr. Ransome made for himself numerous warm friends, and the news of his death will be heard with wide-spread regret.

Mr. Ransome was twice married, first in 1854 to Miss Baker, daughter of Mr. R. W. Baker, of Cottesmore, Rutland, by whom he had one daughter, and, second, in 1864, to Miss Gibb, daughter of Mr. James Gibb, of London and Calcutta, by whom he leaves two sons and three daughters. For more than eighteen months past Mr. Ransome had been suffering from an aneurism, and it was to this his death was due. He was present at the Smithfield Show in December last, and those of his friends who met him there could have had little idea that his health was a subject for anxiety. On his return to Ipswich, however, he became worse, and for more than two months past he was confined to his house, while eventually on yesterday week acute symptoms set in which resulted in his death on the following day. A man of earnest convictions, strong sympathies, excellent abilities, and thoroughly straightforward character, Mr. Robert Charles Ransome was a worthy representative of a firm which is so prominently connected with the history of agricultural engineering, and his decease creates a void which will not be easily filled.

Reproduced from Engineering, 12th March 1886

It seems that Elizabeth Gibb Ransome was born 12/11/1840 and died 06/07/1935 and is buried in plotJA/7/1 in Old Ipswich cemetery.