Robert James Ransome (1830-1891) of Ransomes and Rapier,
1830 Born the son of James Allen Ransome and his wife Katherine
1851 Living with parents at Carr Street, Ipswich (age 20 born Rushmere, Suffolk), Apprentice to Ironfounder. [1]
1862 Robert James Ransome, Orwell Works, Ipswich.[2]
1868/9 One of the founding partners of Ransomes and Rapier, railway engineers.
1881 Railway engineer [3]
1891 June 3rd. Died
1891 Obituary [4]
ROBERT JAMES RANSOME was born at Yoxford on 27th June 1830.
He was educated at Ipswich, and on leaving school in 1845 was apprenticed to his father's firm, Messrs. J., R., and A. Ransome, agricultural engineers, Orwell Works, Ipswich; after which he became manager of the foundry department.
In 1869 he joined his father and Mr. R. C. Rapier in establishing the Waterside Works on the opposite bank of the Orwell, for the manufacture of railway plant. One of their early works was building engines and laying down plant for the first railway in China.
Besides the general business of supplying railway plant adapted to all countries, they constructed a great many cranes of large size for building breakwaters. The works now cover an area of eight acres, and employ five hundred. men.
He took an active interest in local affairs, and had been on the Town Council for twenty-one years.
His death took place on 3rd June 1891, in the sixty-first year of his age.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1862.
1891 Obituary [5]