Posted by Peter H on July 15, 2000 at 20:03:49 from host62-7-179-22.host.btclick.com:
In Reply to: Ransomes of Ipswich posted by Peter Roche on July 13, 2000 at 21:20:12:
Peter, can we sort out who founded the firm? AR's great-grandfather was John Atkinson Ransome 'who late in the 18thC left his brothers to discover ways of . . .making ploughshares and other agricultural implements, and to found the Ipswich firm of Ransome & Rapier, while he went north to Manchester and became a surgeon. . . ' - Autobiography p 17. So JAR had more than one brother involved in engineering. Was it always one firm, i.e. Ransome & Rapier, or was there ever a split-up? The builder's plate 'R & R' is usually seen on heavy engineering. Did the same firm make the lawnmowers?
That'll do for now!