Posted by Peter Roche on July 16, 2000 at 17:38:30 from dyn134-ras27.screaming.net:
In Reply to: Re: Ransomes of Ipswich posted by Peter H on July 15, 2000 at 20:03:49:
The following is taken from the introduction; In 1789 Robert Ransome, an ironmaster and inventor from Norwich, started his iron foundry in a disused maltings in the middle of Ipswich with a capital of £200 and a single workman. The patenting in 1803 of the famous Ransome's chilled ploughshare and in 1808 of a method for manufacturing interchangeable plough parts laid the foundations of a business which has been ever since a major force in the history of the British agricultural engineering industry.
While in business in Ipswich the firm adopted variouys styles;
1789 Robert Ransome
1809 Ransome & Son
1818 Ransome & Sons
1825 J.& R. Ransome
1830 J.R.& R. Ransome
1846 Ransomes & May
1852 Ransomes & Sims
1869 Ransomes, Sims & Head
1881 Ransomes, Head & Jefferies
1884 Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Ltd Private Limited Company
In 1911 it was successfully launched as a public company with a share capital of £750,000.
Prior to 1789 Robert Ransome was in business in Norwich trading under the following styles;
1774 Robert Ransome
1784Ransome & Co.
Robert Ransome was born in 1753 and died in 1830.
Ransomes and Rapier was formed in 1869 to manufacture all railway material.
Lawn mower production began in 1872 in a new factory, but it doesn't say where or if a new company was formed.