James Allen Ransome

James Allen Ransome (July 1806 – 29 August 1875), known as Allen Ransome, was a British agricultural-implement maker and agricultural writer, known from his 1843 publication of "The Implements of Agriculture." He was considered as "one of the leaders in a movement which, by bringing the science of the engineer to bear on the manufacture of implements for tilling the ground, has wrought, during the present century, an almost complete revolution in the practice of agriculture."

James Allen Ransome was born in 1806 in Great Yarmouth as eldest son of the agricultural-implement maker James Ransome (1782–1849), and grandson of Robert Ransome (1753–1830), who co-founded Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies. In 1809 he moved with his father's family to Ipswich, dating from which town as his home, he completed his education at Colchester in 1820, after having spent four years there.

After leaving school, he became apprenticed to his grandfather, father, and uncle, who were then carrying on business in Ipswich as Ransome and Sons. From 1826 to 1839 he resided at Yoxford, Suffolk, where a branch of the business was established that he managed. He started a farmers' club there which was the precursor of many similar institutions, notably the Farmers' Club of London, of which Ransome was one of the founders. In 1829 he became partner in the firm then trading under the altered title of J. R. and A. Ransome, and he married.

In 1839 he moved permanently to Ipswich to reside as one of the leading partners of a firm now written as Ransomes and Sims. Under his direction the business assumed huge proportions. In 1843 he published an excellent history of 'The Implements of Agriculture,' part of which had been prepared as a prize essay for the Royal Agricultural Society.

He had joined the society in 1838, served on its council, and was one of the most popular figures at its annual shows (cf. Farmers' Magazine, 1857, with portrait). He was alderman of Ipswich from 1865 until his death in 1875.

Ransome died 29 April 1875 at his house in Carr Street, Ipswich. By his wife Catherine (d. 17 April 1868), daughter of James Neave of Fordingbridge, Hampshire, whom he married on 4 September 1829, he left two sons, Robert James and Allen Ransome, and three daughters, one of whom married J. R. Jefferies, an active member of the firm.

The energetic character of Ransome's labours first began to fairly develop itself during his second sojourn in Yoxford. Thoroughly feeling the advantages which should come from such associations, he became mainly instrumental in establishing the Yoxford Farmers' Club. He attempted this on something of a new, or at any rate on a principle very rarely tried up to that time. As secretary he organised the discussion, by the members, of questions of practical agriculture, with the view of publishing reports as to reliable results. The success of such plan is now well known. In his own and the adjoining counties it was almost immediate.

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