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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Ranson, James

Ranson, James, Farmer, Bunnythorpe. The subject of this article was born in Suffolk, England, in 1830. He served his apprenticeship with his father and brother, who were in business as builders and contractors, and when his time was up went to London, and completed his knowledge of building there. When the war with Russia broke out, James Ranson he joined the Army Works Corps, and served at the Crimea, returning home in 1856. Shortly afterwards, hearing of the fabulous tales of gold-finding in Australia, he made up his mind to go there, so sailed for the Antipodes. Arriving at Melbourne at the end of 1856, Mr. Ranson went straight to Bendigo, where he worked at the building trade for some months, and did very well. When the great Ararat rush took place in 1857, he was the first to take timber there, and sold the whole lot at a handsome profit. Then, lured by the splendid reports of the great finds being made, he joined in the rush, and started mining, with the result that he lost all the money that he had made. After various vicissitudes, he left Melbourne for Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1861, and was working at his trade for some years in various parts of the South Island. At one time in Queenstown, Mr. Ranson had a contract to erect buildings at Maori Point, all materials for which had to be conveyed on pack horses at a cost of two pence halfpenny per pound. In 1874 Mr. Ranson settled in Wellington, and has erected many of the most prominent buildings in the city, among which are the Club and Melbourne Hotels, and many buildings in Cuba Street. He built the Opera House in brick in 1886, and two years later the building was re-constructed by him. Subsequently he erected Messrs. Scoullar and Chisholm's and Messrs. P. Hayman and Co's premises, and many others. Mr. Ranson retired, partly through ill-health, in 1889. He was married in Melbourne, and has a family of two sons and one daughter. His eldest son is in business in the country, having a general store and bakery, while the other superintends the working of the farm.