Samuel Ramsden (1822 - 1877)

Melbourne Argus 20th Feb.1877. DEATH OF MR. SAMUEL RAMSDEN. Mr. Samuel Ramsden died at 4 o'clock yes- terday morning, at his residence, 7 Fitzroy- terrace, corner of Gipps and Clarendon streets, East Melbourne. For some time back he had been in ill health, suffering from liver disease and dropsy, and at the begin- ning of this year he felt so ill that he was obliged to seek the advice of Dr. Wilkie, his medical attendant. As he continued to get worse, Mr. Fitzgerald was called in for con- sultation, and on that gentleman having subsequently to leave for Sydney, the advice and attendance of Drs. Motherwell and J. Robertson were secured. Mr. Ramsden's complaint, however, did not yield to treat- ment, but progressed rapidly to an unfavour- able termination. On Saturday evening symptoms of coma set in, and the insensi- bility which took place was followed in a few hours by death. The funeral will take place on Wednesday. The career of Mr. Ramsden must be chiefly of interest to the public as one of great busi- ness success, for he never was a public man in the sense which implies that he took a noticeable part in politics. The particulars of his life might be made to show, were it at all needful, how steady perseverance and in- dustry, unassisted by the advantages of edu- cation, but favoured with suitable oppor- tunities, enable a man in these colonies to rise from a humble position to one of opulence. Though Mr. Ramsden hardly ever entered into an enterprise which did not turn out well, it can scarcely be said that he had more than an ordinary share of what is called luck. The shrewdness and foresight which conducted him into sound under- takings piloted him safely past all the rash or dangerous ventures and speculations which tempted many of his contemporaries and overthrew them. He had no belief in a rapid or easy road to wealth. Samuel Ramsden was born in Yorkshire, but moved to Man- chester to learn the trade of a stonemason, and there made the acquaintance of Charles and Henry Brown. His two friends came out to Port Phillip in 1841, and he followed, accompanied by his wife, in 1843 or 1844. At that time, of course, Melbourne was a very small town, and it had not quite recovered from a period of severe depression. The first job Mr. Ramsden got was to kerb the foot- path in front of the Union Bank, which was then in course of erection on the allotment on which it now stands at the corner of Col- lins-street and Queen-street. His friends the Browns had the foundations of the building to put up. Then he went to Portland, where there were some public works in pro- gress that afforded him employment. On his return he entered into partnership with the Browns (who were bricklayers) as builders, and the first contract they had was the erection of St. Peters Church, on the Eastern-hill, for £820. So much was the locality then in the country that, as people who remember the time say, the church could not be seen from any distance on ac- count of the gum trees and bushes that sur- rounded it. They quarried the stone for the first portion of the asylum at the Yarra Bend, and put up the first additions which were made to it. They had not many competitors. The aptitude they showed for work—it was not an uncommon thing in those times to work 18 hours a day—soon placed them in front, and practically gave them all the trade. They carried on business for nine or ten years, and then separated to revisit England. Mr. Ramsden, when at home, bought a barque in 1854, which was built to his order and intended for the colonial trade. The Eliza Ramsden, as the vessel was called, made a voyage from Melbourne to Mauritius and back, but was lost at the commencement of the third trip. She ran ashore in Port Phillip Harbour, near the sanatory station. Mr. Ramsden, on his return from England took to the business of a flour miller. Mr. David Aitken and he entered into partnership, and built mills at Carlton and Castlemaine. They carried on operations together for several years. Mr. Ramsden then took the Melbourne mill into his own hands, and Mr. Aitken the Castlemaine mill. The flour- mill trade proved as profitable as the build- ing trade, and grew eventually to large dimensions. About 10 years ago, Mr. Rams- den enlarged his operations by the purchase of plant which had been imported by the late Thomas Kenny (formerly of Sands and Kenny), for the manufacture of paper. The intention of Mr. Kenny was to build the paper mill at Dight's Falls, and drive the machinery by water power, which was to be obtained by the diversion of a portion of the stream through a cut across the bend. Mr. Ramsden meant to adhere to the original plan, but he subsequently chose a place which seemed more suitable—the flat below Prince's- bridge, where he rented a piece of ground from the Government, and substituted steam power for water. His old friend, Mr. Charles Brown, superintended the erection of the mill house and the tall chimney shaft. Some years elapsed before Mr. Ramsden got this new business to pay; but latterly we under- stand, it has done very well. Mr. Rams- den acquired a considerable amount of city and suburban property. He also became a large landowner some years ago in the Wes- tern district and the station was placed under the management of one of his sons. Though a man of heavy weight, he was from first to last of very active habits, and often surprised people with feats of agility of which they hardly thought him capable. Mr. Rams- den was for a short time a member of the Borough Council of East Collingwood.