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Ransome & Marles

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{{Infobox company
| name = Ransome & Marles Bearing Company Limited
| logo =
| image = NSK bearings factory (geograph 4037234).jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Some of the remaining buildings Newark-on-Trent June 2014
| type = [[Public limited company]]
| traded_as = Ransome & Marles
| foundation = c.1916 ([[Newark-on-Trent]])
| location = [[Newark-on-Trent]], [[Nottinghamshire]]
| key_people = V S Woods (Chairman) Henry Marles (inventor & director) H J Higgs (managing director)
| fate = From 1990 part of [[NSK Ltd]]
| industry = [[Automotive industry|Automotive]] [[Aerospace manufacturer|Aerospace]] etcetera
| products = Rolling element bearings, linear motion products, seals, lubrication systems, maintenance products
| revenue = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income = 
| num_employees =
| divisions =
| homepage =
}}
'''Ransome & Marles Bearing Company Limited''' was the owner of a business making [[Ball bearing|ball]] and [[Bearing (mechanical)|roller]] bearings founded during the [[First World War]] to make bearings for aircraft and other engines. Before the war most bearings had been imported and most of those were from Germany.

The business is now part of NSK UK Limited but Ransome & Marles former plant, Stanley Works, remains in operation in Northern Road, Newark NG24 2JF, Nottinghamshire UK

==Products==
The ball-bearing industry provides an essential input to the motor, machine tool, engineering and aircraft industries.<ref>''The Times'', Thursday, May 22, 1969; pg. 23; Issue 57566</ref>

==History==

===A Ransome & Co===
[[File:Self-acting sawbench (Carpentry and Joinery, 1925).jpg|thumb|left|Self-acting sawbench]]
Ransome & Marles grew from another separate business needing bearings for its own products. In 1868 Allen Ransome (1833-1913) and Frederic Josselyn (1842-1900) set up A Ransome & Co in [[Chelsea, London]].

A Ransome & Co designed and manufactured woodworking and timber-handling machinery.
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Later they acquired a [[foundry]] in [[Battersea]]. Vincent Sydney Woods (1855-1939) joined them at the foundry and the foundry firm's name was Ransome, Josselyn and Woods. In 1893 the two businesses were amalgamated under the ownership of a new incorporated company, A Ransome and Co Limited.
[[File:Battersea, Ransome's Dock (1) - geograph.org.uk - 828400.jpg|thumb|Part of Ransome's dock 2008 and possibly the foundry's chimney]]
In 1900 all A Ransome and Co activities were moved to [[Newark-on-Trent]], Nottinghamshire under the management of V S Woods though a London office was retained in [[Chancery Lane]].<ref name=NUL>Nottingham University Library, Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections, Reference MS 428 1855-1932.</ref> There was also a tie to [[Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies|Ransomes]], engineers of Ipswich and manufacturer of aeroplanes during World War I.<ref>The Times, Wednesday, Aug 02, 1922; pg. 9; Issue 43099</ref> Allen Ransome was the younger son of their [[James Allen Ransome|J A Ransome]] and retained an interest in that business. Woodworking machinery was needed during World War I, aeroplanes were made of wood and fabric.

Ransome's Dock. In the mid-1880s Allen Ransome improved the Battersea foundry's surrounds also turning the creek by the foundry into a dock. He was assisted by civil engineer [[Edward Woods (engineer)|Edward Woods]] (1814-1903), father of Ransome's partner V S Woods. It was made large enough to take coastal steamers and allow vessels to pass or turn.

At the turn of the century when Ransome's moved to Newark the foundry became Drew-Bear Perks & Co's Battersea Steelworks. In the 21st century it is a haven for houseboats.<ref>[http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/imported-docs/a-e/battersea-vol-49-chap-8.pdf English Heritage, Battersea] accessed 26 May 2014</ref>

===Ransome & Marles===
[[File:Cylindrical-roller-bearing din5412-t1 type-n ex.png|thumb|100px|Cylindrical roller bearing outer race off to show its rollers]]
[[Image:BallBearing.gif|thumb|100px|Animation of ball bearing (An ideal picture without cage) Note that the red dots meet every 1.5 revolutions]]
Ransomes had an association with inventor Henry Marles who held patents for wood carving machinery which he had taken out in 1899.
Towards the end of 1917 journalists were shown through a new ball bearing plant in Newark under conditions of strict secrecy though they were allowed to publish the name of the owners, Ransome & Marles. Henry Marles held some patents for the design and manufacture of ball bearings, A. Ransome & Co had some experience in their manufacture. Aside from their own requirement A. Ransome & Co were already supplying "famous English motor manufacturers". They had begun by assembling bought-in balls with their own components then moved on to manufacturing their own balls. A new ball-making plant, which the journalists were visiting, had now been installed in new premises alongside A. Ransome & Co's own though the new plant was not in production at the end of 1917.<ref>page 1395, Flight Magazine, December 27, 1917</ref>

The first chairman of Ransome & Marles was Victor Sydney Woods, the youngest partner in A. Ransome & Co. The first managing director was Henry Marles (1871- 1955 ) until just after the end of the war and the appointment of American-born Lt. Col. Henry Joseph Higgs (1892-1934) when Marles with his technical knowledge took up the position of sales director. Allen Ransome's son, Geoffrey Ransome (1867-1928), was a director of both companies.

By October 1918, shortly before [[First Armistice at Compiègne|the Armistice]], Woods told Ransome & Marles shareholders at their 2nd [[Annual General Meeting]] there had again been a large increase in premises and plant during the year. The three-story building accommodating 500 people had not been completed until May 1918 but full output should be reached by the end of 1918.<ref>Ransome and Marles Bearing Company (Limited). ''The Times'', Monday, Oct 21, 1918; pg. 15; Issue 41926</ref>

The adjoining engineering works of A Ransome & Co, the original Stanley Works, were bought by Ransome & Marles when they were put up for sale in 1932.<ref>''The Times'', Thursday, Feb 23, 1933; pg. 24; Issue 46376</ref> The premises were described as a freehold site of {{convert|9|acre}} with sidings to the L & NE railway and factory buildings covering {{convert|130000| sqft|ha}}.<ref>''The Times'', Saturday, Dec 03, 1932; pg. 20; Issue 46307</ref> A. Ransome & Co's woodworking machinery business itself was taken over by the woodworking firm of John Pickles and Son of Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire.<ref name=NUL/>

The three year factory and plant extensions programme finished in 1938 was in response to a new demand for new motor vehicles as well as rearmament.<ref>''The Times'', Thursday, Sep 28, 1939; pg. 13; Issue 48422</ref> Within a short time it was followed by the addition of another new workshop completed in early 1940.<ref>''The Times'', Monday, Oct 09, 1939; pg. 15; Issue 48431</ref>

After the war, in 1954, a new factory was opened in [[County Durham]] at [[Annfield Plain]].<ref name=TT53065>''The Times'', Monday, Oct 18, 1954; pg. 10; Issue 53065</ref> The decision to make that investment had been made in 1950.<ref>''The Times'', Monday, Oct 15, 1951; pg. 10; Issue 52132</ref>

===Export markets===
South African agent, D Drury & Co, was purchased and made a subsidiary in 1952.<ref>''The Times'', Monday, Oct 13, 1952; pg. 9; Issue 52441</ref> Next the Australian agent, Gardner Waern & Co, was purchased and became a wholly owned subsidiary.<ref name=TT53065/> The opportunity arose later to purchase the Australian government's ball-bearing factory at [[Echuca]]. After negotiations Echuca was purchased not outright but as a joint venture with Skefko and Skefko's parent, [[SKF]].<ref>''The Times'', Friday, Dec 04, 1959; pg. 22; Issue 54635</ref><ref>Ransome And Marles Bearing Company Limited. ''The Times'', Wednesday, Nov 29, 1961; pg. 22; Issue 55251</ref>

===Aggregation===
In 1969 Ransome's joined with [[Chelmsford#Hoffmann Ball Bearings (R.H.P.)|Hoffman]]'s and [[Pollard Ball and Roller Bearing Company|Pollard]]'s as subsidiaries of RHP Limited. This was at the direction of the Wilson (Labour) government's [[Industrial Reorganisation Corporation]] in the face of attempts by Swedish-controlled manufacturer, [[SKF|Skefko]], to gain control of the British industry.<ref>Sluggish bearing sales and Japanese imports hit Ransome: 1,475 jobs go. ''The Times'', Saturday, May 20, 1972; pg. 17; Issue 58483</ref> The new RHP group commanded about 40 percent of the total British market.<ref>''The Times'', Tuesday, Oct 14, 1969; pg. 19; Issue 57690</ref>

Immediately prior to the aggregation in RHP limited Ransome & Marles produced 16 to 17 percent of the British output of taper bearings.<ref>''The Times'', Tuesday, May 13, 1969; pg. 27; Issue 57558</ref>

RHP along with Neuweg (Germany) became subsidiaries of Nippon Seiko KK or [[NSK Ltd]] of Japan in 1990

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|A Ransome & Co}}
* [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1947/1947%20-%201947.html?search=ransome Advertisement 1947 (Flightglobal/Archive)]
* [http://www.nsk.com '''NSK''' Group Global Web Site]
* [http://www.nskeurope.com '''NSK''' European Web Site]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ransome and Marles}}
[[Category:Bearing manufacturers]]
[[Category:Newark-on-Trent]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom]]

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