Ranford Family
Henry Samuel Ranford was born on 27 April 1854 in Perth, Western Australia. He married Jane Eliza Jewell on 14 July 1877 at Perth. Jane died in 1896 and Henry went on to marry Emily Clarinda van Zuilecom in 1899 at Enyellup.
He was the Father of Amable Mary Ranford, Charles Richard Ranford, Eliza Jane (Ranford) Dartnall, Sarah Agnes Ranford, Henry Andrews Ranford and Bertha Louisa Ranford.
In 1891 he was living on Stirling St , Toodyay. He was a licensed surveyor. Henry employed seventeen Ticket of Leave men on occasions 1872-1883. He engaged in Government service in the Northwest in 1884. He was Inspector of Lands and Surveys and Acting Surveyor General. By 1897 he was the Government Land Agent at Katanning. He went to London in 1909 as an Emigration Officer.
SEND-OFF TO MR. HENRY SAMUEL RANFORD.
A PLEASING CEREMONY.
West Australian
17 March 1897 – P7
A pleasing ceremony took place in the offices of the Lands Department yesterday afternoon, when the officers of that branch of the Government service accorded a hearty send-off to the Chief Inspector of Surveys, Mr. Henry Samuel Ranford.
Mr. Harry F. Johnston, the Surveyor-General, alluded in feeling and friendly terms to the long and honourable service which Mr. Ranford had given to the colony. Ha explained that his old friend was not, fortunately, going to leave them altogether but was transferring his energy and ability for a time to another sphere.
The department, in consequence of the great demand for land in the southern districts, had decided to try an experiment which, he believed, would be equally satisfactory both to it and to the general public. This was the establishment of a branch lands office at Katanning, and Mr. Ranford had been chosen by the Government to open the new branch. He need hardly say that if anyone could make the venture a success it was Mr. Ranford. He asked them all to join him in wishing all success and good health to Mr. Ranford. The toast was enthusiastically honoured.
Mr. R. C. Clifton, the Under-Secretary for Lands, said that before Mr. Ranford responded he would like to say a few words. He could endorse every word spoken by Mr. Johnston of their friend and, although the new move was only an experiment, he felt certain that under Mr. Ranford the happiest results to everyone concerned would ensue.
Mr. J. S. Brooking, ex-Surveyor-General, said that he was extremely glad to be present that day. He could bear out every word that had fallen from his friends, Mr. Harry Johnston and Mr. Clifton, as he had known Mr. Ranford for over 25 years – more than a lifetime of some of those present. He wished Mr. Ranford every success in his new work.
Mr. Ranford, who was received with cheers, returned thanks. He said that he felt he had personal friends among those present. He could not express his gratitude to them for their kindness to him and had not expected more than that perhaps a few of his older friends and companions would have come down to the station to see him off.
It was very kind of the Surveyor General, the Under-Secretary for Lands and Mr. Brooking to say what they had. He had only tried to do his duty and if he had failed, he asked them to remember that he had honestly tried to do his best. This would not be his first visit to Katanning, because as long ago as 1872, when Mr. Brooking was deputed to undertake certain contract surveys down there, and was unexpectedly given another appointment, he (Mr. Ranford) was ordered to go and carry out the work. He would like to say that what pleased him most in Mr. Throssell’s speech the other day, when he was introduced to the officers of the department by the Premier, was a little remark to the effect that he (Mr. Throssell) had heard high praise bestowed on the way in which the work of the department was carried on.
This was satisfactory to those who, like himself, had been connected with the Survey Office for many years, and had spent half a lifetime in the service of the colony. When he first joined the department things were very different from what they were now. Then, it was a most difficult task to get sufficient assistance to carry on the work, and they had to struggle along in the face of great difficulties, even of neglect, by those in power, but no one could say that of the present Government. He had only to look round that crowded room to see how the service had grown and prospered and now, if men were needed, the Government gave them to the department. That was one of the reasons why the department was so efficient.
In bidding them all goodbye for a while, he could assure them of his best wishes for their health and prosperity; and he trusted one day to come back and find that every man in the room was well and prosperous.
The proceedings then terminated and, later on in the afternoon, Mr. Ranford left by the 3.30 o’clock train for the scene of his new duties. Several of the gentlemen who were at the send-off went down to the train to bid their colleague farewell.
THE KATANNING TRAGEDY.
MISS RANFORD’S DEATH.
INQUEST AND VERDICT.
West Australian
25 January 1899 – P5
KATANNING, January 24.
As reported briefly in yesterday’s issue of this journal, a most shocking burning fatality occurred here yesterday afternoon, at about 3 p.m. Miss Amabel Ranford, aged 21, eldest daughter of Mr. Henry Samuel Ranford, Government land agent here, being the victim.
It appears that after dinner Mr. Ranford drove out to show a new selector around the country, leaving his three daughters at home. At about 3 o’clock a fire in an outhouse at the back of Mr. Ranford’s house was noticed.
Miss Sarah Ranford, sister of the deceased, cried out that her sister was inside, and every effort was made by both her and Bowker, a baker’s man, who first noticed the fire, to open the door, but at first it was impossible. Bowker afterwards succeeded in opening the door, but was forced to leave again, the heat and smoke being so dense.
Bowker went for assistance, and, in the meantime, others arrived and endeavoured to put the fire out with water, which after about a quarter of an hour was managed, and the building broken open. The lifeless body of Miss Ranford was discovered inside, much burned.
The body was afterwards conveyed to the morgue at the hospital. In the meantime, messengers were sent to inform Mr. Ranford of the sad occurrence. Mr. Ranford returned about an hour afterwards.
The deceased, whose untimely death is keenly regretted throughout the district, was very popular. Much sympathy is expressed here for Mr. Ranford and his family in their sudden bereavement.
The corpse was removed from the morgue at 11 this morning, and the procession was led by the Rev. J. A. Howes, most of the residents of the town following. At St. Andrew’s Church the first portion of the burial service was conducted by the Rev. J. A. Howes. Afterwards the corpse was borne by six carriers to the railway station and transported to Perth, where it is intended to bury the deceased in her mother’s grave. Mr. Ranford and his family also left by the same train.
Flags in the town have been flying half-mast, and business was temporarily suspended as a token of the respect in which the deceased was held. A great many sympathisers attended the railway station to pay their last tribute of respect to the deceased.
The inquest was held to-day before Mr. W. K. Adam, R.M., coroner, and a jury consisting of Messrs. W. Kennedy, P. Cunneen, and W. Grover. Sarah Ranford, sister of the deceased, describing the accident, said that she saw flames coming out of the roof of an outhouse, and she ran and tried to open the door, but could not do so. She then called to Bowker and gave him an iron bar to try and open it, but he did not succeed.
He then tried to tear open the iron. She guessed that her sister was in the out-house, although she heard no cries for help of any sort. There was no handle on the lock of the door of the outhouse inside.
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