Arthur, the sixth child of James (William) and Mary Ransom was born at 5 am on 25th August 1887 at home which was 23 The Butts, Brentford. He was baptised on 30th October 1887 at St. Paul’s church also in Brentford. His mother Mary died when he was just 8 years old. She died 2 days after Christmas in 1895. In 1911 his occupation was listed as a butcher.

If we take a closer look at 1911 and the census form we find Arthur Ransom, a 23-year-old butcher from Brentford, Middlesex, found himself residing as a boarder at 2 Hornton Place in Kensington, London. In 1911, Arthur was single and living among a household of nine individuals. The head of the household was Edward Parsons, a 52-year-old man, accompanied by his wife Fanny August Parsons, aged 50. Sue Budgen, a 33-year-old visitor, also shared the residence. The household further comprised of Edward and Fanny’s son, Harry Alec Parsons, aged 25, and two other boarders: Arthur Ransom himself and James Barham, aged 20. Additionally, there were three visitors present: Edward Stanley Cowell, aged 15, Frederick George Budgen, aged 9, and Emily Martha Budgen, aged 7.

Edward Cowell was listed as ‘Errand Boy Butcher’ so I wonder if he worked for Arthur?

2 Hornton Place, Kensington in the red box – Kensington High Street station is the building in the top right of the photo.
2 Hornton Place, Kensington, London.

Two years later on 16th March 1913 Arthur married Mary Ann Samuel. When the wedding banns were read a 3rd time he was living at 23 Seymour Place, Camarthenshire.

In 1914 their son Horace Arthur Ransom was born

In 1915 their son John George Ransom was born.

In 1918 their son William Harold Ransom was born.

In 1920 their son Leslie Ransom was born.

Nine years later in 1922 Arthur and Mary were living at 35 Wick Road, Teddington, Middlesex. They lived here until 1951. It was at 35 Wick Road that Arthur ran his butcher’s shop.

Arthur Ransom’s butcher shop at 35 Wick Road, Teddington. Arthur and Mary stood outside with a young Leslie Ransom in the shadows of the doorway. Going by Leslie’s age of about 3 this places the photo around 1923. Arthur would have been about 36.
35 Wick Road in 2008 (looks very similar in 2024) – Now ‘Engraver’s House’
The above is a plan of 35 Wick Road as it was in 2006. Acme Graphics currently reside there.

In 1925 their daughter Hilda Mary Ransom was born.

In 1952 they are registered as living at 73 Cambridge Crescent, Teddington, Twickenham which they bought when they retired. They still had the butcher’s shop and their son Leslie still worked there with them until they sold it when they retired and then Leslie worked in other local butcher shops. Arthur owned other property in Teddington.  A family member remembers as a child them taking him to collect the rent.

73 Cambridge Crescent, Teddington – the house with the white door.

Their son Leslie lived there with his parents Arthur and Mary until their deaths in 1978 and then for another couple of years until his own death in 1980. Here is a description of the household from a family member:

Leslie was a keen amateur cricketer.  A shield to ‘best all-rounder’ had pride of place in the ‘front room’.   The family lived in the back room, which also had the dining room table, and a hatch through to the tiny kitchen.  The front room was kept for ‘best’ and, in fact, rarely used.  My cousins and I used to sleep on the floor when we visited.

On 16th March 1963 Arthur and Mary celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Arthur died on 20th June 1978 (on my 5th birthday!) aged 90. His wife Mary died almost 6 months to the date on 16th December 1978.