Robert Rankin (1801–1870)

Robert Rankin (31 May 1801 at Mearns, Renfrewshire, Scotland - 3 June 1870 at Cheshire, England), brother of Alexander Rankin, and son of James Rankin and Helen Ferguson, was a timber merchant and shipowner. His uncles, John Pollok and Arthur Pollok, were cofounders of Pollok, Gilmour and Company.

Having obtained a good general education in Scotland, he joined Pollok, Gilmour and Company in 1815, and in 1818 was transferred to Miramichi, New Brunswick. In 1822 he set up a branch firm, Robert Rankin and Company, in Saint John, New Brunswick. This branch became the most prosperous and successful of the Pollok, Gilmour, and Company enterprises. By 1830 Robert Rankin was Saint John's leading shipowner and timber merchant.

In 1838 he returned to Scotland and lead the reorganisation of Pollok, Gilmour, and Company, renaming it as Rankin, Gilmour, and Company. He maintained control of this business empire until his death in 1870.

He contributed greatly to the amazing growth of the shipbuilding and timber trades in 19th century Canada.^[1]

References

Bibliography

• John Rankin, A history of our firm: being some account of the firm of Pollok, Gilmour and Co. and its offshoots and connections, 1804-1920, publ. 1921]