Sir James Rankin, 1st Baronet JP DL (25 December 1842 – 17 April 1915) was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.

Early life

Rankin was born on 25 December 1842 at Liverpool, England. He was the eldest son of Robert Rankin (1801–1870), a timber merchant and shipowner, and his wife Ann (née Strang) Ranking (1812–1875). His sister, Ann Rankin, was the first wife of David MacIver, MP. His paternal grandparents were James Rankin and Helen ( Ferguson) Rankin. His uncle, Alexander Rankin, was a Scottish timber merchant and shipowner. His maternal grandfather was John Strang, a prominent Scottish merchant of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. Through his aunt Agnes Strang (wife of Allan Gilmour), he was a first cousin of Sir John Gilmour, 1st Baronet. He earned a first-class degree in the Natural Science Tripos at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Career

He was Member of Parliament for Leominster from 1880 to 1885, and from 1886 until the general election of 1906, losing the seat by only 28 votes to the Liberal candidate. He regained the seat in January 1910 and resigned in March 1912. He served as a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for Herefordshire. He was made a Baronet on 20 June 1898, of Bryngwyn (Bryngwyn Manor, near Wormelow Tump), Herefordshire. He was a senior partner of the family timber and shipbuilding company, Pollok, Gilmour and Company, founded by his great-uncles, John Pollok and Arthur Pollok. The Rankin Constitutional Club, in Corn Square, Leominster, is named after him.

Personal life

On 12 January 1865, he married Annie Laura Bushell (c. 1843–1920), the daughter Christopher Bushell JP (1810–1886) and Margaret (née Easton) Bushell of Hinderton Hall, Cheshire. Together, they had four sons and four daughters, including: Sir James died on 17 April 1915 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Reginald.