People Australia

Norman Rancie, n.d.

Norman Read Rancie (1888-1968) bootmaker, political activist, gaoled IWW leader 

Birth: 3 February 1888 at Richmond, Victoria, son of John Read (or Reid) Rancie (1845-1920), a grocer, born at Hobart, Tasmania, and Annie Martha, nee Bennett (1859-1941), born at Geelong, Victoria. Marriage: 28 October 1918 at Townsville, Queensland, to Susan Mary, née Campbell, late Coleman, (1874-1950), born at Dalby Queensland, a divorcée with four children. They later separated. Death: 13 April 1968 in Camden District Hospital, Camden, New South Wales; usual residence Curlewis Street, Bondi, Sydney. Religion: Anglican. 

• His great-grandfather George Culliford (1783-1864), born in Somerset, England, arrived in Tasmania aboard the Indefatigable in 1812 as a convict.
• Norman, a bootmaker, joined the Social Questions Committee and Victorian Socialist Party (VSP) in 1905 after hearing Tom Mann lecture. Soon rose to prominence as a VSP public speaker.
• Arrested during Richmond Free Speech Fight in 1907, but case was not proceeded with after he fell ill.
• Travelled to Broken Hill, New South Wales, in 1911, where he joined the Barrier Socialist Party, then to Sydney where he joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Returned to Broken Hill in 1914, becoming president of IWW Local 1914-1917 until it was suppressed.
• In 1915 was gaoled for one month for assaulting a policeman. During World War I in Broken Hill, initiated 'Labor Volunteer Army' and anti-conscription activities.
• Moving to Sydney, he edited Direct Action, the official organ of IWW, for two years following Tom Barker's arrest in 1916.
• With others, including Barker, Rancie was arrested in August 1917 and served six months imprisonment in Bathurst gaol for belonging to an unlawful association — the IWW.
• In 1920s wrote newspaper articles alleging corruption in Sydney labour movement. A warrant for his arrest was issued in July 1923, for disobeying a magisterial order for the support of his wife. The warrant described him as “37 years of age, about 5 feet 5 inches [160 cm] with stout build, dark complexion, black hair, dark-brown eyes, clean shaved, left thumb-nail missing; a bootmaker”.
• Was active in Queensland for several years in the 1930s.
• Later worked on Hobart wharves and addressed meetings in support of Gerry Mahoney. Returned to Sydney, living at Potts Point and frequented Sydney Domain. Became an anti-communist and admirer of Jack Lang.
• Lived in East Sydney in 1957. Address was Clarence St, Bondi Beach, from 1964-1967. He moved to Potts Point in the last year of his life.
• Longtime supporter of Collingwood Football Team.
• Cause of death: myocardial degeneration (7 days), cerebral thrombosis (6 weeks) and bronchopneumonia (9 days). On his death registration, the informant, his sister Ida, stated Rancie had never married.
• Norman’s older brother John Valentine Rancie (1886-1916), a shearer, was killed in action on 25 July 1916, serving with the 8th Battalion at Pozières, in France in World War I.

Sources
Recorder, vol. 3 no.7, 1968; G. Hewitt, Recorder, no.82, 1976; information from F. Cain, 1992; Merrifield Card Index, State Library of Victoria; Description of Merrifield biog file, La Trobe Library; Ian Turner, Sydney’s Burning (Sydney, 1967), pp 19, 63 & 86.