James Trangmar who was born in 1820 was the eldest child of James Trangmar and Ann Marshall
from Brighton, Sussex , James senior was in business with his brother John as grocers at 8, Boyces
Street, Brighton.

James junior left for Australia with his younger sister Mary Anna who was born in 1821, their
journey is recalled in James log that was written during their journey on the ship "JAVA"

James arrived at Adelaide in 1840, and in 1842 took up his abode in Portland, Victoria, in 1846 he
entered into business as a general merchant with Mary Anna's husband George Godwin Crouch
who she had married in 1841.

James himself was married to Mary Ann Coulston in 1849 and they had five children, Mary Ann
died in 1861 aged forty, James re-married in 1867 to Catherine Mc Kebery and they had a further
two children.

His business partnership with George Godwin Crouch was dissolved in 1853, and he then conducted
the business on his own account solely until 1862, when he retired, handing it over to his brother,
Charles Marshall Trangmar, whose untimely death in 1872 caused a profound sensation.

In July of that year, Charles Marshall took his annual trip up-country, the weather being exceptionally
wet, and there being floods all over the colony. While driving through one of the flooded districts
the horses, carriage, servant and himself were suddenly precipitated into a deep cavernous, or
" runaway " hole, and it was not until four weeks afterward, when the floods had subsided, that the
bodies were found.

James, after giving up business, took command of the Portland Artillery Corps, from which he
retired with the rank of major. He has been a member of the Portland road board and the shire
council, and was seven years president; also member of the Portland borough council, twice
chairman, and five times mayor of the borough.

After leaving commercial pursuits he entered into squatting, having stations on the River Wannon
and the Grange Burn. James holds Her Majesty's commission the peace for the western bailiwick.
He has a family of four sons and daughter, all living in the Western District. His present residence
Burswood, was built by Mr. Edward Henty, the pioneer of settlement in the western portion of
Victoria, from whose widow James purchased the property.



Major James Trangmar, 1820-1888

Many thanks to the following people and organisations who have supplied so
much information much of which has yet to find its way onto these pages.

Daryl Povey of Ballarat Genealogy http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au
Portland Family History Group Inc portlandfamhist@yahoo.com
State Library of South Australia http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au
Cathy Flint of Nothern Territories Archives Service http://www.nt.gov.au/nta

A special thanks to all those decendants of those intrepid Trangmars who set
out from England long ago, who have sent so much information and enthusiasm
for this project.