Ramsay was a native of Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, but his parents emigrated to Victoria when he was a child of four, and he was educated at the Scotch College in Melbourne. He studied law at University of Melbourne, and subsequently became a member of a well-known firm of solicitors in the city.[2] He married in 1868 Isabella Catherine Urquhart, second daughter of Roderick Urquhart, of Yangery Park.[3]
In October 1870 entered the assembly for East Bourke in the Conservative and free trade interest. He was a member of the government of James Goodall Francis from 1872 to 1874. He was subsequently Postmaster-General of Victoria (July 1874 to August 1875) in the administration of George Kerferd; he held the same office in conjunction with the ministry of education (October 1875 to May 1877) under Sir James McCulloch; and for a short term in 1880 he was chief secretary and minister of education in the first administration of James Service.[2]
He died on 23 May 1882 at his home in East Melbourne.
.jpg)
