Cook, Thomas, & Son Ltd
Other Business Names:
- Cook, Thomas
- Compagnie Internationale des Wagons Lits
- British Transport Commission
- Midland Bank Ltd
- Cook, John Mason
Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:
- London, Greater London, Greater London, Greater London, England
Sectors:
-
Recreation activities
Travel agency services inc excursions & package holidays
Notes:
Traces origins to Thomas Cook, 1808-92, who in 1841 organised his first train excursion, for his church, from his base in Market Harborough. Late 1841 settled in Leicester where established himself as a bookseller, publisher and printer. 1845 started selling rail and coach excursions for pleasure, producing for each a handbook. In conjunction with Midland Railway Co, organised huge number of excursions to the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. By now very well known. 1854 gave up his printing business. 1856 opened a London office managed by his son, John Mason Cook, and business renamed Thomas Cook & Son. 1850s organised first excursion to outside UK and in 1872 first round the world tour. 1874 introduced first traveller's cheque, then known as circular note. 1928 acquired from Cook family by Compagnie Internationale des Wagons Lits. 1941 acquired by a group of UK railway companies and nationalised in 1948 as part of British Transport Commission. 1972, when in decline, sold to a consortium including Midland Bank Ltd and fully owned by latter from 1977. Subsequently other owners
Publications:
- Business of Travel. A fifty years' record of progress by Rae, William F
- Cook's Tours. The story of popular travel by Swinglehurst, Edmund
- Cooks' Travel Cheques, 1874-1974. The first hundred years by Unknown
- Golden Age of Travel. The romantic years of tourism in images from the Thomas Cook archives by Williamson, Andrew
- Grand Tours and Cook's Tours. A history of leisure travel, 1750 to 1915 by Withey, Lynne
- History of Tourism. Thomas Cook and the origins of leisure travel by Smith, Paul (ed)
- 'Mr Thomas Cook. The pioneer of popular travel. A personally conducted fortune' in Fortunes Made in Business. Life struggles of successful people by Unknown
- Networks of print in 'Radical Leicester' by Hinks, John
- Railway excursion agents in Britain, 1840-60 by Major, Susan
- Removal of the Head Office of Thos Cook & Son Ltd from the City to the West End ... 1926 by Unknown
- Romantic Journey. The story of Thomas Cook and Victorian travel by Swinglehurst, Edmund
- 'The East as an exhibit. Thomas Cook & Son and the origins of international tourism in Egypt' in Philip Scranton & Janet F Davidson (eds), Business of Tourism. Place, faith and history by Hazbun, Waleed
- 'The Millions Go Forth'. Early railway excursion crowds, 1840-1860 by Major, Susan
- Thomas Cook. 150 years of popular tourism by Brendon, Piers
- Thomas Cook and the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits by King, John
- 'Thomas Cook. Image and reality' in R W Butler & R A Russell (eds), Giants of Tourism by Walton, John K
- Thomas Cook of Leicester by Ingle, Robert
- Thomas Cook of Leicester by Simmons, Jack
- Thomas Cook Story by Pudney, John S
- Thomas Cook. The holiday maker by Douglas-Hamilton, Jill
- Thomas Cook. The story of the world's largest travel company by Unknown
Groups:
Other Business Names:
- Cook, Thomas
- Compagnie Internationale des Wagons Lits
- British Transport Commission
- Midland Bank Ltd
- Cook, John Mason
Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:
- London, Greater London, Greater London, Greater London, England
Sectors:
- Recreation activities Travel agency services inc excursions & package holidays
Notes:
Traces origins to Thomas Cook, 1808-92, who in 1841 organised his first train excursion, for his church, from his base in Market Harborough. Late 1841 settled in Leicester where established himself as a bookseller, publisher and printer. 1845 started selling rail and coach excursions for pleasure, producing for each a handbook. In conjunction with Midland Railway Co, organised huge number of excursions to the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. By now very well known. 1854 gave up his printing business. 1856 opened a London office managed by his son, John Mason Cook, and business renamed Thomas Cook & Son. 1850s organised first excursion to outside UK and in 1872 first round the world tour. 1874 introduced first traveller's cheque, then known as circular note. 1928 acquired from Cook family by Compagnie Internationale des Wagons Lits. 1941 acquired by a group of UK railway companies and nationalised in 1948 as part of British Transport Commission. 1972, when in decline, sold to a consortium including Midland Bank Ltd and fully owned by latter from 1977. Subsequently other ownersPublications:
- Business of Travel. A fifty years' record of progress by Rae, William F
- Cook's Tours. The story of popular travel by Swinglehurst, Edmund
- Cooks' Travel Cheques, 1874-1974. The first hundred years by Unknown
- Golden Age of Travel. The romantic years of tourism in images from the Thomas Cook archives by Williamson, Andrew
- Grand Tours and Cook's Tours. A history of leisure travel, 1750 to 1915 by Withey, Lynne
- History of Tourism. Thomas Cook and the origins of leisure travel by Smith, Paul (ed)
- 'Mr Thomas Cook. The pioneer of popular travel. A personally conducted fortune' in Fortunes Made in Business. Life struggles of successful people by Unknown
- Networks of print in 'Radical Leicester' by Hinks, John
- Railway excursion agents in Britain, 1840-60 by Major, Susan
- Removal of the Head Office of Thos Cook & Son Ltd from the City to the West End ... 1926 by Unknown
- Romantic Journey. The story of Thomas Cook and Victorian travel by Swinglehurst, Edmund
- 'The East as an exhibit. Thomas Cook & Son and the origins of international tourism in Egypt' in Philip Scranton & Janet F Davidson (eds), Business of Tourism. Place, faith and history by Hazbun, Waleed
- 'The Millions Go Forth'. Early railway excursion crowds, 1840-1860 by Major, Susan
- Thomas Cook. 150 years of popular tourism by Brendon, Piers
- Thomas Cook and the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits by King, John
- 'Thomas Cook. Image and reality' in R W Butler & R A Russell (eds), Giants of Tourism by Walton, John K
- Thomas Cook of Leicester by Ingle, Robert
- Thomas Cook of Leicester by Simmons, Jack
- Thomas Cook Story by Pudney, John S
- Thomas Cook. The holiday maker by Douglas-Hamilton, Jill
- Thomas Cook. The story of the world's largest travel company by Unknown