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Edward John Cotton
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Edward John Cotton
Edward John Cotton (1 June 1829 – 14 June 1899) was an English accountant who became manager of the Waterford and Kilkenny Railway and, subsequently, the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway where he was influential in developing tourism in the north of Ireland.
Edward John Cotton was born on 1 June 1829, at Rochester, Kent. The son of Edward and Hannah Cotton, he was christened on 24 June 1829, at the church of St Margaret, Rochester.
He entered railway service with the traffic department of the Great Western Railway at Paddington, London in October 1845. Two years later he became a clerk at the embryonic Railway Clearing House at a time when fewer than 20 railway companies were associated with it. There he gained a thorough knowledge of inter-company traffic and working arrangements. In 1851, he joined the North Eastern Railway where he was given the task of training the staff in Clearing House business.
In 1853, Cotton moved to Kilkenny in Ireland to become manager to the Waterford and Kilkenny Railway. He was 24 years old and one of the youngest railway managers in the British Isles.
He was appointed traffic manager of the Belfast and Ballymena Railway (B&BR) in 1857. The B&BR was aware of the importance of third-class traffic and, in 1859, Cotton gave instructions that third class tickets were to be issued from all stations, making the B&BR one of the first railways in the British Isles to do so.
The B&BR was renamed the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR) in 1860 and during his tenure Cotton saw the BNCR greatly expand as it acquired other railways. Under his management, the BNCR became Ireland's most prosperous railway company. He was made a tempting offer to accept a position in India but the directors of the BNCR recognised Cotton's ability and his value to the company and raised his salary in order to retain him. Eventually Cotton would become the highest paid railway official in Ireland.
Cotton played a leading role in establishing the Larne-Stranraer steamer service in 1862 but it was not a success and closed after 14 months. However, Cotton did not relinquish the idea and was instrumental in the steamer's successful resurgence under private ownership in July 1872. He became the manager of the newly created Larne & Stranraer Steamship Joint Committee in 1893.
In addition to his service with the BNCR, he was concurrently manager of the Ballymena, Cushendall and Red Bay Railway from 1875 until 1884 when that line was acquired by the BNCR.
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Edward John Cotton
Edward John Cotton (1 June 1829 – 14 June 1899) was an English accountant who became manager of the Waterford and Kilkenny Railway and, subsequently, the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway where he was influential in developing tourism in the north of Ireland.
Edward John Cotton was born on 1 June 1829, at Rochester, Kent. The son of Edward and Hannah Cotton, he was christened on 24 June 1829, at the church of St Margaret, Rochester.
He entered railway service with the traffic department of the Great Western Railway at Paddington, London in October 1845. Two years later he became a clerk at the embryonic Railway Clearing House at a time when fewer than 20 railway companies were associated with it. There he gained a thorough knowledge of inter-company traffic and working arrangements. In 1851, he joined the North Eastern Railway where he was given the task of training the staff in Clearing House business.
In 1853, Cotton moved to Kilkenny in Ireland to become manager to the Waterford and Kilkenny Railway. He was 24 years old and one of the youngest railway managers in the British Isles.
He was appointed traffic manager of the Belfast and Ballymena Railway (B&BR) in 1857. The B&BR was aware of the importance of third-class traffic and, in 1859, Cotton gave instructions that third class tickets were to be issued from all stations, making the B&BR one of the first railways in the British Isles to do so.
The B&BR was renamed the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR) in 1860 and during his tenure Cotton saw the BNCR greatly expand as it acquired other railways. Under his management, the BNCR became Ireland's most prosperous railway company. He was made a tempting offer to accept a position in India but the directors of the BNCR recognised Cotton's ability and his value to the company and raised his salary in order to retain him. Eventually Cotton would become the highest paid railway official in Ireland.
Cotton played a leading role in establishing the Larne-Stranraer steamer service in 1862 but it was not a success and closed after 14 months. However, Cotton did not relinquish the idea and was instrumental in the steamer's successful resurgence under private ownership in July 1872. He became the manager of the newly created Larne & Stranraer Steamship Joint Committee in 1893.
In addition to his service with the BNCR, he was concurrently manager of the Ballymena, Cushendall and Red Bay Railway from 1875 until 1884 when that line was acquired by the BNCR.