George Woodbury Cockram (1818 -1885)

G. W. Cockram appeared to have limitless energy and enterprise. Born in 1818, he was 4 years younger than his Partner William Partridge. He became Clerk to the Borough Charities, he was on the Blundell’s School Board of Governors, Alderman, agent for the Norwich Fire & Life and of the Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company (originally founded in Tom's Coffee House 1696 as a direct consequence of the Great Fire of London); he was Vestry Clerk, a Borough Magistrate, Deputy Chairman of the railway connecting Tiverton with North Devon, first Chairman of Tiverton Technical College (established in 1875) a Justice of the Peace and also three-times Mayor of Tiverton in 1874, 1875 and 1876.


It is believed that he donated the mayoral chain of office to the Town Council. After his death, his son George Edward Cockram, also a partner with the firm, showed business acumen when, together with William Partridge, he became a property developer, creating new housing estates on developments over 25 acres bordering Tiverton town.


Historical Footnote: In 1685 after the Duke of Monmouth's defeat at the Battle of Sedgemoor in Somerset over 800 rebels were transported to colonies in the West Indies and sold into slavery.  Eight Tivertonians received that punishment, including one John Cockram sent to Barbados. Conditions awaiting the rebels were harsh, at least for John Cockram, as a burial in Barbados was to be his end. (A History of Tiverton, by Mike Sampson (2004), p. 124).
 
Permission to photograph and reproduce the portrait of G W Cockram, hanging in Tiverton Town Hall, given by  the Tiverton Town Clerk, Mr John Vanderwolf
 

 _55x22_Arrow_Left



 

_55x22_Arrow_right

 

 

 

Online Services

Secure Client Data Room

Additional Information

Contact Ashfords

For any general enquiries click here to contact Ashfords