William Cox of Cox Bros¹

Parents:

• Birth*: William Cox of Cox Bros was born on 23 February 1812 at Lochiefield, Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, .²
• He was the son of James Cock bleacher, manufacturer and Helen Scott.¹
• Marriage*: William Cox of Cox Bros married Robina Methven on Monday, 20 March 1854 at Fife, Scotland, .^3,2
• Marriage*: William Cox of Cox Bros married Elizabeth Boase on Wednesday, 22 June 1864 at Forfarshire, Scotland, .^3,2
• Burial*: William Cox of Cox Bros was buried on 11 September 1894 at Western Cemetery, Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, .²
• Death*: He died on 7 September 1895 at Snaigow, Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, , at age 83; of a stroke.²

• (Witness) Biography: He was mentioned in the Biography of James Cox of Cox Bros; James Cox papers
  This material is held at University of Dundee Archive Services
  Reference GB 254 MS6/2
  Dates of Creation 1798-c 1900
  Name of Creator James Cox
  Physical Description 2 Boxes The records are on paper.
  
  Scope and Content
  Legal papers c 1800-1884; Financial papers 1798-1881; Household finances 1858-1886; Correspondence 1835-1912; Personal papers 1817- c 1910; Press Cuttings 1881; Ephemera c 1861-1890.
  
  Administrative / Biographical History
  James Cox, senior partner of Cox Brothers and Co., was born in July 1808. As a boy he worked in the office of Mr C Kerr, the Town Clerk of Dundee. He succeeded his father in the family linen manufacturing business, based in Lochee, in 1827. He united with his three brothers in a copartnery in 1841. Shortly after, hand-loom weaving became gradually superseded by power-looms and the firm were quick to adopt the most recent improvements. Cox Brothers also took advantage of the growing importance of jute and, following the construction of Camperdown Works, ultimately became one of the largest jute manufacturing companies in Europe.
  
  James Cox also pursued a municipal career for seven years, and he held the offices of Magistrate, Councillor and Provost in succession. In December 1868 he was elected to the Town Council and at the same time he was elected Fourth Bailie. In 1869 he was made Third Bailie and the following year he was advanced to the position of First Bailie. Having filled the office of Councillor for one year, in November 1872 he was unanimously elected Provost of the burgh. He filled this office until November 1875, when he retired.
  
  In 1867 James Cox was elected a member of the Board of Directors of the North British Railway Company. He was a major figure in the construction of the first Tay railway bridge and one of the most extensive shareholders of the undertaking, being elected Chairman of the Tay Bridge Company during the course of its construction, completed in 1877. The collapse of the bridge two years later deeply affected James Cox and it was mainly due to his determination that the second railway bridge was constructed.
  
  James Cox was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and in 1866 he inaugurated a movement for increasing the stipends of ministers.
  
  James Cox married Clementina, a daughter of James Carmichael, engineer, in 1834. He had one surviving son, Edward Cox, and four daughters. In 1878 he purchased the estate of Cardean, near Meigle but continued to consider Clement Park in Lochee his true home. He died on 1 December 1885. He was interred in the family burial place, Western Cemetery, Dundee.⁴
• (Witness) Business-Owner: William Cox of Cox Bros witnessed the Business-Owner of James Cox of Cox Bros; Cox Brothers Ltd, Jute Spinners and Manufacturers, and Cox Family Papers
  
  This material is held at University of Dundee Archive Services
  Reference GB 254 MS6
  Dates of Creation 1798-1981
  Name of Creator Cox Brothers Ltd and Cox family
  Language of Material English
  Physical Description 5.28 linear metres. The records are on paper and include photographs.
  
  Scope and Content
  Business records 1824-1936; Legal and estate papers c 1800-1953; Accounting and financial records including personal and household finances 1798-1972; Correspondence and letter books 1832-1975; Diaries 1923-1981; Personal papers 1817-1975; Press Cuttings 1868-1939; Photographs c 1875-c 1960; Plans 1823-[20th century]; Publications and ephemera 19th and 20th centuries.
  
  Administrative / Biographical History
  The Cocks family, later Cox, was in business from at least the 18th century. The firm of Cox Brothers was established by the four brothers James, William, Thomas and George in 1841 and became a limited company in 1893. In 1849 the original site at Foggyley became too small and the firm moved to Camperdown Works. It amalgamated with other jute firms in Dundee in 1920 to form Jute Industries Ltd. Products included jute and hemp yarns, ropes and twines, bags and sacks, hessians, striped beddings, tickings, horse clothing and tarpaulins. It went into voluntary liquidation in 1933.⁵
• Name Variation: William Cox of Cox Bros was also known as William Cock.¹
• Business-Owner*: He was owners of the business William Cox papers
  This material is held at University of Dundee Archive Services
  Reference GB 254 MS6/3
  Dates of Creation 1832-1844
  Name of Creator William Cox
  Physical Description 1 folder The records are on paper.
  
  Scope and Content
  Legal papers 1843-1844; Financial papers 1843-1844; Correspondence 1832-1844.
  
  Administrative / Biographical History
  William Cox (1812-1894) was the second son of James Cox and He formed Cox Brothers Ltd as a copartnery with his three brothers, James Cox, Thomas Hunter Cox and George Addison Cox in 1841. A fourth brother, Henry Cox was generally resident in Calcutta to manage business interests there.⁶
• (Informant) Death: He registered the death of Robina Methven on 20 May 1861 at Lochie, Scotland, .³
• (Witness) Memorial Inscription: William Cox of Cox Bros is commemorated on the headstone erected in 1886. Inscription reads First name(s)     Henry Scott
  Last name     Cox
  Age     79
  Birth year     1816
  Death year     1886
  Cemetery     St Peters Church, Invergowrie
  Burial ground     Invergowrie
  County     Forfarshire (Angus)
  Country     Scotland
  Transcription     James Cox of Clement Park and Carlton 5.7.1808 – 1.12.18*5 aged *7y. William Cox of Foggyley and Syagon 23.2.1812 – 7.9.189* aged 82y. Robert Crystal Cox 16.12.1815 – 2.8.1891 aged **. Henry Scott Cox 1.4.1816 – 18.3.1886 aged 79. Thomas Hunter Cox, Duncarse, Mallesden and Strathmartine 13.9.1818 – 1.1.1892 aged 74. George Addison Cox, Beechwood and Invertrossachs 27.12.1820 – 6.5.1899 aged 79. Mrs Ellen Scott Cox or Methven of 9 Windsor Street, Dundee 27.9.1824 – 23.3.1893 aged 68. Old table tombstones in memory of James Cock his wife Isobel Doig in family was removed from its site in front of this monument to the vestibule of Liff Parish Church for preservation 23.2.1914
  Record set     Scotland Monumental Inscriptions
  Category     Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
  Subcategory     Parish Burials
  Collections from     Great Britain, Scotland.⁷
• (Informant) Death: He registered the death of Elizabeth Boase on 29 March 1916 at London, England, .³

Notes

• Residence*: William Cox of Cox Bros lived at Foggyley and Snaigow.¹