Joseph Loftus Wilkinson
Joseph Loftus Wilkinson (1845-1903), General Manager of the Great Western Railway
1845 Born in Langley, Bucks
1861 Hannah Wilkinson 55, lived in Reading, with John Wilkinson 51, railway policeman - Chelsea Pensioner, Joseph Wilkinson 15, telegraph clerk, William Wilkinson 13, Hannah Wilkinson 11, Samuel J Wilkinson 8[1]
1863 Started work for the GWR at Gloucester as a goods clerk[2]
1866 Goods manager at Paddington
1876 Chief clerk in the General Enquiry Office
1891 Fanny M Wilkinson 55, Joseph L Wilkinson 45, chief goods manager GWR, lived at Paddington[3]
1903 Obituary [4]
Sir JOSEPH LOFTUS WILKINSON, General Manager of the Great Western Railway Company, who died on the 16th June, 1903, rose by merit to a high position in the Railway world.
He entered the service of the Great Western Railway in 1863 as a Junior Clerk, and, with the exception of three years (1885 to 1887) when he acted as Manager to the Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway, his career was identified with that Company.
In the spring of 1888 he returned to England to undertake the important duties as Chief Goods Manager of the Great Western system, and in 1896, on the resignation of Mr. Lambert, he was appointed General Manager to the Company.
Among the difficulties with which Sir Joseph Wilkinson successfully coped were those in connection with legislation affecting railway rates and charges, and the threatened competition of new lines to the South Wales districts. The latter schemes he not only defeated, but he made the Great Western route more popular by improving the train service and by introducing dining-cars.
Under his advice new line to South Wales is now being constructed by the Great Western Company, as well as a new route to the South of Ireland, by way of Fishguard.
He received the thanks of the King for the manner in which the difficult arrangements for the late Queen’s funeral were carried out by the Great Western officials.
Sir Joseph Wilkinson was a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Engineer and Railway Volunteer Staff Corps, and a member of the Army Railway Council and of the Hon. Artillery Company. He took great interest in all that conduced to the welfare and happiness of his staff, and was an active Freemason.
He was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 1st March, 1898.
1903 Obituary [5]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1861 census
- ↑ Railway employment records
- ↑ 1891 census
- ↑ 1903 Institution of Civil Engineers: Obituaries
- ↑ Engineering 1903 Jan-Jun: Index: General Index