Leicester City Centre , England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Thomas Cook Building
Thomas Cook's Victorian Leicester
| | Story of Leicester | |
Photographed by Ray Gurganus, April 14, 2024
1. Thomas Cook Building Marker
Thomas Cook was the pioneer of popular tourism and founder of the international travel company Thomas Cook and Son. He was also a devout Baptist and Temperance (anti-alcohol) campaigner who died in Leicester in 1892. He is buried in Welford Road Cemetery.
How did the travel business start?
In 1841 Cook organised a Temperance excursion from Leicester to Loughborough on the recently opened Midland Counties Railway. More excursions followed and thanks to him in 1851 over 160,000 people went by train to see the Great Exhibition in London. European tours began in the 1850s and in the early 1870s Cook himself conducted the first "round the world" tour. Panels on the exterior of this building show scenes from the history of the business including the Nile expedition of 1884 when Cook steamers assisted in the relief of Khartoum.
What do we know about the building itself?
The building was commissioned by Thomas Cook's son, John Mason Cook, who took over from his father and was responsible for much of its success. The ground floor housed the excursion, tourist and shipping office alongside the foreign banking and exchange department. It was designed by local architects Goddard, Paget and Goddard and opened in 1894.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1841.
Location. 52° 38.162′ N, 1° 7.971′ W. Marker is in Leicester, England. It is in Leicester City Centre. It is on Gallowtree Gate. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Gallowtree Gate, Leicester, England LE1 5AD, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in England’s Midlands. Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Atlantic Region, in Europe, in Atlantic Europe, on one of
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Globe (about 240 meters away, measured in a direct line); Church of the Greyfriars (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Alderman Newtons School (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Richard III (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Agnes Archer Evans (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Guildhall (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Weather Vane (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Restoration of Leicester Guildhall (approx. 0.4 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Leicester.
Photographed by Ray Gurganus, April 14, 2024
2. Thomas Cook Building
Credits. This page was last revised on February 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 18, 2024, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 156 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 18, 2024, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
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