David Cook (1856-1924)
David Cook (1856-1924)
1924 Obituary [1]
DAVID COOK, was born in 1856 near Lochranza, in the Isle of Arran, Scotland, and died at Richmond on the 23rd July, 1924.
From an early age he was keenly interested in electricity, and from the beginning of 1881 was engaged exclusively in electrical work. Up to the end of 1883 he was connected with the Edison Electric Light Co., Ltd., and on the amalgamation of this firm with the Swan United Electric Light Co., Ltd., he was responsible for their work in Scotland until February 1885.
From March 1885 to February 1886 he was associated with the firm of Muir and Mavor, Glasgow, and for several years subsequently he practised as a consulting engineer.
In 1889 he was appointed consulting engineer to the Associated Fire Insurance Companies, and was later chosen, chiefly on the recommendation of Lord Kelvin, to become superintending electrical engineer for the Glasgow Corporation. Subsequently, again on the recommendation of Lord Kelvin, he acted for some time - with conspicuous success - as chief engineer and general manager of the City of London Electric Lighting Company.
He was later associated with Cecil Rhodes in a vast scheme for growing in the Sudan the entire supply of cotton for the needs of Great Britain. This scheme was to be carried out by regulating the flow of the Nile as it issues from the Great Lakes, but was, for various reasons, not proceeded with at the time. The Government have since, however, advanced a sum of £3 500 000 to enable it to be commenced. His later activities were connected with engineering and development schemes both at home and abroad.
He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1890.