Henry Oakley
Sir Henry Oakley (1823-1912) was a railway manager who was the General manager and later a director of the Great Northern Railway.
1912 Obituary [1]
SIR HENRY OAKLEY, born in 1823, died at his London residence on the 8th February, 1912.
He entered the service of the Great Northern Railway Company in 1850, two years after its incorporation. After taking a considerable share in bringing to light the Redpath frauds, in which forged stock to the extent of nearly a quarter of a million was created, Mr. Oakley was appointed, in 1858, secretary to the company, and in 1870 he succeeded Mr. Clarke as General Manager. He held this office for nearly 28 years, a period which witnessed the greatest development of the Great Northern system, and on his retirement in 1898, he was elected to a seat on the Board of Directors.
In 1891 he had received the honour of knighthood.
For many years he was honorary secretary to the Railway Companies' Association, and was active in watching railway interests in Parliament in connection with rates legislation.
He was chairman of the Central London Railway almost from its inception until 1911, when he relinquished the chair, but retained his seat as a director.
Sir Henry Oakley was elected an Associate of The Institution on the 6th March, 1866.