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Georg(

4th March 1960, Page 32
4th March 1960
Page 32
Page 33
Page 32, 4th March 1960 — Georg(
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Evan Cook

THOSE who know George Evan Cook, chairman of Evan Cook's group of companies, may find some difficulty in reconciling his deep, good-natured voice with the angelic treble that once ascended to the decorated rafters of St. Margaret's, Westminster. There is, perhaps, room for wistful thought on the meaning of life here. Consider that in 1904, that small, scared chorister with the highly polished face and the too-long cassock was unlikely to have threepence in his pocket. Today, the large, assured man that he has become controls a group having an annual turnover of £400,000. What has occurred in the past half-century to account for this change of fortune?

For George Evan Cook, life with father had its ups and downs. It began in 1892 in Peckham, where the family had a second-Inand.f urniture and antique shop in Queen's Road, only a few yards from the company's present depository, packing warehouse and garage. I gather that Evan Cook, sen., knew quite a lot about antiques and fine arts (he had learned his trade with Atteriborough's)

but less about commercial methods. • .

Progress was slow and the business was built up painfully from the hand-cart stage to a thriving furnitureremoval enterprise which had become more important than the original furniture sales. A turning point was Evan Cook's publication of his "Handy Guide," basically a map with concentric circles showing distances and costs of removals from Charing Cross. from which it was possible to calculate charges for destinations all over London. George Evan Cook had no particular urge to enter the family business. He describes himself as "always a bit of a tin-pot mechanic" and, qualifying as a wireless. operator, he joined the Merchant Navy in 1912. He sailed the trade routes of the world until 1915, when he transferred to the R.N.V.R. and was concerned with the development work which Marconi's were doing on the radio compass.

With the armistice, he returned home and took over the new and second-hand furnishing department of the family concern. For the next three or four years, things were not too good. There was little money in Peckham for non-essentials. Finally, Selfridge's introduced a hirepurchase system without deposit and that was the death of the furniture department. . George went on the road, learned how to arrive at an estimate of costs, learned the packing side of the business and learned how to sell their service.

Gradually, new aspects of the business were developed. The range of removals grew enormously, warehousing facilities were enlarged, the packaging department was increased to keep pace with more numerous and difficult export orders. By 1939, the business was thriving as never before, its fleet of vehicles and storage and other facilities were up to date in every way, and the founder and his two sons had reason to be proud of the position they held in the industry.

During the 1939-45 war, Evan Cook's were .busily engaged in moving aircraft parts all over the country. The fuselages, wing sections and tail units they carried numbered thousands, for many of these parts could be carried in their vehicles without modification. Nationalization passed the industry by and today the company operate some 30 vehicles and 50 trailers.

George Evan Cook became chairman and managing. director on his father's death in 1947. Five years later. his brother was appointed managing director and George was designated senior director and chairman.

A Man of Many Parts

In a strenuous business life, he has found time for many interests outside his office. He is a Freeman of the City of London and Renter Warden of the Paviors' Company. A Freemason of long standing, he is a past master of the Paviors Lodge, almoner of the Borough of Camberwell Lodge and a holder of London grand rank. He is a founder member and past president of Peckham Rotary Club and a member of numerous local committees. He was elected chairman of the Peckham Conservative Association in 1954 and he is a Commissioner for Income Tax.

Of his trade interests, he is a past president of the British Association of International Furniture Removers, a founder-fellow of the Institute of the Furniture, Warehousing and Removals Industry, honorary treasurer and past president of the National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers, and a member of the Institute of Packaging.

He lives at Beckenham in a house which is large enough for him to indulge his hobbies of pottering in the workshop, philately and photography. In addition to his Bentley, he maintains a Hillman Husky and, for fun a Humberette and a lowett which were built during the 1914-18 war.

Mr. Cook is also a Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society. He specializes in chrysanthemums and roses, and has won more than 150 awards. A prodigious traveller since his earliest days at sea, he has visited most European countries, Africa and the United States as a member of international conferences. In his lifetime, he has seen the removals industry grow from small local enterprises to a world-wide service meeting the heaviest industrial, as

well as domestic, demands. T.W.


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