Sir William Fothergill Cooke,
1806–1879.
Son of William Cooke, M.D., Durham, was born at Ealing, Middlesex, and having received his education at Durham, was appointed in 1826 to the East Indian army, in which he held various staff appointments till 1831.
On his return home he devoted his time to the study of anatomy and physiology at Paris and Heidleberg and to modelling anatomical dissections for the illustration of his father’s lectures at Durham University.
In March, 1836, he began to direct his attention to the electric telegraph, with which he occupied himself exclusively for many years.
He entered into partnership with Prof. Wheatstone, and formed in conjunction with Mr. Ricardo, M.P., the first telegraph company of which he became a director.
The first telegraph line in England was constructed by Mr. Cooke, from Paddington to West Drayton, on the Great Western Railway in 1837.
In 1840 he established the telegraph on the Blackwall Railway, and in 1841 a short line from the Queen Street station, at Glasgow, through the tunnel to the engine house at Cowlairs on the railway to Edinburgh.
In 1842 the line from West Drayton was continued to Slough, and in 1843 two short lines were made in Ireland and in England, one of considerable length from London to Portsmouth for Government.
In 1867 he received the fourth Royal Albert medal, his name being preceded by Faraday’s, for the first introduction of a practical electric telegraph.
Her Majesty conferred on him the honor of Knighthood, November 11, 1869, as a recognition of his great and special services in connection with the electric telegraph, and on July 25, 1871, conferred on him a civil pension of £100.