Sir William Cocker

Atarah · 11-09-2004, 20:34

William Wiggins Cocker, born 1897 in Higher Antley Street, Accrington (family originally came from Preston) As a boy he attended Hannah Stret School and later St Andrews.
After starting work as a commercial traveller with Woolley of Blackburn (it later became Cupal), and then founding a small one-man business in Infant Street (think where the wedding cake shop now is, once occupied by Robinsons coach and travel agency) - With help from his cousin, Dr Wesley Cocker, they began to manufacture chemicals, selling resins to the paint trade and together made the active ingredient for the famous antiseptic we all know as "DETTOL". He then expanded his operations to build "Cocker Chemicals" in Nook Lane, Oswaldtwistle.
He was managing director of the firm until 1963 when he went to live in St. Annes.
Much more detail on this gentleman is available.

keith · 12-09-2004, 19:36

When councillor cocker lived on queens road facing the hospital kitchens in a very big house I delivered his sunday papers he was a very generous man and not a bit snobbish and he donated quite large sums of money to both st mary mags church and the church lads brigade

pendy · 14-09-2004, 12:50

He had a lovely Rolls Royce - probably the only one ever seen in Accrington. I got a lift home in it a couple of times, because he was an honorary uncle to my friend Anne-Marie who lived on Queens Road. He was a very nice man, I remember, but the smell from his factory was awful!

Darby · 16-09-2004, 09:51

We could do with more of his ilk on HBC...A true Accringtonian...and a Gentleman

rtbarton · 30-10-2007, 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by keith

When councillor cocker lived on queens road facing the hospital kitchens in a very big house I delivered his sunday papers he was a very generous man and not a bit snobbish and he donated quite large sums of money to both st mary mags church and the church lads brigade

The house is called "Glen Wold" and was built by my greatgrandfather, Alfred Greenwood. I understand he also built two houses next door. He lost all his money when Bury Brothers collapsed.

ACCYHERO · 21-11-2007, 23:03

hi atarah
can you please give more details about sir william cocker and where he lived

rtbarton · 12-07-2008, 09:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by pendy

He had a lovely Rolls Royce - probably the only one ever seen in Accrington. I got a lift home in it a couple of times, because he was an honorary uncle to my friend Anne-Marie who lived on Queens Road. He was a very nice man, I remember, but the smell from his factory was awful!

According to my late mother Conly Riley of Rileys Chemicals had a Rolls Royce - he let my mum drive it, much to the annoyance of Mrs Riley!

polly · 13-07-2008, 18:41

And a wonderful stench the factory made, blew out over the whole of Ossy when the wind was in the right direction.
Strange but a lot of people I have known who worked at Cockers seemed to die before they reached retirement age!!

rtbarton · 13-07-2008, 18:50

Were Cocker's Chemicals and Riley's Chemicals connected in any way? My mother worked for Rileys in the war years, they apparently made war gasses. She sadly died aged 64, just after retiring in 1984. The main problem was respiritory, but to be fair she smoked heavily all her life.

jaysay · 14-07-2008, 10:39

In the late 60s and early 70s I lived in Eagle Street off New Lane Ossy, which overooked Cockers, it was about 100 yards accross open fields, in fact after a while you actually got used to the smell. The brook that flowed past Cockers carried on down through the Swanney, it was the cleanest river bed in England at the time all the stones were bleached and the brook actually frothed up with white foam blowing everywhere

rtbarton · 14-07-2008, 11:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

In the late 60s and early 70s I lived in Eagle Street off New Lane Ossy, which overooked Cockers, it was about 100 yards accross open fields, in fact after a while you actually got used to the smell. The brook that flowed past Cockers carried on down through the Swanney, it was the cleanest river bed in England at the time all the stones were bleached and the brook actually frothed up with white foam blowing everywhere

Is this the place?
http://maps.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.s...F___&encType=1

Click the "Birds Eye" button at the top of the map.

rtbarton · 14-07-2008, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtbarton

Were Cocker's Chemicals and Riley's Chemicals connected in any way? ........

I think I've answered my own question (i.e. No)

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...tml#post606351 (Rileys Chemicals)

jaysay · 14-07-2008, 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtbarton

Is this the place?
http://maps.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.s...F___&encType=1

Click the "Birds Eye" button at the top of the map.

Thats a handy little site rt had a good shuftey

rtbarton · 14-07-2008, 16:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Thats a handy little site rt had a good shuftey

I use it a lot. I have screendumps of maps and aerial photos on Brother's Keeper of all the places associated with my family.

Tip - if a search for an address doesn't work, Google the address, you're likely to find the Postcode then enter that in the search box on the map, making sure you select "locations."

jaysay · 15-07-2008, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtbarton

I use it a lot. I have screendumps of maps and aerial photos on Brother's Keeper of all the places associated with my family.

Tip - if a search for an address doesn't work, Google the address, you're likely to find the Postcode then enter that in the search box on the map, making sure you select "locations."

Ya rt I used the post code of a previous address to find it, have added the site to my favourites, cheers