Atkinson, Alexander

This item is active and ready to use

Atkinson, Alexander

Portrait of Alexander Atkinson. Born Baildon June 28th 1841. Settled in Bradford 1870 as an accountant. In 1869 commenced railway reform, in 1874 commenced postal money order reform, from 1878-1883 promoted introduction of Inland Parcels Post, from 1884-1887 promoted international parcels post movement, workmens tickets on railways, money order telegrams, 1000 miles weekly railway passes, 1000 miles weekly railway trucks line and free education.

from John Sowden's notebooks:

"Was born at Baildon in 1841 and was educated at Bingley Grammar School. He was an apt pupil and, adopting the scholastic profession, he became head master of Tong Park School. Sometime in the sixties he removed to Bradford and acted as clerk to the County Court bailiff.

Afterwards practising as accountant. Gradually he was drawn into the study of local requirements and over a long term of years his services were freely given to a variety of courses in which he believed public interests were involved. First of all his schemes came that for the establishment of the parcel post. Of this system he was probably the originator. He was also the originator a national old age pension scheme.

He advocated workmen's fares on railways and many other railway reforms. Mr Atkinson gave up a fairly lucrative practice in accountancy to push forward his old age pension scheme which unfortunately he did not live to see accomplished. Had he succeeded he would doubtless have been honoured as a social reformer and benefactor; as he failed he was merely a crank and a harmless eccentric. He died in 1907."

Year

1891

Creator

Sowden

Image filename

sowden-88

Other items like this