Thomas Hunter Cox papers

Legal papers 1891-1923; Financial papers 1842-1843; Correspondence 1842-1843.

Thomas Hunter Cox of Maulesden and Duncarse, Deputy-Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace for the County of Forfar, was born in 1818. He was the sixth son of James Cox of Foggyley and Helen Scott. After attending school in Lochee, Thomas finisged his a=education at the Dundee Academy. He then entered the office of Mr James Buist, flax merchant, where he received a good commercial training. In 1841 he joined the firm of Cox Brothers, which within a short time became the largest manufacturers of jute goods in Europe.

Thomas was well suited to the management of the office including the financial affairs of the firm. He was methodical, punctual and took care in his work and he had a mild and kindly manner. He was a staunch Conservative and a member of the Established Church. He was an elder in the East Kirk, and was a zealous but liberal Churchman. His beneficence extended to many churches in different parts of the country. St Luke's, that had been vacated by the United Presbyterians, stood empty for several years until it was secured by Mr Cox, and went on to become the centre of a flourishing congregation of the Church of Scotland. Thomas H Cox also contributed regularly to this church and to the Lochee Parish Church.

Throughout his life he took a great interest in the Lohee area and in schemes concerning the welfare of the community, giving financial support to the Lochee Literary Association, Lochee Christian Association, the Bog and other Missions.

He was a supporter of the movement in favour of a Medical School for Dundee an in 1886 he donated 12,000 to the Council of University College to establish and endow a Chair of Anatomy.

Thomas H Cox was appointed to the Boards of many financial companies. He was also a Director of the Northern Assurance Company, of the Laing Overhead Sewing Machine Company, and of the three Scottish American Trust Companies. In 1873 he had became one of the original shareholders in the First Scottish American Trust, along with Messrs John Guild, John Sharp and Thomas Smith. Also in 1873, the Oregon and Washington Trust Investment Company was founded, and Thomas H Cox became a director. Three years later the Dundee Mortgage and Trust Investment Company was established under the same directors. The two companies were later amalgamated to form the Alliance Trust Company, and Thomas H Cox served as Chaiman of this company for the year prior to his retirement in 1885. Thus, he took a leading role in establishing two extremely profitable local investment companies. However, he also suffered the misfortune, along with some of his colleagues, of being associated in a smaller undertaking, the Oregonian Railway Company, which proved disastrous to its shareholders.

In 1866 Thomas married Adelaide Campbell, daughter of James Galloway, and widow of William Brown, flax-spinner. They did not have children. He purchased the suburban residence of Duncarse from George Armistead and in c 1870 he purchased the estate of Maulesden, near Brechin from the representatives of Colonel Lauderdale Maule. Thomas H Cox died at Duncarse on 1 January 1892, about two years after the death of his wife.

Records are arranged chronologically within series.

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The records were deposited by the Cox family in 1996 (AccM/324).

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MS 66/II Sidlaw Industries: Cox Brothers Ltd