The new season of talks commenced with an interesting and informative talk on a local person by Danny Wells. The large audience of members and friends were informed that Thomas Cook lived in Melbourne and attended the local school.
He became a cabinet maker and attended the Baptist Church. He detested war, slavery, capital punishment and the evils of drink and became a member of the temperance movement.Danny informed the audience that on one of his many long walks to attend temperance meetings he had the idea of organising a temperance outing. This took place on 5 July 1841 when 500 people were transported by train from Leicester to Loughborough accompanied by brass bands and with thousands of people lining the route. This became the world’s first organised day excursion to be followed by many more and with the Great Exhibition in 1851 Thomas Cook transported 165,000 people to the exhibition.
Thomas Cook was also responsible for encouraging continental travel with tours to Switzerland, France and Scandinavia and became known as the “banker of the world” by introducing travellers’ cheques.
The next meeting will take place on Friday, 31 October 2008 at 7.30 pm in Ticknall Village Hall when the topic will be “The History of the Isles of Scilly” with Mike Edge - followed by tea and coffee. All are welcome - £1 members or £2 non-members.
