OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
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WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

GEORGE EDWARD FOX (1826-1912)

George Edward Fox was born at Gonvena, Egloshayle, Wadebridge, Cornwall, on July 27th 1826, the second son of Mr George Fox (1796-1882) and his wife, the former Miss Rachel Collier Hingston, from Dodbrooke, Kingsbridge, Devon.  Both his parents were members of the Religious Society of Friends.

In addition to being a banker, his father had also gone into partnership with Mr Samuel Eliott as Messrs Fox, Eliott and Company, timber merchants and saw mill proprietors, at the Plymouth Great Western Docks.  Later they also opened a branch at Richmond Walk, Devonport.

By 1878 Mr George Fox had evidently retired from business life and Messrs Fox, Eliott and Company was being run by Mr George Edward Fox, who then lived at "Hillside", Mannamead, Compton Gifford.  In 1880 he established another venture, the West of England Joinery Company, which took premises in Newport Street, East Stonehouse.  In the following year, when the telephone was first brought to Plymouth, the Company quickly took a subscription and became Plymouth number 17.

Following the death of his father on February 3rd 1882, Mr George Edward Fox took total control of the business, Mr Eliott moving off to Southampton, where he opened a similar establishment.  Messrs Fox, Eliott and Company was converted into a limited liability company in 1891.

Mr George Edward Fox died of congestion of the lungs on Monday April 8th 1912.  Although he had always taken a lively interest in affairs in the town and surrounding countryside, he only once held a public office.  In 1894 he was elected as chairman of the Port of Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.

Having been an active member of the Society of Friends' meeting at Treville Street, his funeral at the Efford Cemetery on April 12th 1912 followed their tradition of silence until someone was empowered to speak.

His two eldest sons, Mr Edward Fox (1861-1945) and Mr Walter Richardson Fox (1867-1951), were both involved in the running of Messrs Fox, Eliott and Company Limited and the West of England Joinery Company Limited.