New-York tribune., 1901-04-15


Sir Edward William Watkin of Northenden,
Cheshire. was the eldest son of the late Absalom
Watkin, OF Rose Hill, Northenden. He born
in 1919. and was early in business as merchant at
Manchester. He became magistrate for the
counties of Lancaster Kent and Chester and
served as high sheriff of the last county in
1874: he was also magistrate for Manchester and
a deputy lieutenant for the Tower Hamets He
was the author of various political pamphlets and
also of "A Trip to the United States and Canada"
published in 1851. Sir Edward, who a Chevaer
OF the Orders of Leopold of Belgium and the Re
deemer of Greece, sat as member OF Parliament for
Stockport in the Liberal interest from 1904 down to
1868; he unsuccessfully contested Exeter in 1S7S
but in the following year returned for Hythe.
which borough he continued to represent for years.
At the general election of 1857 he returned for
| Great Yarmouth but was rnseated petition. He
received the honor of knighthood IN 1865 and was
created baronet IN 1880 He married in 1876 Miss
Mary Briggs Mellor, daughter of Jonathan Mellor.
His only son. Alfred Meor Watkn. member
of Parliament for Great Grimsby. born in 1916
and is married Catherine Elizabeth. daughter of
| the Very Rev. DR.. Robert Payne Smith. Dean of
Canterbury.
In 1s45 he renquished his connection with his
fathers business. and became secretary to the
Trent Valley Railway Company. When subse-
quently that line was amalgamated with the Lon
don and Northwestern Railway Company. his SER
vices transferred to the latter. Since that
time his name had been promnent'~ aes""'@'" -
with not few important lines He had been
styled the Abernethy of railways, slnce Il '.S
often his function to be called in TO set moribund
railway companies their legs. and probably no
one more successful than Sir Edward In this
particular way. The principal lines with which he
had been associated in one capacity and another. as
director. chairman, president or general manager,
have been. besides those already named. the Man
chester. Sheffield and Lincoln Railway, the Grand
Trunk Railway OF Cauadn. the Southeastern. Great
Western Great Eastern and Metropolitan railways.
In St Il a NJ WPa m be Coona ecretaT
Lord Palmerston's second administration the then
Canada in order to further negotiations FOR bring
ing about the union under central government
%ova ne scotia. cSf Sew and Prince Edward
a5ruclion 5H, Of the Grand Trunk railway which was
b2 % 5Tc qP66eT Of w the ud
The latter enterprise he presided over ana NJ
also successfully terminated, but not so readily.
Many difficulties presented themselves ana hao 10
Mr Watkins far seeing Judgment went zen ,sG beyond T
raneeS d for the purchase of territories claimed by
the Hudson Bay Company then known as rupert
Territories @ price Of The se, cGmPaSs ON g
w neoai6f sso hs6e 3th SY half eontnent upon
and the stiIl disincned TO join togesheri i
up to a fortunate conclusion. In 1857 federation TO,
accomplished a2d shortly s IN recog
milton OF his distinguished services toward proihot-
k kltho9gh thaT Sir Edward Watkins labors had much
to do with railways and his political work IN an b
aaa aiso alS emeced a not little for martins ntersss
ogne We're due his exertions as bs
the increased comfort and speed now ontaiiiaS b
town of Grimshy is standing mon%umentn % i 10 ba ns nS
judgment and foresight Whsp spo he 5oob a5d II hncon
ailway Grmsby was ms5e shDs owing Saase TO Sir
Edwards the present s%asped Hocfs TeTn and its
structed there the town n Was - has popllat!on OF
| over forty thousand