Jack Cotton
Encyclopedia
Jack Cotton was a British
property developer. He became the dominant figure in the world of property development in Britain. His methods of operation were a model for others involved in the property boom in the years following World War II
.
Jack Cotton was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, then at Cheltenham College
. He left at the age of 18 to become an articled clerk in a firm of estate agents and surveyors. In 1924, he set up his own firm in Birmingham.
By the 1930s, he was buying farmland to sell to speculative builders of housing estates. In 1932 he began the first of his purely urban developments, starting with blocks of flats and moving on to commercial property. In 1937, he built King Edward House on the site of his old school, which was rebuilt in Edgbaston close to the University of Birmingham
. Other office blocks in the centre of Birmingham followed.
During World War II, he realised that there would be a huge demand for new buildings after the war. He moved to London, and bought a property company called Mansion House Chambers Ltd., which he then merged with another company called Chesham House (Regent Street) Ltd., the name of which was changed in 1955 to City Centre Properties. He persuaded the Pearl and the Legal and General Insurance Companies to become partners in his ventures. Barclays Bank joined in his overseas operations. In 1960 City Centre Properties merged with two other big property companies, ‘City and Central’ and ‘Murrayfield’, to create the biggest property company in the world.
The most important of Cotton's developments were the Big Top three and a half acre site in Birmingham, the Notting Hill complex in London, and the Pan Am building over the Grand Central Terminal
in New York City
.
Cotton was, like his father and grandfather, a prominent member of the Jewish community in Birmingham. He was vice-president and treasurer of its main synagogue (of which his grandfather was president). He contributed to many charities. The Cotton Terraces of the Zoological Gardens in Regent's Park
are named in his memory. He also founded a chair of architecture and fine arts at the Hebrew University and chairs of biochemistry at the Royal College of Surgeons and the Weizmann Institute.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
property developer. He became the dominant figure in the world of property development in Britain. His methods of operation were a model for others involved in the property boom in the years following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Jack Cotton was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, then at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
. He left at the age of 18 to become an articled clerk in a firm of estate agents and surveyors. In 1924, he set up his own firm in Birmingham.
By the 1930s, he was buying farmland to sell to speculative builders of housing estates. In 1932 he began the first of his purely urban developments, starting with blocks of flats and moving on to commercial property. In 1937, he built King Edward House on the site of his old school, which was rebuilt in Edgbaston close to the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
. Other office blocks in the centre of Birmingham followed.
During World War II, he realised that there would be a huge demand for new buildings after the war. He moved to London, and bought a property company called Mansion House Chambers Ltd., which he then merged with another company called Chesham House (Regent Street) Ltd., the name of which was changed in 1955 to City Centre Properties. He persuaded the Pearl and the Legal and General Insurance Companies to become partners in his ventures. Barclays Bank joined in his overseas operations. In 1960 City Centre Properties merged with two other big property companies, ‘City and Central’ and ‘Murrayfield’, to create the biggest property company in the world.
The most important of Cotton's developments were the Big Top three and a half acre site in Birmingham, the Notting Hill complex in London, and the Pan Am building over the Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Cotton was, like his father and grandfather, a prominent member of the Jewish community in Birmingham. He was vice-president and treasurer of its main synagogue (of which his grandfather was president). He contributed to many charities. The Cotton Terraces of the Zoological Gardens in Regent's Park
Regent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
are named in his memory. He also founded a chair of architecture and fine arts at the Hebrew University and chairs of biochemistry at the Royal College of Surgeons and the Weizmann Institute.