Catalogue description Bow Common Estate Company Limited

This collection is additional to E/COT (ACC/54.55) which documents the acquisition and running of the Cotton estate from [1714]- 1936. E/COT is mainly composed of title deeds to estate property, and its material complements that of ACC/2657, most notably E/COT/226-256 which concern the formation of the Bow Common Estate Company, and E/COT/777 onwards, which illustrate the selling off of the estate.

In contrast ACC/2657 includes few title deeds and is mainly composed of the administrative material created by the sale of the Cotton Estate and the liquidation of the company, including sales books and catalogues. A significant part of the collection was created during the company's efforts to establish itself as a holding company and therefore not liable for tax, in response to an assessment for Corporation Profits Tax in June 1921.

See also E/COT

Bow Common Estate Company, 1901-1928

The Cotton Estate and the Bow Common Estate Company Ltd

William Cotton, a former Governor of the Bank of England, owned a large amount of property in East London, mainly in Limehouse and Mile End. On his death his will (dated 6 Jul 1865) passed the estate to his executors and trustees (of whom his son was one) on condition it was to be further developed and held on trust for members of his family. In June 1901 the estate was turned into a private company, known as the Bow Common Estate Company, limited by shares. The company remained a family concern however, and all of the shareholders were descendants of William Cotton. From 1921 the estate was sold, and the proceeds invested in trustee securities. These were realised in January 1926 and the Company liquidated, the proceeds of the realisation being distributed amongst the shareholders on a pro rata basis.

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