Background
A descendant of the Booths of Twemlow, he was a corn merchant, businessman and engineer
A descendant of the Booths of Twemlow, he was a corn merchant, businessman and engineer
During 1825 Booth was a vigorous proponent of the pioneering Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company (L&M). At the first general meeting of the railway"s shareholders on 29 May 1826, he was appointed to be one of the L&M"s twelve initial directors. Next day the directors appointed him as company secretary and treasurer—equivalent to the post of chief executive officer—at a salary of £500 a year.
He continued to competently fill those important posts until 1846.
Booth was a leading proponent of working all British railways to one standard time. On the formation of the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) on 16 July 1846, he became a director of the new large company, serving until 1859.
He was also the LNWR"s first secretary between 1846 and 1848. Booth proposed the basic design of the first multi-tubular boiler, invented by Marc Seguin, used on Stephenson"s Rocket steam locomotive built in late 1829 for the L&M Railway.