Thomas Cook and Son Ltd: Storage record book

This storage record book of Thomas Cook's Lisbon depot, is thought to be significant because it apparently contains the names of many Jews who left possessions during the years 1942-1943, much of which remained unclaimed, and was presumably disposed of by Thomas Cook staff in due course. The following notes were supplied by the depositor, who was (in 1977-1978) the Thomas Cook General Manager for Europe and who retrieved the volume from the Lisbon office of Thomas Cook <p>Thomas Cook (Thomas Cook and Son Ltd) ran for many years a freight forwarding and storage business in Lisbon. This is the storage record book of that business, with covering dates of 1914-1969.</p><p>During World War II Portugal was neutral. Jews and others escaped to Portugal (often through Spain) on their way to the USA and any other place where they might find refuge. Jews in Europe, intending to leave would have sent their belongings to Thomas Cook, Lisbon, as it was an internationally trusted firm, with offices around the world. In 1940 it was owned by Companie de Wagons-Lits, based in Brussels, but sequestrated by the British Government.<br /></p>