Administrator and design patron, born in Spalding, Lincolnshire, EC England, UK. A solicitor by training, he joined the London Underground Electric Railways in 1906 as assistant to the general manager, rapidly becoming vice-chairman of the London passenger transport board (193340). His vision transformed London Transport into a unified modern system. A founder-member of the Design and Industries Association, he employed some of the best artistic and design talents available.
Frank Pick (23 November 1878 - 7 November 1941) was Managing Director of the Underground Group from 1928 and Chief Executive of the London Passenger Transport Board from its creation in 1933 until 1940.
Pick was born in Spalding, Lincolnshire, the son of a draper. In 1906 Gibb was appointed as Chairman of the Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited (UERL) and took Pick with him. By 1908 Pick had become Publicity Officer responsible for marketing the "Underground Group" (as the UERL was commonly branded) and it was at this time that Pick began the development of the strong visual style for which the London Underground would later become famous.
Pick's interest in design had expanded from advertising to cover all aspects of the company's activities. In 1921, Pick became Assistant Joint Manager of the Underground Group.
Pick and Holden had similar backgrounds (Holden's father had also been a Draper) and ideas on design and, over the next twenty or so years, they worked closely together on projects across the Underground network including the construction of the new headquarters of the Underground Group at 55 Broadway, St. James's (1927 - 1929) and the Piccadilly and Central Line extensions in the 1930s and 1940s.
In 1928 Pick became Managing Director of the Underground Group and when, in 1933 the Group was nationalised to form part of the London Transport Passenger Board, he became Managing Director of the whole organisation with responsibility for underground railway, bus and tram transport across London.
Separate to his work at London Underground, Pick was President of the Design and Industries Association in 1928 and Chairman of the Council for Art and Industry in 1934.
In 1940, Pick left London Transport and worked briefly at the Ministry of Information before his death in 1941.
Pick is commemorated with a blue plaque at his home , 15 Wildwood Road near Golders Green; it reads:
Frank Pick (1878-1941), Pioneer of good design for London Transport, lived here.
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