| Index Page | Next Page |
| Index Page | Next Page |
This is the third of four charts that deal with other branches of our family. This chart deals with the descendants of Thomas Cooker (b 1809) the elder brother of William Henry (b 1822), mentioned in chart 4.
The following details were supplied by Matilda Harman to her cousin Clement Frank Court
You mentioned that you do not know very much about the Cooker family. As you know our mothers were very much attached to one another, my mother was so proud of yours and her children - you and Maggie and Clem.
As I remember her I think our grandmother Hannah Cooker was a very lovely and refined woman. She was educated too - and that was rather unusual for females born in 1812. She told me when I was a little child about having to sleep with her clothes ready to dress quickly because of the danger of war hanging over them (repeated in 1914-18 and 1939-45 - eh!).
I once saw her sister - a Mrs. Woolley - and her daughter: rather special people for looks, manner and dress.
Our grandfather Thomas Cooker was employed by a Mr. Hunt at Maidstone as the manager of a wharf for skins, which was a good business then. He met his death by getting a bad chill in chasing a thief all the way to London who had gone off with a bargeload of skins.
My mother loved her father dearly and was very proud of him. He was musical too - and his sisters. I do not know much more about him. My dear mother always mourned his loss when she spoke of him, for she married and took her mother to her home with her.
I am sure we can be proud of having such a good grandfather. Nothing to hide in the way of any nonsense and plenty of good points to be proud of. A good businessman and honourable.
Your mother had three brothers: Charles, Jack and Tom who emigrated to Australia and I think had a hard run there, all those years ago. Some come back even now and do not like the hardships do they?
Edith Rowles would perhaps know of our family more as she was Uncle Jack's daughter. All I can say is that I am sure our dear Grandmother was a refined and educated person and very happily married to Thomas Cooker.
Additional Note by Clement Frank Court
Edith Rowles must have been "Boozle", long since dead. Her daughter - also Edith - sister of Ted Rowles, maths master at Sutton Valence School, and Fred Rowles, organist of All Saints' Maidstone. Ted and Fred are both dead. Edith (known to us as "Shine") still lives I believe at 20, Hayle Road, Maidstone. Fred was Peter Frederick Court's godfather.
17 Nov 1962 Our cousin Matilda who supplied these notes is 85 years old (Nov 62) (Matilda Cooker+ died in Rugby in 1971. So did her sister Josephine (Fan) Cooker+ they lived together (neither married) all their long lives.
CFC
+ The surname should read Harman.
Thomas Cooker married Hannah Parker at Ingham 23rd September 1832. In the presence of Edward and Elizabeth Thomas. The marriage certificate is reproduced below.
In Memoriam card following Thomas' death.
Charles decided to go into domestic service. He started at Milgate House, Bearstead as a footman. At some time he moved to London and gradually worked his way up the scale till he was eventually a major-domo. He married Sarah Ann Moxon, who came from Stainton in Yorkshire, at St Mark's Church, North Audley Street on the 11 Nov 1873, and their son Charles Henry was born at Hillingdon on the 11 Aug 1876.
On leaving domestic service Charles took over "The Marquis of Granby" at Esher.
The racing stables were just down the road, and sometimes the trainers would allow young Charles to ride the horses back to the stables. He always claimed to have ridden a Derby winner !
An unidentified photo from a series of pictures taken in the 1860's but judging from his appearance later in life this is probably Charles Stephen.
Buried 13 Feb 1835 (All Saints register)
John married Caroline Judge at Saint Peter's Church, Maidstone on the 16 Apr 1860.
They had two children Hannah and George Thomas, the latter of whom died as an infant. They lived at 70 Melville Road, Maidstone, initially with John's aunt, Elizabeth Thomas, but eventually taking over the house. John died in 1909.
He died 22 June 1837 according to the family bible.
Thomas emigrated to Australia about November 1863. There is some suggestion that he was induced to go - I think he had mis-behaved and the family wanted to get rid of him. I have three letters that he wrote home (1) 8th November 1868 (2) 15th May 1871 (3) 14th October 1880.In the first of these he complains about getting no mails from the family and enquires after their health. He says how he has now news for them and how he and his wife and stepdaughter are on board a coal hulk and that the sea air has greatly improved their healths. He says how he has two steamers to keep supplied with coal, and that the work is light. In the second he says how glad he is to have received a letter and how he is pleased with the news from Maidstone although he says how sad to get the news of the Chatham folks (His aunt Fanny Parker, born 1800 at East Malling had married a John Thomas Skinner of Chatham). He says how he had been very dangerously ill but that the doctors think he is now out of danger.
They had ordered him to the country for a change of air and so he had been to the Caledonia diggings with his wife's family and that he hoped to return there for a few weeks. He asks his brother and sister to forward a list of family birthdays as he feels he is forgetting them. He then goes on with a description of the country at the diggings and of the animals seen there which he says are not dangerous "There is only the snake people care for here and they are very deadly indeed". The third is a very long letter. He says how glad he is to hear that Polly (His sister Mary Ann) is to get married with every prospect of being happy. He once again says how neither he nor his wife enjoy first rate health, his wife's bad health mainly due to the climate. He mentions the big exhibition they held in Melbourne that month with visitors from every nation attending. He says "I was there in all my war paint for you must know I am a Petty Officer in the Victoria Naval Reserve" He then tells them about the Melbourne Cup and all the lotteries connected with it - "I don't believe £100,000 would pay the sweeps in Melbourne alone and yet they cry out about times being bad." He then tells them about his home and working conditions, and the flowers in his garden. He says how he has a dog called Dick which he named after his father's dog. He goes on to say how old he is getting, losing his hair "and my whiskers very grey". He asks if they saw the Australian cricketers whilst they were in England (This is referring to the first official touring side), and how everybody plays cricket in Melbourne. He closed by saying he was enclosing a paper about Melbourne which showed all the public buildings in it . He married first on the 17th April 1865 in Saint John's Church, South Melbourne to Emily Matilda Taylor the widow of Joseph Taylor by whom she had had a daughter Josephine, whom Thomas adopted as his own. They had no other children - at least none that survived. Emily died on the 6th November 1899 and was buried in Queenstown cemetry. Thomas remarried on the 14th December 1912 at Christ Church, South Yarra to Grace Faith Launder. By this time he was confused about his age, giving it as 85, when in reality he was in his 75th year. He died on the 2nd January 1915 and was buried in Melbourne Cemetry, his age was once again mis-stated by 10 years over the correct one. On his death certificate it is claimed that he had 7 children but we know from the registration in the State of Victoria that there were none registered it must be assumed that they were all stillbirths or died very shortly after birth.
Silhouette of Thomas Cooker, made, it is thought, by his great niece Edith Mary Bartter, whilst she was studying at Goldsmiths' College, London. It appears he is wearing a Naval Cap so perhaps it was made from him in his Naval Reserve Uniform.
Melbourne Docks, c 1880 (the period when Thomas worked there) by an unknown Artist.
She married Henry Harman at West Farleigh in 1867 and the family eventually moved to Tunbridge Wells. Her daughter, Mary Louisa, married her cousin Charles Henry Cooker, the son of Charles Stephen, see above.
Died 7 July 1842 at Hart Street, Maidstone.
She married Frederick Court and they lived at Elham, near Folkestone, she was the grandmother of Edith Mary Bartter mentioned above.
