William Cooke (1859 - 1932)

Born 24 Mar 1859 in Ballan, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Gourlay (Allan) Benson — married 8 Sep 1882 (to 12 Dec 1899) in Bogantungan, Queensland, Australia

Husband of Isabella (McHatton) Cooke — married 2 Jul 1901 in Clermont, Queensland, Australia

Died 2 Feb 1932 at age 72 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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Biography

William Cooke was born in the Colony of Victoria (1851-1900)

William Cooke was born on 24 Mar 1859 in Ballan, Victoria, Australia. He was the son of John Cooke and Elizabeth (Potter) Cooke. ^[1]

He married Gourlay (Allan) Benson on 8 Sep 1882 (to 12 Dec 1899) in Bogantungan, Queensland, Australia. The marriage ended in divorce in 1899. ^{[2] [3]}

He married Isabella McHatton on 2 Jul 1901 in Clermont, Queensland, Australia. ^[4]

He died on 2 Feb 1932 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. ^{[5] [6]}

Divorce

The Cooke Divorce Action.

ORDER MADE IN FAVOR OF THE PETITIONER.

At the Rockhampton Supreme Court on Thursday morning his Honor Mr. Justice Power heard a petition by William Cooke for the dissolution of his marriage with Gourlay Cooke on the ground of her adultery with Arthur Clarence Benson. No damages were claimed. Mr. J. C. Tyler represented the petitioner. The defendant and co-defendant did not appear.

The petitioner stated that he was astore keeper residing at Alpha. The defendant was his wife, and the co-defendant followed the occupation of a fisherman. He was married to defendant on 8th September, 1882, and they afterwards lived at Bogantungan and in other parts of Queensland shifting about from place to place. There had been five children to the marriage Lily Lavinia Gourlay (aged 15 years), Cyrilla Mary Elisabeth (13), Emma Lydia (11), William Allen (9), and Edwin Alfred (6). He came to Rockhampton from the West in March, 1986. They had lived happily enough together up till this time. His wife then started drinking and squandering money, and he left her, taking the children with him. He took the three girls to Barcaldine, and left the boys with his sister. His home was at Barcaldine at this time. His mother died about 15th June, 1896. It was in March, 1896, he left his wife; and in the June following he took her back. It had been his mother's wish that they should come together again. They then lived together for about two years and three months. In September 1898, she left her home where they were then residing - Longreach - and went to Westbury Station as a servant. The next month - October, 1898 - he went to Alpha, where his wife returned to him in December of the same year. The co-defendant (Benson) arrived by the same train, and afterwards began calling at his house. The co-defendant replied that he was very sorry, and that he hoped he was not doing him an injustice. She and the co-defendant then left Alpha, and in about a month his wife returned to him once more. The co-defendant followed about a day or so afterwards. This was in the middle of January of the present year. In February he told his wife that in consequence of something he had heard, she would have to leave. The words he used were "I know you have committed adultery with Benson," He repeated that she would have to leave the house. To this she replied, "Very well I suppose I must go." He had not cohabited with her since, nor had he condoned the offence. There had been no collusion between them in regard to the proceedings.

Evidence was then tendered by Alexander Batroney (a hawker, residing at Alpha) and Martin Webster (a minister of the Methodist Church, residing at Barcaldine) in proof of the adultery complained of. The first named witness testified to its having been committed on occasions at Alpha with the co-defendant, and the second deposed to its having been committed at Alpha with someone other than the co-defendant but whose name he was not cognisant of.

His Honor, upon the evidence tendered gave a decree nisi, returning in three months; and also made an order for the petitioner to have custody of the five children of the marriage. - Record. ^[3]

Burial

• Fact: Burial (2 February 1932) Toowong, Queensland, Australia

Sources

1. ↑ Victoria Birth registration: Registration number 12685 / 1859 Family name: COOKE Given name(s): Wm Place of event: BALLAN, Australia Mother's name: <Unknown Family Name>, Elizth Mother's family name at birth: POTTER Father's Name: <Unknown Family Name>, Jno
2. ↑ Queensland Marriage registration: William Cooke Marriage date: 08/09/1882 Spouse's name: Gourlay Allan Queensland Marriage Registration 1882/C/264
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} [The Cooke Divorce Action. (1899, December 12). The Western Champion and General Advertiser for the Central-Western Districts (Barcaldine, Qld. : 1892 - 1922), p. 8. Retrieved September 17, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75674771]
4. ↑ Queensland Marriage registration: William Cooke Marriage date: 02/07/1901 Spouse's name: Isabella McHattan Queensland Marriage Registration 1901/C/379
5. ↑ Queensland Death registration: William Cooke Death date: 02/02/1932 Mother's name: Elizabeth Potter Father/parent's name: John Queensland Death Registration 1932/B/16429
6. ↑ Death Notice: Mr. W. Cooke. A well-known Central Queensland identity, in the person of Mr. William Cooke, died at, Brisbane on February, at the age of 77 years. Deceased, was born at Ballan, Victoria, but came to Rockhampton at an early age. The westward trend of the railway saw him at most of the points storekeeping, and later hotelkeeping at Mt. Chalmers, when that centre was producing copper. He was well known in Masonic circles in the West, having been a member and organist of the Comet Lodge, Barcaldine. Deceased was twice married, and is survived by six daughters and three sons. [MR. W. COOKE. (1932, February 5). The Evening News (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1924 - 1941), p. 12. Retrieved September 17, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201045128]

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 18 October 2020, 00:30), entry for William Cooke(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LJ51-LJ8); contributed by various users.