GEORGE MATTHEW COOK
Laid to rest at the Field of Honour.
Images and additional information courtesy of Ian and Dan
Born: 1881, Occold, Suffolk.
Baptised on the 23rd October 1881, at St. Michael and All Angels Church, Occold, Suffolk – family home at Occold.
Died: at 5:10 p.m., 8th January 1919; age: 37; died of wounds – Septic Oligemia- gunshot to the back – received in action at Lens, at the Royal Infirmary, Dundee, Angus, Scotland.
Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury – Friday, 17th January 1919 – Mrs. Rosa Cook, of 297, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, has been notified that her husband, Gunner George Matthew Cook, R.F.A., has died of wounds received in France, after long suffering in the Dundee Royal Infirmary Hospital, Dundee, on the 8th January.
Residence: 297, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich.
Occupation: Labourer.
Enlistment Location: Norwich, Norfolk.
Rank: Private; Service Number: 889531.
Regiment: Royal Field Artillery, ‘D’ Battery, 168th Brigade. Territorial Force.
Medals Awarded: Victory & British War.
Grave Reference:
BA.2.85.
Ipswich.
Relatives Notified & Address: Fifth son of James & Sarah Cook, of Debenham, Suffolk; husband of Rosa May Spall (formerly Cook), of 297, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich.
CENSUS
1891 Bedingfield, Suffolk.
George was 8 years old and living with his brother at the home of their maternal grandparents & uncle.
Thomas Hammond, 73, an Agricultural Labourer, born Bedingfield.
Mary Hammond (nee Cracknell), 68, born Bedingfield.
Thomas William Hammond, 36, an Agricultural Labourer, born Bedingfield.
Thomas William Cook, 18, an Agricultural Labourer, born Saxtead, Suffolk.
On the 1891 census, Thomas & George’s family were living at Church Street, Occold, Suffolk.
James Cook, 49, an Agricultural Labourer, born Saxstead, Suffolk.
Sarah Cook (nee Hammond), 44, born Monk Soham, Suffolk.
James Edward Cook, 17, born Occold.
Arthur Robert Cook, 12, born Occold.
Fanny Rebecca Cook, 11, born Occold.
William Lewis Cook, 8, born Occold.
Sarah Phyllis Cook, 6, born Occold.
Frederick Charles Cook, 4, born Occold.
Stanley Noah Cook, 2, born Occold.
1911 Red House Farm Cottage, Aspal, Suffolk.
George was 28 years old, a Farm Labourer. He was married and head of the household. Rosa’s brothers were staying at their family home.
Rosa, 22.
Daisy, 1.
Maurice Percival Bowman, 13, a Tailor’s Apprentice – worker at home, born Ipswich.
Reginald William Bowman, 6, born Ipswich.
On the 18th August 1909, at St. Michael and All Angels Church, Occold, 26 year old George, a labourer, of Occold, married 21 year old Rosa May Bowman, born September 1889, Ipswich – daughter of Philip Bowman, a tailor and costumer – employer, and Eliza Jane Bowman (nee Burrows), of 8, Great Colman Street, Ipswich.
Rosa and George had five children:
Daisy May Georgina Cook, born February 1910, Brome and Oakley, Suffolk.
Grace Maud Matilda Cook, November 1911, Aspall, Suffolk and baptised on the 16th June 1912, at St. Mary of Grace, Aspall – family home at Red House Farm Cottage, Aspall.
George Charles Augustus Cook, December 1913, Ipswich and baptised on St. Valentine’s Day, 1914, at St. Mary of Grace, Aspall, Suffolk – family home at Red House Farm Cottage, Aspall.
Sydney Philip Cook, January 1916, Ipswich.
Lilian Muriel Cook, September 1918, Ipswich.
Grace, George, Daisy & Rosa.
George & Sydney
Soldiers’ Effects to Rosa May Cook – widow.
George on his horse (Image courtesy of Daniel)
George’s brother Stanley in camp (centre rear)
Image from January 1919 Suffolk Chronicle & Mercury newspaper.
IPSWICH SOLDIER’S FUNERAL
The funeral took place in the Field of Honour at the Ipswich Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon of Gunner George Matthew Cook, 168th Brigade, R.F.A., who died on January 8th in the Royal Infirmary, Dundee, from wounds received in action at Lens. The remains, which were brought from Scotland, were buried with full military honours, the coffin, draped with the Union Jack, being borne from his home 297, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, to the Cemetery on a gun-carriage, supplied by the 307th Company, 67th Divisional Brigade, A.S.C., by permission of Colonel Peace, the officer in commanding, whilst the bearers, firing party, buglers and band were from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, by permission of Colonel Gavin, officer commanding. The officiating clergyman was the Rev. Sykes, in the absence of the Rev. W.H. Hinds, of St. John’s Church.
George’s brother, Stanley Noah Cook, also lost his life during the First World War. Stanley was presumed killed in action on the 27th March 1918; Stanley was ranked a Private, 8638, for the Suffolk Regiment, 7th Battalion. The body was never found, and he is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial, France. Stanley, a farm labourer, was 29 years old and lived with his parents at Chapel Cottages, Kettle’s Lane, Debenham, Suffolk.
3 Comments
George and Rosa May had 5 children, Daisy (b1910), Grace (b1911), George (b1914), Sydney (b1916) and Lilien(b1918).
Sydney (aka Sidney) was my father.
Ian, we’ve never met but I am your cousin Jan, Geoffrey’s daughter, William Lewis Cook’s grand daughter. I have been visiting your brave grandfather’s grave for the last 4 years on Remembrance Sunday, along with my eldest son James. We are so proud of George, who, along with Nathaniel and Noah Stanley made the ultimate sacrifice. Thanks for this posting-perhaps we’ll meet one day.
George is also named on the Aspall War memorial plaque inside the church where he lived and worked before WW1