Queensland Architects Database

Cook, Alfred

Family photograph

COOK, Alfred (1827–1897) was born at Rotherhithe, Surrey, England, youngest son of Silas Kemball Cook, the principal of a large Academy, and Margaret Randall Marshall. The family were talented. His brother Silas was secretary of the Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich and his sons, Cook’s nephews included a barrister Sir Charles Archer Cook (1849-1934) and Edward Tyas Cook (1857–1919), also knighted who among much else, was responsible with Alexander Wedderburn for editing John Ruskin’s writings (39 volumes). But nothing is known of Alfred’s training. Unlike his elder brother Silas, he was not enrolled at Cambridge University, but it was probably articled to a reputable but unidentified architect. By 1851 Alfred was living at Rotherhithe and working as an architect and surveyor. After joining his elder brother Joseph in Sydney, Cook was appointed in April 1854 as a temporary assistant in the office of the NSW Colonial Architect, William WEAVER, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of FG LEWIS. Later that year Cook married Sarah Francesca Chmel, daughter of a Liverpool merchant who with his family migrated to the USA in 1834 but soon changed his mind and died after returning to Liverpool. His widow with two daughters, Adelaide and Sarah, Cook’s wife to be, migrated to Sydney in 1853. Cook was promoted to draftsman in 1857 but any work he did in what became Queensland in 1859 is not known. Despite winning a competition in 1861 for a School of Arts, Windsor, Cook remained with the NSW Public Works Department rising to Chief Draftsman in 1875. He retired in January 1894.

Education

?
Articled pupil, London

Migration and Travel

c1854
Arr Sydney from London
1886
11.2.1886: Dep Sydney for London, passenger on “Tasmania”
Employed:
-1851-
Architect and surveyor, Surrey, Eng.
1854-
24 Apr 1854: Temporary assistant, Colonial Architect’s Office, NSW
1857-
Draftsman, Colonial Architect’s Office, NSW
1875-
Chief Draftsman and instructor of cadets, Colonial Architect’s Office, NSW

Genealogy

[F] Silas Kemball Cook (1789–1848) b. 16 Aug 1789, Surrey, Eng; d. 15 Jul 1848, Paradise Row Rotherhithe Eng.

[S, 28 Apr 1814, Rotherhithe, Sth London / M] Margaret Randall Marshall Birth (1793–1881) b. 8 May 1793, Bermondsey; d. 21 Nov 1881, 4 Addiscombe Terrace, Croydon, Surrey, Eng

  • [9C/1-3B] Silas Kemball Cook (1817–1874) b. 24 Dec 1817, Rotherhithe, London, Eng; d. 25 June 1874, Greenwich, Kent, Eng. [1871: Secretary, Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich; sons at Cambridge and Oxford]
  • [S / M] Emily Archer (1819–?) b. c1819, Ipswich, Suffolk, Eng.; d. ?
  • [7C/1-5B] Sir Charles Archer Cook (1849-1934) b. c.1847, St George, Hammersham, London; d. 14 Dec 1934, Godalming, Surrey, Eng. [Barrister]
  • [7C/5-5B] Edward Tyas Cook (1857–1919) b. 12 May 1857, Brighton, Sussex, Eng; d. 30 Sep 1919, South Stoke Oxfordshire, Eng. [journalist, biographer, and man of letters]
  • [9C/3-6G] Eliza Cook (1819–1907) b. 23 Nov 1819, Rotherhithe, London; d. 1907, Ashfield Sydney, NSW.
  • [9C/2-3B] Joseph Cook (1825–1912) b. 13 Oct 1825, Rotherhithe, London, Eng; d. 4 Sep 1912, Petersham, Sydney NSW [printer]
  • [S1, Jul 1848 Thanet, Eng. / M] Maria Hunt (1820–1858) b. c1820, Eng; d. 19 Feb 1858, Redfern Sydney NSW
  • [S2, 1859, Sydney NSW / M] Anne GILL (1836–1919) b. 23 June 1836; d. 19 Mar 1919, Summer Hill NSW
  • [9C/3-3B]Alfred COOK(1827–1891) b. 2.11.1827, Rotherhithe, London; d. 6 Jan 1897, Ashfield, NSW.
  • [S, 14 Sep 1854, Sydney, M] Sarah Francesca Chmel (1827–1905) b. 7 May 1827, Liverpool Eng; d. 18 Apr 1905, Coogee, NSW.
  • [FiL] Adelbert Chmel, c1890, Prague, Bohemia; Jan 1837, Liverpool, Eng.
  • [MiL] Elizabeth Kitchen (1800–1872) b. 31 Mar 1800, Liverpool, Eng; d. 1 Sep 1872, “Boonera” Qld.
  • [SiL] Adelaide Dawson Chmel (1831–1878) b. c1831, England; d. 24 Jan 1878, Coogee, NSW.
  • [8C/1-5B] Alfred A Cook (1856–?) b. 1856; d. ?
  • [8C/2-5B] Silas Kemball C Cook (1860–1861) b. 1860, Sydney NSW; d. 1861, Paddington, NSW
  • [8C/3-5B] Thomas H Cook (1861–1900) b. 1861, Paddington, NSW; d. 24 Sep 1900, Randwick Sydney, NSW
  • [8C/4-5B] Robert Chmel Cook (1869–1949) b. 1869, Paddington Sydney; d. 5 Nov 1949, Sydney, NSW. [accountant]
  • [8C/5-5B] James Cook (1870–1947) b. 24 Aug 1870, Sydney, NSW; d. Dec 1947, Roseville Sydney, NSW [customs officer]
  • [9C/6-6G] Emily Cook (1834–1908) b. c1834, Rotherhithe, Surrey, Eng; d. Jan 1908, London. [morning governess, 1961]

References

Colonial Architect,Returns of the Colony of NSW (1855-57); NSW Public Service lists, 1858-94; Sydney Morning Herald: 15 June 1861, 6; 6 Mar 1875, 8; 3 Jan 1897, 8 and 6 Sep 1912, 8; Daily Telegraph, 6 Feb 1886, 5; Evening News (Syd) 31 Jan 1894, 3.