John Cooke

Ernest John Cooke (21 April 1878 - 18 May 1950) was an Englishman who married and then moved to Wales to mine coal, but following the October 1913 Senghenydd colliery disaster [1] moved to Transcona, Manitoba, which is now a suburb of Winnipeg. He had six children with his wife Rose.

Early life

When John Cooke was born on April 21, 1878, his father, George, was 34 and his mother, Mary, was 38.

He married Rose True on August 4, 1902, in Maesteg, Glamorgan, Wales. They had five daughters and one son in 23 years:

In Maesteg, Wales:

• Eva Mary (15 August 1903 - 20 December 1990)
• Edna May (Buxton) (1905 - 10 April 1969)
• Ernest John "Ernie" (19 April 1908 - 30 April 2004)
• Ann Irene Agnes (15 April 1910 - 1954)

In Transcona, Manitoba, Canada:

• Edith Lucy (8 January 1918 - 9 May 2003)
• Rosalind (Foot) (7 December 1926 - 8 October 2007)

Grandchildren

John has 12 biological grandchildren and one adopted granddaughter.

Eva Mary Cooke married Arthur T. Bate (died in 1947), and had two children:

• Arthur John "Jack" Bate (2 August 1923 in Winnipeg - 6 November 1944 KIA WWII)
• Thomas M. Bate (1934 - 1989), who married Diane Mary Paulley

Edna married Ronald Buxton and had:

• Vivian Mary (1929 - )
• Elizabeth May "Betty" (1936 - )

Ernie married Gladys Emily Whittington and had:

• Lloyd Stanley "Cookie" Cooke (1937 -)
• Marjorie Eleanor Cooke (1939 -)
• Robert John Cooke (1940 -)

Ann married Mr. Ogden and had one son:

• Bryan William Ogden (born 1 December 1936)

Lucy married Jack Currie and had three sons:

• Bill Currie (born 1941)
• Doug Currie (born 1943)
• Ron Currie (born 1947)

Rosalind married Dennis "Den" Foot and had one child:

• Donald Lawrence "Don" Foot (1953 - 2019)

Rosalind and Den also adopted a child:

• Joanne Elizabeth Foot (born 1957)

Later life

Sometime between 1910 and 1918, he moved with his family to the Dominion of Canada.

He died on May 18, 1950, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the age of 72. His final address was 323 Victoria Avenue, East Transcona (now Winnipeg), Manitoba.

Sources

Bill Currie's personal memories and records