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Victorian Naval Forces Muster

for the Colony of Victoria. (muster range 1853-1910)*

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Last Name:Cooker
First Name:Thomas
Rank:Chief Petty Officer
Birth Date: 29-05-1838
Branch:Naval Reserve

Thomas (Tom) Cooker

Chief Petty Officer



Silhouette of Thomas Cooker, made, it is thought, by his great niece Edith Mary Bartter.

from Descendants of Thomas Cooker website where it quotes Tom as saying that "I am a Petty Officer in the Victoria Naval Reserve."


THE NAVAL RESERVE ON BOARD SHIP.

"After a four days cruise in the bay HMS (sic), Nelson returned to her moorings just before 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Supplementing the report as published yesterday, it is to be mentioned that an accident occurred late on Saturday afternoon to one of the petty officers of the Sandridge Reserve named Thomas Cooker, who, while at No 2 port gun, got his toe crushed by the wheel passing over it. It appears that his foot slipped whilst endeavouring to replace the fuse, and thus caused the mishap He was promptly attended to by Surgeon M’Lean on board, and no serious consequences are anticipated."

The Argus, page 7, 19 April 1881

(courtesy of Frank Noonan)


To Thomas Cooker, for injury received while on duty in the Naval Reserve. £18

 Supplement to the Victoria Government Gazette, 30th December 1881.


 

Reference to having served in the Victorian Naval Brigade. Died 2 January 1915 aged 87.

The Argus, 4 January 1915


 

The West Australian, 19 January 1915


In an article subheaded "Naval Veterans of 89 and 80", in the Williamstown Chronicle on 26 October 1912 this man was listed as receiving a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal for 15 years service. To qualify he would have to have served at least four years in the Victorian Naval Forces.


PERSONAL. Regret will be felt among the wide circle of his friends at the death of Mr Thomas Cooker president of the Royal Naval Veteran Association of Victoria which occurred at the Melbourne Hospital at noon on Saturday. Mr Cooker if he had reached the age of 87 years had a long and eventful career in the Royal Navy He was probably the only person in Australia of the China War medal of 1842. In that year Mr Cooker served on board the Pylades, corvette, of 21 guns, in command of Captain Jones. From the Pylades Mr. Cooker transferred to the Vernon, frigate. Later on he served on board the Agamemnon, which at the time was the flagship of the naval commander-in-chief during the Crimean War (Black Sea), receiving the Crimean medal and a clasp for Sebastopol. He also wore the Turkish medal and the Order of Medjidieh for service during the wars of 1854-5-6. At the close of these wars Mr. Cooker came to Australia, and immediately associated himself with the naval defence of Victoria. He became Chief Petty Officer of the Victorian naval forces, under the late Captain Fuller, of the Naval Brigade, and received the long-service medal for his work with that organisation. Mr. Cooker, who had two sons-warrant officers-killed in the battle of Majuba Hill, was twice married, and leaves a young widow. It has been decided by the Naval department that the veteran shall be awarded a funeral with full naval honours. A party of the Royal Australian Naval forces will be present, as well as members of the Royal Naval Veterans Association. The cortege is appointed to leave 11 Manton street Burnley at half past 2’oclock today.

THE ARGUS Monday 4 January 1915 Page 6 (courtesy of Frank Noonan)


Mr Thomas Cooker died at Burnley on January 2 aged 87 years. Mr Cooker was a veteran seaman of the Crimea, China, and Victorian Naval Brigade. In 1842 he took part in the China War, and in the Crimean War, when on the flagship Agamemnon, he gained the Crimea medals, the clasp for Sebastopol and the Turkish medal. In the seventies he joined the Victorian naval forces as chief petty officer. Since 1902 Mr Cooker had been president of the Royal Naval Veterans Association in Victoria.

WEEKLY TIMES Saturday 9 January 1915 Page 22 (courtesy of Frank Noonan)


* 1853 is given as the commencement date for the Victorian Navy as this is the year that Commander Lockyer (RN) went to Britain to superintend the building of HMCS Victoria.
Although the Victorian Navy ended in 1901 the career of Cerbeus etc continued. In 1910 the new ships started arriving & manning levels increased.

Information & photographs of men who served in the Victorian Naval Forces is eagerly sought. Please contact the webmaster.
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