Fast facts: Joseph Cook

Personal profile

Joseph COOK

Born: 

7 December 1860, Silverdale, Staffordshire, England

Education: 

educated, c.1866–73

Employment: 

coalminer, clerk

Memberships: 

Primitive Methodist Church (c.1875–1947); mining unions

Marriage: 

8 August 1885, Wolstanton, England

Children: 

'GS’ (1886); Albert (1888); Joseph (1890); John (1897) Annette (1898); Winifred (1900); Cecil (1902); Raymond (1904); Constance (1906)

Died: 

30 July 1947, Bellevue Hill, Sydney

Buried: 

cremated, in Sydney

Honours: 

Privy Councillor (1914); GCMG (1918)

Mary COOK (née TURNER)

Born: 

c.1863, Chesterton, Staffordshire

Memberships: 

Red Cross Society

Died: 

24 September 1950, Bellevue Hill, Sydney

Honours: 

DBE (1925)

Political profile

Terms as PM:

24 June 1913 – 17 September 1914

Terms as MP:

New South Wales Legislative Assembly: 1891–1901 (Hartley)
House of Representatives: 9 May 1901 – 21 November 1921 (Parramatta); Leader of Opposition 1914–16

Portfolios:

Defence: 2 June 1909 – 24 April 1910
Home Affairs: 24 June 1913 – 17 September 1914
Navy: 17 February 1917 – 28 July 1920
Treasurer: 28 July 1920 – 11 November 1921

Political memberships:

New South Wales Labor Party (c.1891 – April 1894); leader New South Wales parliamentary Labor Party (17 October 1893 – April 1894); Free Trade Party (deputy leader 28 July 1905 – November 1908; leader c.8 November 1908 – c.May 1910); Liberal Party (1913–16; leader January 1913 – December 1916); Nationalist Party (December 1916 – November 1921)

After:

High Commissioner in London (11 November 1921 – 10 May 1927);
Royal Commissioner (June 1928 – March 1929)