Person:John Cook (167)

John Cook was baptised on 27th August 1820 at Husborne Crawley in Bedfordshire, son of a lace maker called Mary Cook, formerly Bedford, and her husband James Cook, an agricultural labourer.

On 24th September 1839, aged nineteen, John married Mary Ann Lichfield, who was from the neighbouring parish of Aspley Guise. They married at Husborne Crawley and went on to have thirteen children between 1839 and 1868, although at least eight of them died before reaching adulthood. The first four children were born at Husborne Crawley, where the 1841 census finds them living on Crow Lane. Between 1844 and 1846 they moved to Aspley Guise where the other nine children were born. John's mother died at Aspley Guise in 1848.

The 1851 and 1861 censuses find the family living at New Town in Aspley Guise. John worked as an agricultural labourer, whilst Mary was working as a lace maker in 1851 and a dressmaker in 1861.

In 1854 John was prosecuted for unlawfully killing a hare, and was sent to Bedford Gaol for six weeks' hard labour. He was described as being 5 feet 3 inches tall, with dark hair, hazel eyes and ruddy complexion.

John's father died at Aspley Guise in 1865.

In 1871 and 1881 they were living at Station Road in Aspley Guise, with John working as a gardener. The station referred to in the street name will be Woburn Sands station, which had opened in 1846.^[10] By 1891 they were living on West Street in Aspley Guise.

Mary died in 1898, aged 75. John survived her by two years. He died in 1900, aged 80.

1. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 27 Aug 1820, Husborne Crawley, Bedfordshire, England: John son of James & Mary Cooke

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Archives.

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 5; Book 20; Folio 13; Page 20, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Crow Lane, Husborne Crawley, Bedfordshire
   John Cook, male, 20 [1816-21], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Mary Cook, female, 15 [1821-26], born in county
   Louisa Cook, female, 6 months [1840/1], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1755; Folio 56; Page 31, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: New Town, Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   John Cook, Head, married, male, 31 [1819/20], Ag[ricultural] Laborer, b. H. Crawley, Beds
   Mary Ann Cook, Wife, married, female, 29 [1831/2], Lace Maker, b. Aspley, Beds
   Louise Cook, Daur, female, 10 [1840/1], At home, b. H. Crawley, Beds
   Charles Cook, Son, male, 8 [1842/3], Scholar, b. H. Crawley, Beds
   Elizabeth Cook, Daur, female, 5 [1845/6], At home, b. Aspley, Beds
   Maria Cook, Daur, female, 2 [1848/9], At home, b. Aspley, Beds

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 1003; Folio 37; Page 26, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: New Town, Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   John Cook, head, married, male, 40 [1820/1], Ag[ricultural] Labourer, b. Crawley, Bedfordshire
   Mary Ann Cook, wife, married, female, 38 [1822/3], Dress Maker, b. Aspley, Bedfordshire
   Maria Cook, daughter, female, 12 [1848/9], b. Aspley, Bedfordshire
   Samuel Cook, son, male, 9 [1851/2], b. Aspley, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Cook, daughter, female, 6 [1854/5], b. Aspley, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1557; Folio 8; Page 10, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Station Road, Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   John Cook, head, married, male, 50 [1820/1], Gardener, b. Husborn Crawley, Bedfordshire
   Mary Ann Cook, wife, married, female, 48 [1822/3], Gardener Wife, b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   Mariah Cook, daughter, unmarried, female, 21 [1849/50], Servant, b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   Samuel Cook, son, unmarried, male, 18 [1852/3], Labourer, b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   Julia Cook, daughter, female, 9 [1861/2], Scholar, b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   Annie Cook, daughter, female, 5 [1865/6], Scholar, b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   Albert Cook, son, male, 2 [1868/9], b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1637; Folio 8; Page 9, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Station Road, Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   John Cook, head, married, male, 60 [1820/1], Gardener, b. Husborne Crawley, Bedfordshire
   Mary A. Cook, wife, married, female, 58 [1822/3], b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   Alfred L. Juckes, lodger, unmarried, male, 22 [1858/9], Printer, b. Ledbury, Herefordshire

7. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 1262; Folio 24; Page 15, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: West Street, Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   Four rooms occupied
   John Cook, head, married, male, 70 [1820/1], Jobbing Gardener, employed, b. Husborne Crawley, Bedfordshire
   Mary Ann Cook, wife, married, female, 68 [1822/3], b. Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire

8. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. John COOK, December Quarter 1900, Ampthill Registration District, Volume 3b, page 215, aged 80 [1819/20]

9.   Bedfordshire Record Office. Bedfordshire Gaol Register. (Bedford).

   Name: John Cook
   Committal Year: 1854
   Age: 32 [1821/2]
   Height: 5 feet 3 inches
   Hair: Dark
   Eyes: Hazel
   Complexion: Ruddy
   Visage: Oval
   Occupation: Labourer
   Education: Imperfect
   Marital Status: Married
   Children: 4
   Birth Town: Husborne Crawley, Bedfordshire
   Residence: Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire
   Offence: On the 3rd March 1854 at Husborne Crawley unlawfully killed a Hare
   Committed by: Rev. E.O. Smith and William Lyn Smart Esquire
   When committed: 4 Mar 1854
   Trial Type: Summarily Convicted
   Type of Gaol: Bedford, New House of Correction
   Sentence: 6 Weeks Hard Labour or pay fine and costs 3 pounds 9 shillings and sixpence
   Discharge date: 14 Apr 1854

10. ↑ Aspley Guise station would not open until 1905.