James Phillip COOKE (1836-1920)
- born in Gloucestershire, England he embarked on board the Ship GOLCONDA, Captain Montgomery, for Nelson, New Zealand, on the 3rd September, 1859
- he arrived into Nelson on the GOLCONDA on 24? December 1859

Nelson Examiner 28 Dec 1859 The ship Golconda, Captain Montgomery, from London, was signalled on Saturday (24 Dec), and was towed into harbour the same evening, by the steamer Tasmanian Maid. The Golconda is one of Messrs Shaw, Saville, and Co.'s line of packets, and has a fair passage of 110 days from the Downs. The vessel has brought a large cargo and a considerable number of passengers amounting altogether to 103 statute adults. Most of the assisted immigrants have relatives or friends here, and there are a great many children amongst the new arrivals, who will no doubt soon grow up into useful colonists. Three deaths occurred during the passage, viz., that of Mr G. Frost, aged 24, who died of consumption on the 24th November; Thomas Jones, aged 26 who died of dysentry on the 6th October and Charles Jones, aged one year, son of the latter, who died of whooping cough, on the 12th December

Wellington Independent 3 Jan 1860 The Golcondo, from London, arrived at Nelson on the 27th ultimo, after a passage of 110 days from the Downs. She had a large cargo and a considerable number of passengers, amounting altogether to 103 statute adults, Mr F. W. Saxton, Mrs W. R. Nicholson and family and Mr Stratford and family, old Nelson setters, were among the passengers.

Also on board was James's future wife, Ellen RESTALL (1839-1919)
- they married 2 years after arriving

13 March 1862 NELSON,MARLBOROUGH
... On the 13th March, by the Rev E. Thomas, Mr James Phillip Cooke, painter, Trafalgar-square, to Miss Ellen Restall, both of Nelson

ELLEN died in Nelson on 3 Aug 1919 aged 80
JAMES died 9 months later, on 27 May 1920 aged 83
- they are buried together PLOT 018, BLOCK 02 at Wakapuaka cemetery



JAMES & ELLEN had 10 CHILDREN

... 1
1863 - 1952 Mary Susan 'Minnie' Cooke
- nothing known of Mary
- she died 2 an 1952 aged 88, buried Wakapuaka cemetery


... 2
1865 - 1867 Frances Helena Cooke
- Frances died aged 19 months, buried Wakapuaka


... 3
1867 - 1944 Elizabeth 'Bessie' Cooke
- Bessie married William THOMPSON (1867-1938) 18 April 1892 in All Saints, Nelson


... 4
1868 - 1869 Frances Cooke
- Frances died 5 Feb 1869 aged 4 months, buried Wakapuaka


... 5
1869 - 1963 Frances Jane 'Fanny' Cooke
- Frances didn't marry
- she died 12 Oct 1963, aged 93, buried Wakapuaka


... 6
1872 - 1947 Alice EMily 'Nell' Cooke
- Alice married Claude Everard ELLIS (1870-1952) 6 March 1901, All Saints, Nelson
- Claude was from Yorkshire, England. He died aged 83 in Wellington, cremated Karori


... 7
1874 - 1880 William James Cooke
- William died aged 6, buried Wakapuaka


... 8
1876 - 1943 Frank Hector Cooke
- Frank married Ethel May KIDSON (1881-1954) 23 July 1905 All Saints, Nelson
- Ethel was a daughter of John KIDSON & Martha NEWPORT
- Frank died 12 Oct 1943 aged 67, buried Wakapuaka


... 9
1877 - 1964 Charles Restal Cooke
- Charles married Annie Margaret FLETT (1876-1941) in 1903
- Annie died 14 Dec 1941 in Nelson aged 65, buried Wakapuaka
- Charles died 23 years later in Awapuni Hospital, buried Kelvin Grove


... 10
1880 - 1948 Walter Phillip Cooke
- Walter married Alice May STAPLES (1883-1923) 30 Nov 1913 in Motueka
- Alice was a daughter of Robert STAPLES & Mary Jane ATKINS of Motueka
- Walter next married Eva TANKERSLEY (1885-1963) 10 Feb 1927 in Masterton
- Eva was a daughter of Richard Theophylus TANKERSLEY & Maria PRENTICE