Date of Birth: 11/02/1890
Place of Birth: Lewisham, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 13/06/1965
Place of Death: Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Member for Armidale |
03 May 1947 |
28 Oct 1949 |
2 years 5 months 26 days |
|
| Member for Armidale |
27 May 1944 |
29 Mar 1947 |
2 years 10 months 3 days |
|
| Member for Armidale |
10 May 1941 |
24 Apr 1944 |
2 years 11 months 15 days |
|
| Member for Armidale |
26 Mar 1938 |
18 Apr 1941 |
3 years 24 days |
|
| Member for Armidale |
18 Apr 1935 |
24 Feb 1938 |
2 years 10 months 7 days |
|
| Member for Armidale |
11 Jun 1932 |
12 Apr 1935 |
2 years 10 months 2 days |
|
| Minister for Education |
16 May 1932 |
16 May 1941 |
9 years 1 day |
|
| Member for Armidale |
25 Oct 1930 |
18 May 1932 |
1 year 6 months 24 days |
|
| Minister for Education |
18 Oct 1927 |
03 Nov 1930 |
3 years 17 days |
|
| Member for Armidale |
08 Oct 1927 |
18 Sep 1930 |
2 years 11 months 11 days |
|
| Member for Northern Tablelands |
30 May 1925 |
07 Sep 1927 |
2 years 3 months 9 days |
|
| Member for Northern Tablelands |
25 Mar 1922 |
18 Apr 1925 |
3 years 25 days |
|
| Member for Northern Tablelands |
20 Mar 1920 |
17 Feb 1922 |
1 year 10 months 29 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly |
20 Mar 1920 |
28 Oct 1949 |
29 years 7 months 9 days |
|
Political Party Activity
Country Party. Organiser of the Progressive Party in 1919, one of 'True Blues'; deputy leader of the Country Party from 1932 until 1949, federal councillor from 1950 until 1952
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Wheat farmer. Educated in public schools and Scots College, Sydney. As a youth went to the New England District as a farm hand and then became a sharefarmer near Inverell; later owned a grazing property near Armidale; director of Television New England Limited (1964); executive member of Farmers and Settlers Association from 1925 until 1927, 1944 until 1946, president from 1927 until 1928, vice president from 1948 until 1949; active in New States and Free Library movements, in establishing Junior Farmers Clubs in 1928, and National Fitness Council; New England University College advisory councillor from 1951 until 1953, councillor of New England University from 1954 until 1965; author of Constitutional Changes
Honours Received
Honorary D Litt (1957). Honorary member of the Royal Australian Historical Society in 1939
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Member of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. Member of the House of Representatives for New England 1949 until 1963.
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Morris Cook, Scottish migrant, and Catherine McMillan. Married (1) Pearl Goode in Uralla on 11 March 1913 and had issue, 4 daughters. Married (2) Amy Laing on 21 December 1959 at Rose Bay. Presbyterian. Burial at St Pauls Presbyterian church at Armidale.
