| 1. |  William Cock, 1820 Settler was born on 9 Mar 1794 in Penzance, Cornwall, England; was christened on 15 Jun 1794 in St.Gluvias, Penryn, Cornwall, England (son of Thomas Cock and Ann Lovey, - wife of Thomas Cock); died on 11 Feb 1876 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Port Alfred Cemetery (Settlers West), Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Other Events and Attributes:
- 1820 Lineage: Yes
- Settler ID: 161
- Name: William Cock 1820
- Occupation: a Printer
- Settler: 7 Jan 1820, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Notes:
A printer from Penryn, Cornwall, England. 1820 Settler on the Weymouth.
The whole party of 91 persons were located on 2,200 morgen, five miles from the mouth of the Kowie River. Throughout his active career, Cock farmed chiefly cattle, suffering severe losses in the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Frontier Wars. Fortunately these losses were recouped by his Government Contracts when his ships supplied beef to Mauritius and St. Helena. He was a partner in the Cape Town firm of Heideman, Hodgson & Co., representing their interests in Grahamstown and the Kowie. When this firm was dissolved, he acquired valuable property on the West Bank and Cock's Castle still overlooks the new course of the river which he and his partner George Hodgkin constructed at great personal expense in 1840.
In the Frontier War of 1846 Cock's Castle was the scene of great activity and despite the fact that they had several cannon, they were unable to prevent the Xhosa from getting away with some 600 cattle. With the construction of the harbour The Hon. William Cock became a ship owner and by 1843 had floated the Kowie Navigation Company some of its ships being the Sophia, the Legonier, the Chanticlear, the Seaforth, the iron schooner British Settler and the steamship Sir John Aubyn. In 1850 the British Settler with a cargo of wool from the Kowie was lost in a storm with all hands off St. Helena Bay.
I was told that there was a hive of bees on one of Cock's sailing ships. They flew ashore to collect honey and came back to the hive at night and that no bees were lost. I wonder who counted them.
a. William Cock was an unofficial member of the old Legislative Council 1847?53, being nominated by the Governor, Sir Henry Pottinger and in 1854 he was elected M.L.A. for Albany and later to the Upper House M.L.C. where he represented the Eastern Divisions, 1856?7 and 1865?8.
During the disturbances caused by the British Government's attempt to establish a convict settlement at the Cape, Cock became very unpopular by siding with the Governor, Sir Harry Smith who, although sympathetic to the Settlers' views, was not prepared to accede to rash demands for precipitate action, preferring to place their objections before the authorities. Cock refused to resign from the Legislative Council nor would he agree not to victual the convict ship Neptune, on humanitarian grounds, arguing that the wretched convicts were not concerned in the dispute. His action was vindicated when the ship sailed and the agitation evaporated.
Spent many years and much capital in attempting to build a harbour at Port Francis (later Port Alfred), at the mouth of the Kowie River. Member of the Legislative Council, 1847-53 and 1856-68; member of the House of Assembly, 1854.
Settler:
Cock's party on the Weymouth
William married Elizabeth Mary Toy, 1820 Settler on 25 Oct 1814 in St.Gluvias, Penryn, Cornwall,England. Elizabeth was born on 25 Oct 1792 in Gorran, Cornwall, England; was christened on 11 Nov 1792 in St Gluvia's, Penryn, Cornwall, England; died on 28 Nov 1875 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Port Alfred Cemetery (Settlers West), Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:
- William Frederick Cock, 1820 Settler was born in 1815 in Truro, Cornwall, England; was christened on 10 Nov 1815 in St.Gluvias, Penryn, Cornwall,England; died on 16 Jun 1884 in Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Port Alfred West bank cemetery, Eastern Cape, Southa Africa.
- John Anderson Cock, 1820 Settler was born in 1818; was christened on 26 Jun 1818 in St.Gluvias, Penryn, Cornwall,England; died on 8 Feb 1820.
- Loveday Ann Amelia Cock, 1820 Settler was born on 10 Oct 1819 in London, England; was christened on 24 Sep 1820 in Salem Methodist Church, Salem, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 26 Feb 1887 in Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa.
- Elizabeth Mary Cock was born on 29 Dec 1821 in Cape, South Africa; was christened on 25 Oct 1825 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 12 May 1863 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
- Emma Loveday Cock was born on 14 Aug 1823; was christened on 25 Oct 1825 in Commemoration Church, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died in 1838.
- Cornelius Cock was born on 18 Sep 1825 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 25 Oct 1825 in Commemoration Church, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 7 Aug 1908.
- Dorcas Cock was born on 14 Apr 1829; died on 19 May 1907.
- Deborah Cock was born on 29 Jan 1830 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 7 Mar 1830 in Commemoration Church, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 28 Apr 1921 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Port Alfred Cemetery (Settler - Methodist), Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
- Lydia Cock was born on 10 Nov 1831 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died in 1924 in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
- Nathaniel Cock was born on 4 Jul 1833 in Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 14 Feb 1895 in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
- Benjamin Cock was born in 1835; died in 1836.
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1794 - 1876 (81 years)
