Willington Cemetery
Willington Cemetery
In Willington Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:-
In
Loving memory
Of
Ex-Corporal
Maurice Marsden M.M.
Beloved husband of
E.H. Marsden
Who died at Willington
July 7th 1918 aged 40 years
Also of Sapper Thomas Cook
Brother in Law of the above
Who was Killed in Action
April 6th 1917 aged 45 years
Also his
beloved wife
Elizabeth Hannah
Marsden
Died May 9th 1957
Aged 75 years
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Cook was born at Sunnybrow, near Willington, County Durham in 1870, one of 8 known children he was the eldest of 2 sons and had 2 elder and 6 younger sisters. His father William Cook was born at Bellingham, Northumberland in 1843 a coal miner by trade married in the district of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, in 1867, to Margaret Coates a native of Boldron, near Barnard Castle, historically in Yorkshire, born 1844. In 1871 they were living at 12, Hill Street, Helmington, Sunnybrow by 1873 they had moved to Willington where in 1881 they were living at 59, Railway Terrace.
William Cook died in 1896 his widow Margaret Cook nee Coates in 1903. Prior to his mother's death Thomas had married Mary Jane Lawson in 1889. Mary Jane who was born at Willington in 1873 gave birth to the first of their children in 1892, a son William, followed in 1894 by Thomas Jnr, daughter Mildred in 1895 and finally John George in 1898. Thomas was employed as a coal miner and lived with his family at 67, Russell Place, in the census of 1911 although still listed as married he is living with his son John George (13), his youngest sister Amelia (22) is listed as housekeeper, whilst his wife Mary Jane, daughter Mildred (16) are listed as house keeper and servant in the house of widower Thomas Wall, a publican of the Court Inn, 53, High Street, Willington. It would appear that Thomas and his wife were living separate lives as also on the census is a Leila Cook 10 months old, listed relationship to the head of the household, Thomas Wall, is step daughter, presumable although listed as Cook she was in fact the daughter of Thomas Wall and Mary Jane Cook.
On the outbreak of war Thomas was 44 years of age and beyond the maximum limit for enlistment in any of the services, however, during 1915 the British tunnelling companies were formed in response to the fact that the British Expeditionary Force at the Western Front had discovered the Germans were mining to a planned system, something that the British had failed to do. Kitchener and the French field marshals investigated the possibility and suitability of forming British mining units, the idea was approved and the scheme initiated February 19th 1915. To make this work quicker and safer the British Army enlisted experienced coal miners, many of whom were volunteers outside the normal recruitment age policy.
He and his brother-in-law Maurice Marsden enlisted together and were assigned to the 179th Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers, Thomas as Sapper 102749 and Maurice as Sapper 102754. Thomas joined at London, June 18th 1915 departing as part of the British Expeditionary Force the following day and landing in France June 20th.
The 179th Tunnelling Company was deployed in the Thiepval and La Boisselle sector in the run up to the opening Battle of the Somme, July 1st 1916. Thomas and Maurice parted ways in May 1916 as Maurice had persistent health problems which led to him eventually being discharged. In early 1917 the attention of the tunnellers turned to the Arras sector in preparation for the offensive at the Battles of Arras and Messines in France and Passchendaele in Belgium.
Sapper 102749 Thomas Cook was killed in action April 6th 1917 and interred at Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France grave II. O. 29. He was 48 years old and recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
After the death of Thomas Cook a marriage took place at Eastry, Kent, between Thomas Wall and Mary Jane Cook during the 2nd quarter (Apr/May/Jun) 1918. Leila Cook was married at Eastry in 1928 to Frederick Lawson.
The CWGC entry for Sapper Thomas Cook has been listed in error as Cooke T.
In God’s safe keeping Rest In Peace.
Thomas Cook is remembered at Willington on W120.02, W120.03, W120.05
