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Function and purpose

This series contains two folders of documents relating to the deaths of Sir Joseph and Dame Mary Cook.  The first folder (item 1) primarily comprises telegrams and letters of condolence to Dame Mary Cook upon the death of Sir Joseph Cook on 30 July 1947.  A number of these are from dignitaries such as the Prime Minister Joseph Benedict Chifley, the Governor-General WJ McKell, the Premier of New South Wales James McGirr, Sir George Pearce, WM Hughes, Earle Page, RG Menzies, J Latham, Sir Robert Garran and Vera Deakin White (the daughter of Alfred Deakin) while some are from national governments, diplomatic legations and organisations.  Several of the condolences are addressed to Sir Joseph and Dame Mary Cook’s son, RC Cook.  Also included are the name cards that were attached to wreaths, a copy of the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette announcing the death and funeral of Sir Joseph Cook, the funeral director’s list of names of those who sent condolences and duplicate blank acknowledgement cards from Dame Mary and family. A letter of condolence to RC Cook upon the death of his mother, Dame Mary Cook, in September 1950 is also present along with a newspaper clipping announcing her probate.

The second folder (item 2) contains documents kept by RC Cook in memory of his father Sir Joseph Cook. Included are newspaper clippings concerning Sir Joseph Cook’s career from 1912 (probably collected by Sir Joseph and inherited by his son) as well as documents concerning his death such as two copies of ‘Joseph Cook’, the script of a radio play broadcast from Radio Station 2UE on 31 July 1947, the day after Sir Joseph died. Several duplicates of items contained in the first folder are also included such as the Government Gazette death and funeral notice and the funeral director’s list of those who sent condolences.

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Single number control symbols [1]-[2] have been imposed on the items in this series by National Archives. 

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Series history

In 1993 the Cook family donated Sir Joseph Cook papers, including series M3605, to the National Archives of Australia.  The collection was initially located at the New South Wales Office of National Archives but was transferred to the National Office of National Archives in Canberra in 2001.

Provenance

Series M3605 is part of the personal collection of former Prime Minister Sir Joseph Cook, although also contains records concerning the death of Sir Joseph’s wife, Dame Mary Cook.  It would appear that while most items in this series were accumulated by either Sir Joseph or Dame Mary Cook, their son RC Cook took over custody of the material and added the later items concerning the death of Dame Mary.    The Cook family donated the collection to the National Archives in 1993.

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