Edward's Story.
Lance Corporal Edward Cook died of wounds in Colchester Hospital, Essex on 24th May 1918, aged 29. He had been injured at Etaples, in France. He left a widow and two young children.
Edward Cook was born in Bakewell, Derbyshire, on 23rd August 1888. He was the son of 19-year-old Mary Cook, who came from Great Budworth but was working as a domestic servant in Derbyshire. Edward was baptised in Bakewell on 4th October 1888. His father's name is not shown.
By 1891, he was being brought up by his grandparents, James Cook (1829–1895) and Elizabeth Riley (1839–1903) in Great Budworth. They farmed at All Fours Farm, Aston by Budworth. James died in 1895, and in March 1901, twelve year old Edward was living at the farm with his widowed grandmother and an uncle. By this time, his mother Mary had another family. She had married Thomas William Mosley (1869–1951) in 1893, and went on to have eight more children. Edward's half-siblings were called Gladys, John, Beatrice, Elizabeth, Thomas, James, Arthur and Mary Mosley. Mary's address in 1911 and until 1936 was 22 Brook Street, Cheadle, Cheshire. Though Edward did not live with her, he was not forgotten, and after she died in December 1936, he was mentioned in her obituary as the son who died in the war.
At the age of 22, Edward was working as a servant at Tabley Brook, Knutsford. On 20th December 1911, aged 23 he married his second cousin*, 25-year-old Ellen Riley at St Paul's Church, Marston in the parish of Great Budworth. (This church, which stood on the site of the current Marston Parish Hall, was demolished in 1965)
( * Edward's maternal grandmother Elizabeth Riley was the sister of George Riley, Ellen's grandfather. Ellen's mother was Sarah Riley, George's unmarried daughter.)
Edward and Ellen had three children:
Elizabeth Ellen, born at 53 Wincham Lane, Wincham on 4th June 1912. She was baptised on 27th June, at St Helen Witton Church, Northwich. Elizabeth died aged six months.
Jack (1913 - 1975), born 28th July 1913 and baptised at St Mary and All Saints, Great Budworth on 24th August.
Ada (1915 - 1997) who was born on 4th August 1915, and died on 2nd November 1997. She is remembered on her father's headstone. When she was baptised, on 5th September 1915, the family address was The Ashes, Arley, near Great Budworth, where Edward had been employed as a gardener for the Hon Mrs Egerton-Warburton at Arley Hall, wife or mother of Captain John Egerton-Warburton of the Scots Guards, who died of wounds in 1915..
The following day, 6th September 1915, was the date that Edward's medal card shows him entering the Theatre of War, in France. He had enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment in December 1914, serving as a lance corporal in the 9th and 12th Battalions. He was drafter abroad in August 1915. While he was away at war, his family was living at Timperley Cottages, Wincham, Northwich.
Edward's regimental number was 18932. His record shows the following entries:
Regiment: Cheshire Regiment
Previous unit 12 Ches. R. Pte. 18932.
1914 corps 12 Ches. R.
1915 corps Ches. R. Infantry Base Depot.
1916 corps 12 Ches. R.
1917 corps Ches. R. attd. 22 Div. H.qrs.
1918 corps Ches. R. Infantry Base Depot
His name appears on a list of men wounded at Etaples, France, in the Canadian General Hospital, which was bombed on the night of 19th May 1918.
Etaples is a coastal fishing port on the French coast, 15 miles south of Boulogne. During WW1, it was a base camp for the British Army, as well as a major medical facility for wounded and sick troops, including both British and Canadian hospitals. On the night of 19/20 May 1918, the 1st Canadian General Hospital was bombed, with many casualties. The War Diary for the hospital records:
‘At the close of what had been a peaceful Sunday enemy aircraft came over the camp in large numbers viz at 10pm. The hospital was wrapt in slumber when the planes were immediately overhead. The raid was obviously planned to take place in relays, and during the first stage the part that suffered most was the sleeping quarters of the personnel, particularly that of the NCO’s and men.A number of bombs, incendiary and high explosive, were dropped in the midst of the mens’ quarters. Fires were immediately started which offered a splendid target for the second part of the attack. The scene was immediately converted into a conflagration and charnel house of dead and wounded men. Bombs were also dropped on the Officers’ and Sisters’ quarters, buildings being wrecked’.
It is not yet clear exactly when Edward was transferred from the Canadian General Hospital in Etaples to Colchester, where he died, and if he was a casualty of the bombing raid.
Edward died of wounds in Colchester military hospital on 24th May 1918.
Lance-Corporal Edward Cook, of the Cheshire Regiment, whose wife and two young children live at Timperley Cottages, Wincham, died in a military hospital a few days ago from wounds received in action.
(Northwich Guardian Jun 1918)
From the Army Record of Deceased Soldiers' Effects
He was buried with full military honours in the newer part of the graveyard at St Mary and All Saints Church, Great Budworth.
What happened to Edward's family?
His widow Ellen received a pension of 25 shillings a week. In November 1918, she was living back at her childhood home of 53 Wincham Lane, Wincham, Northwich, with her adoptive family headed by William Grimes (1864 - 1927). Like Edward, her mother has been unmarried at the time of her birth. The Grimes family had lived in Great Budworth prior to 1890. Perhaps William and his sister Ada were family friends of Sarah Riley, and that was the reason they were prepared to adopt Ellen?
Two and a half years after Edward's death, Ellen married Frederick Cox (1895 - 1962) in the late autumn of 1920 and they moved to 1 Nelson Court, Northwich. The 1921 census shows them at the same address. In 1939, Ellen and Frederick Cox were living at 26 Oak Street, Northwich. She died in 1972. Edward's son Jack died three years later in 1975, aged 61, in Herefordshire. He had been a policeman.
Edward's second daughter Ada did not marry. She died in 1997, aged 82, and her name is inscribed on Edward's headstone at St Mary and All Saints Church, Great Budworth.
Edward's grave is in the new part of the cemetery, on the right of this picture
Edward is remembered on a brass plaque inside the chapel at Arley Hall, where he had been a chorister, along with the names of six other local men.
Researched by Shena Lewington, October 2025
Jack (1913 - 1975), born 28th July 1913 and baptised at St Mary and All Saints, Great Budworth on 24th August.
Ada (1915 - 1997) who was born on 4th August 1915, and died on 2nd November 1997. She is remembered on her father's headstone. When she was baptised, on 5th September 1915, the family address was The Ashes, Arley, near Great Budworth, where Edward had been employed as a gardener for the Hon Mrs Egerton-Warburton at Arley Hall, wife or mother of Captain John Egerton-Warburton of the Scots Guards, who died of wounds in 1915..
The following day, 6th September 1915, was the date that Edward's medal card shows him entering the Theatre of War, in France. He had enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment in December 1914, serving as a lance corporal in the 9th and 12th Battalions. He was drafter abroad in August 1915. While he was away at war, his family was living at Timperley Cottages, Wincham, Northwich.
Edward's regimental number was 18932. His record shows the following entries:
Regiment: Cheshire Regiment
Previous unit 12 Ches. R. Pte. 18932.
1914 corps 12 Ches. R.
1915 corps Ches. R. Infantry Base Depot.
1916 corps 12 Ches. R.
1917 corps Ches. R. attd. 22 Div. H.qrs.
1918 corps Ches. R. Infantry Base Depot
His name appears on a list of men wounded at Etaples, France, in the Canadian General Hospital, which was bombed on the night of 19th May 1918.
Etaples is a coastal fishing port on the French coast, 15 miles south of Boulogne. During WW1, it was a base camp for the British Army, as well as a major medical facility for wounded and sick troops, including both British and Canadian hospitals. On the night of 19/20 May 1918, the 1st Canadian General Hospital was bombed, with many casualties. The War Diary for the hospital records:
‘At the close of what had been a peaceful Sunday enemy aircraft came over the camp in large numbers viz at 10pm. The hospital was wrapt in slumber when the planes were immediately overhead. The raid was obviously planned to take place in relays, and during the first stage the part that suffered most was the sleeping quarters of the personnel, particularly that of the NCO’s and men.A number of bombs, incendiary and high explosive, were dropped in the midst of the mens’ quarters. Fires were immediately started which offered a splendid target for the second part of the attack. The scene was immediately converted into a conflagration and charnel house of dead and wounded men. Bombs were also dropped on the Officers’ and Sisters’ quarters, buildings being wrecked’.
It is not yet clear exactly when Edward was transferred from the Canadian General Hospital in Etaples to Colchester, where he died, and if he was a casualty of the bombing raid.
Edward died of wounds in Colchester military hospital on 24th May 1918.
Lance-Corporal Edward Cook, of the Cheshire Regiment, whose wife and two young children live at Timperley Cottages, Wincham, died in a military hospital a few days ago from wounds received in action.
(Northwich Guardian Jun 1918)
From the Army Record of Deceased Soldiers' Effects
He was buried with full military honours in the newer part of the graveyard at St Mary and All Saints Church, Great Budworth.
What happened to Edward's family?
His widow Ellen received a pension of 25 shillings a week. In November 1918, she was living back at her childhood home of 53 Wincham Lane, Wincham, Northwich, with her adoptive family headed by William Grimes (1864 - 1927). Like Edward, her mother has been unmarried at the time of her birth. The Grimes family had lived in Great Budworth prior to 1890. Perhaps William and his sister Ada were family friends of Sarah Riley, and that was the reason they were prepared to adopt Ellen?
Two and a half years after Edward's death, Ellen married Frederick Cox (1895 - 1962) in the late autumn of 1920 and they moved to 1 Nelson Court, Northwich. The 1921 census shows them at the same address. In 1939, Ellen and Frederick Cox were living at 26 Oak Street, Northwich. She died in 1972. Edward's son Jack died three years later in 1975, aged 61, in Herefordshire. He had been a policeman.
Edward's second daughter Ada did not marry. She died in 1997, aged 82, and her name is inscribed on Edward's headstone at St Mary and All Saints Church, Great Budworth.
Edward's grave is in the new part of the cemetery, on the right of this picture
Edward is remembered on a brass plaque inside the chapel at Arley Hall, where he had been a chorister, along with the names of six other local men.
Researched by Shena Lewington, October 2025