I was recently sent some wonderful photographs from the family album of Jon Berry who is a descendant of the Cock family. Alma Godfrey (nee Cock) was his late grandmother. Thanks to Jon for sharing them with us.
William Cock is seated on the far left. Others are unknown. The stout man in white (middle standing) may be G W Hall. – Photo John Berry
William Nicholas Cock – Image Jon Berry
William Nicholas Cock, born October 7, 1870, in Moonta, South Australia, to William Cock and Dinah Tamblyn, was a pastoralist and also operated a tea room and butcher shop in the towns of Agnew and Sandstone, showcasing his business acumen. Tragically, his mother passed away in 1871, when he was just a year old. His father later remarried Ann Amelia Searle, and William grew up with five half-siblings.
William married Deborah Dorothea McDONNELL in Nungarra (near Sandstone, WA) in 1906. Over the following 17 years, the couple would have eight children, all but one born on the Goldfields;
William Alfred, 1906 East Murchison
Valentine Nicholas 1908 Black Range
Frederick John 1910 Black Range
Dorothy Deborah 1912 Black Range
May Lily Ann, 1915, Black Range
Thomas Henry Francis, 191,7, Black Range
Beatrice Grace 1920 Mt Lawley
Alma Joan 1923 Leonora (Jon’s Grandmother)
Grave of William Nicholas ‘Billie’ Cock – Leonora Cemetery – Image Jon Berry
Inland Watch – Leonora – 5 August 1939, page 6
WILLIAM NICHOLAS COCK
The passing of Mr. W. N. Cock at the Leonora Hospital on Sunday, July 23rd, removes a hardy pioneer of the early goldfields days.
The late Mr. Cock “was born at Moonta, S.A., 68 years ago, and had resided in different parts of Western Australia for 47 years. He was educated, in his youth, to be a school teacher, but life on the goldfields held a fascination for him, for in the year 1892, Mr. Cock hit the trail to Cue WA. It was here that Mr. Cock put down the first Government well. He afterwards became a member of a prospecting party which explored the country around Yalgoo, following up by going into business in that town.
Subsequently, the late Mr. Cock conducted an hotel at East Mt Magnet (now Paynesville) and took up the Windsor station in that locality, which he afterwards sold. He then travelled north to Black Range and Nungarra (now Sandstone), and it is believed that he was the first white man to put foot on the latter field.
He opened a large store at Black Range and, after selling the business there, he selected Atley Station, which he later sold and then took up Depot Springs Station. He held this property for several years, and after its disposal Mr. Cock took up Kaluwiri station. The deceased was one of Nature’s gentlemen, kind to a fault, and universally respected. A man of unquestionable character in every respect. No one genuine need was ever turned away by Billie Cock, who rendered substantially practical assistance to many. He is survived by his wife and four daughters (Dorothy, May, Beatrice and Alma) and four sons (William, Valentine, Fred and Thomas).
His son, Thomas Henry Cock, converted the shops into what was to be affectionately known as the Agnew Pub.
Thomas Henry Francis Cock – Image Jon Berry
Postcard of the Agnew Hotel – Image Jon Berry
Stubby holder from the Agnew Hotel, The Prospectors Arms – Image Jon Berry
‘Tiger’ The Managing Director of the Agnew Hotel – Image Jon Berry
Moya Sharp
Latest posts by Moya Sharp (see all)
- Blood on the Mulga Plains: The Last Day of John Sutherland - 28/02/2026
- A Brother’s Return in Mourning: Tragedy on the Coolgardie Goldfields - 28/02/2026
- The Contract at Old Warden Shaft - 28/02/2026
I wonder where this family originally were from, presumably in England. I have a Thomas Cock who I think was the convict sentenced in Norfolk to 7 years in 1832, sent to VDL, and came to Melbourne in 1839 or thereabouts. Family members also added the ‘s’ to their name, and, eventually used Cox. There are many Cock families in Norfolk, & I need to do more scouring of Parish Registers to sort them out, as many of the males were ‘Thomas’, but they’re a long way back, and many records are incomplete, inconclusive, or missing. None of my Cox people went to the WA goldfields [I have another family, the Stubbers, some of whom did], but the Cock family in WA may have been related to my lot in Norfolk. Perhaps …
What a weird coincidence. Just this Sunday, I was telling my fellow volunteers at Moonta History Centre about the time I was a journalist for the Leinster newspaper (called town and underground) in 1982 and discussed meeting Tom Cock and the Agnew Hotel. To me they were inseparable. I had thought I might check out his family history as there are a number of Cock families in our mining history here. Tom owned or managed the Agnew Hotel and he gave me lots of information about the old mines in the area to use in an article for the paper. He took me on a tour of the abandoned mines. When we came to a deep shaft at one of the abandoned mines, I commented about how scary it was looking down into the dark depths. As if he was merely commenting about the weather, he said that his brother had thrown himself down that shaft. I still don’t know if this was true or if it was his well known weird sense of humour.
He ran the hotel by himself. I also related another memorable story about Tom. A tourist came into the pub for lunch when we were there. As he had no staff, he did not cater for meals, merely providing alcohol and non perishable snacks. The tourist asked for fish and chips and Tom said he could do – charged him about $10, I think. He then slapped on the counter a can of sardines and a packet of Smith’s crisps, muttering about idiot tourists who expected 5 star service in the bush. His customer service skills were renowned for its lack. He did not suffer fools, or even many people, gladly. I suspect I was lucky he took the time to assist me. He was charming and very chatty to me. Tom was a well known and revered character in the area.
Hi Robyn That is indeed a coincidence, however I often find that this sort of thing happens all the time. I will send you comments to Jon in case he didnt see them. I did try to see if I could verify the mine shaft/brother story, Tom did have a brother Wiliam who died in that area in 1974 but not sure if that was how he died.