JOHN COOKE – 1765 - 1845
I. London
For a long time John Cooke (1765-1845) was largely overlooked. At the end of the 18th century there was a father and son partnership printing in London and publishing works which were fairly popular in their time. Tooley’s influential work on the mapmaking trade[1] had over 10 entries for the name Cooke and the first listed a father John (1731-1810) and his son and successor Charles Cooke (1750-1816). John was listed as Engraver, draughtsman, and publisher of London and this was followed by a list of London addresses. Charles was listed under Publisher of No.17 Paternoster Row. All of the addresses given for John the father and the three works noted all belonged to a different John Cooke. The works attributed to Charles were correct and included George Alexander Cooke’s (no relation) The Modern British Traveller (1802-1810), the Topography of Great Britain as well as an atlas, the Universal System of Geography. All of these works were very successful and possibly contributed to the confusion. To be fair, Tooley had another John Cooke in Hendon, London (with note N.B. Compare with father and son; one map) and another in Plymouth (five maps).
We
now know that there were indeed two men of the same name working as engravers
in London about the same time. The lesser well-known John Cooke was the son of Ann
and John Cooke of Fetter Lane, a shagreen-case-maker[2].
He was baptised 1st August 1765 in the nearby church of St Andrew in
Holborn, London, three years before a brother, Stephen William, who also became
an engraver, and another brother James William, born 1773; the family living in
Church Yard Alley at this time. He may well have been the grandson of William
Cooke who was bookbinder to the House of
Commons and whose address was also Fetter Lane[3].
He
was apprenticed to the bookbinder Mary Cooke, also of Fetter Lane on 7th
September 1779 at the age of fourteen (normal practice in those days). Eight
years later he was turned over to William Wells, an engraver, of Fleet Street
on 6th November 1787 “and to John Russell, by whom he was freed the
same day.” Laurence Worms[4]
believes this points to some kind of special arrangement and given the fact
that Mary and John may have been related this could well be the case. Russell
himself was a well-known engraver and it may be that his influence led Cooke in
that direction. Between 1787 and 1812 John Cooke worked as an engraver from a
number of different London addresses. He had a number of apprentices himself during
this period, his brother Stephen being taken on in the same year as his own
apprenticeship finished, but although his output of signed work seems to have
been relatively modest it includes some sophisticated maps for some of the
leading publishers of the day.
Fig.1. Dedicaton to HRH the Duchess of York, Princess Royal of Prussia (see below).
John
Cooke not only executed work for a variety of publishers including David Steel,
Robert Bowyer, John Boydell, W Walker, John Hills of Philadelphia and Joseph Mawman
and also the very successful and well-respected William Faden, but found time
to publish some of his own work and produced an atlas and a guide to drawing
maps.
Cooke
must have moved in late 1789 or early 1790 to Clare Court, Drury Lane, as this
is the address given on his earliest known work - a set of charts of Ireland, A New Mercators Chart of the Coast of
Ireland, published in London circa January 1790 (1). These were executed for D Steel for whom he also later produced
a set of engraved plates for The Elements
And Practice Of Rigging And Seamanship (Fig.6.). This manual,
published by D Steel in 1796, has three plates depicting knots signed by J Cooke sct Mill Hill, Middx.[5]
In 1792, shortly after moving to an address in Mill Hill, Cooke produced
a map of the road from London to Mill Hill and Barnet (2). This map has a slightly strange appearance as it follows the road
something like a strip map, but takes a slight dog leg to the right, meaning
that the map area is a rectangle “broken” just over half-way up and bent at
some 45°. The bare area between the map and the border is taken up with a
dedication which is on the one hand a gesture of his sincere thanks to his friends and the public for their favours, but
is also a method to let them know he has removed from London to Mill Hill as it
even gives the coach times for potential customers. Cooke lived for three years
at Mill Hill before moving to Hendon 1795-96. We even have a trade card printed
and distributed during his time there (Fig.2).
Fig.2. Business card issued by J Cooke while in Mill Hill (c.1792-94).
(His printing works are shown exactly where the panel meets the map top right.)
In the same year as the above map was produced there was considerable disorder in Toulon and the French royalists took control of the port and opened it to the British fleet, by whom it was occupied until 1793 when Napoleon, as an artillery colonel, made it untenable by capturing the forts which dominated the harbour. The Chart of the roads and harbours of Toulon with their environs was published April 12th 1795 in London by William Faden, then Geographer to His Majesty and to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales with the signature of J. Cooke now living in Hendon, Middlesex (5).
Over the period 1790-1796 he worked on a number of quite impressive
projects completing a map of the River Thames for Boydell´s Rivers (6, on
two sheets) which was a popular and copiously illustrated work. Besides the
plates on rigging for D Steel mentioned above he executed a large and detailed
plan of Philadelphia for John Hills (9)
as well as a plan of St Petersburg (13)
for a popular guide to the city by the German, Heinrich Storch, translated into
English as the Picture of St Petersburg.
During his time in Hendon he also completed a map of that area for William
Faden.
While living in Mill Hill Cooke may have overstretched his resources. Although
the work he completed was impressive there is not a lot of it at this stage. We
know that he would go on to produce an atlas (1802, see below) and a work on
geography (his Synopsis, 1812); perhaps
he was already preparing plates for these two projects, but be that as it may,
we learn from the London Gazette of
August 5th 1797 that John Cooke,
late of Mill-hill and Hendon, Engraver is in Fleet Prison for bankruptcy
and serving the Third Notice of debt (Fig.3.).[6]
Fig. 3. Excerpt from London Gazette
of August 1797. See Third Notice section.
Non-map material by Cooke is scarce. We have charts of knots already mentioned and the British Museum has a view of St Saviour's Church in Southwark. The illustration of the church itself is signed J Morton del. / W Hawkins Sc. However, under the picture is a ground plan of the church and this is signed J Cooke Sc. Mill Hill. The two drawings show St Saviour's after being repaired and beautified and the opening is dated 11th day of May, 1800 (Fig.4.).[7]
Fig.4. Plan of St Saviours after refurbishment, 1800.
Although he seems to have worked mainly for others in
his London years the quality of his work shows he was more than just another
engraver. His Universal
Atlas was published in 1802 (14)
and has nearly 30 attractive, circular maps, all executed by John Cooke and
with imprints dated from August 1800 to January 1802. The imprints strongly
suggest that Cooke was a co-publisher together with others. A few of the
earliest dated sheets have the name of V Goddard (for V Goddard by T Boone); but these imprints seem to have been
replaced, suggesting revisions before atlas publication or, more likely, Goddard
was an early partner who left and Harris, Boone and Cooke were the main
shareholders in the work. The
atlas has a dedication to Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York, Princess
Royal of Prussia signed Faithful humble
servant, John Cooke.
The Universal Atlas is
an impressive piece of work. The 27 map plates are preceded by a chart of the
Solar System, an explanation of the Seasons and Rotundity of the Earth, a pair
of Globes (in complete colour), and a fully functional Geographical Clock by
which it was possible to tell the time in any other country. Half of the
engravings are signed by John Cooke with his address now given at 50, Howland
Street. The work was reissued once in modified form (1804).
The
British Museum has a pair of matching trade cards for J Cooke and for Mrs Cooke
(Fig.5.). The cards are clearly from
the same hand and must be the work of John Cooke. No marriage certificate has
been found and other evidence suggests John married later in life so who is Mrs
Cooke? We know that he was apprenticed to Mary Cooke, but she is entered as
engraver, not as colourist.
Fig.5. Business cards issued by J Cooke (left) Engraver of Topographical Maps and by Mrs Cooke (right) ... she colours Prints, Map ... . Both bear the Howland Street address (c. 1799-1802).
About this time we find two maps which deserve more attention. A plan Improvements ... between the Royal Exchange and Finsbury Square has Cooke´s signature: Engraver to the Hon. Board of Admiralty and is dated January 1802 (15). A map Denmark, Holstein, Hamburgh, Lübek & Eutin, ... bears the signature: By John Cooke Engraver to the Admiralty. This was published in London, May 15, 1805 (16).
The
former was probably a broadsheet map printed in small numbers for local government
use and the latter is possibly from an atlas. Nonetheless, these two maps make
it clear that John Cooke was active for the Admiralty between 1802 and 1805 and
was active as publisher and had moved to Camden before 1805.
Alexander
Dalrymple (1737-1808) was appointed as the first Hydrographer to the Admiralty
in 1795 and the first admiralty charts appeared in 1800 after a rolling press
was purchased. John Cooke and Isaac Palmer were both engaged as (part-time)
plan engravers. Apparently there was some sort of dispute and Cooke was sacked
in 1804 but he petitioned the Admiralty about “unfair dismissal” with the
matter dragging on until 1807 or 1808. Dalrymple died in 1808 and was replaced
by Captain Thomas Hurd. Given Cooke´s publication of both an atlas and of a
guide to producing maps (his Synopsis)
he may have been disgruntled that he did not receive better recognition.[8]
One
of the leading figures at the Admiralty at this time was the future king:
William IV was christened William Henry (born 21 August 1765) and became King
of the United Kingdom and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death on 20
June 1837. William IV was later succeeded by his niece, Queen Victoria. William
had two elder brothers and was not expected to inherit the Crown. For this
reason he was able, at the age of thirteen, to join the Royal Navy as a
midshipman and at age 15 was present at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent and
landed in Plymouth in 1780, with his elder brother Prince George, The Prince of
Wales, with the news of Rodney's victory, and the relief of Gibraltar. He even
served in New York during the American War of Independence.[9]
Fig. 6. The Elements And Practice Of Rigging And Seamanship. Cooke´s signature is bottom right. He prepared a number of plates for David Steel (1796).
William
became a Lieutenant in 1785, was in Plymouth[10] in
1786, when he was appointed Captain of the Frigate, Pegasus, just before his 21st birthday, and in the same year he was
stationed in the West Indies as Captain and came to the attention of Horatio
Nelson, who had a high regard for his naval talents. Having earned the
disfavour of his father, he was compelled to spend another period in Plymouth
and the story has it that during this time William threatened to run for the
House of Commons as MP for Totnes, Devon, before George III created him Duke of
Clarence in 1789. The newly created Duke then ceased his active service in the
Royal Navy and was promoted to Rear-Admiral. In 1811 he was appointed Admiral
of the Fleet. Although there is no evidence they met, and no reason
why they should, the fact that the Duke of Clarence was at the Admiralty and
visited Plymouth is interesting.
Sometime
after his admiralty work Cooke provided maps for Abraham Rees´ Cyclopedia, or Universal Dictionary
published by Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme (17a-d). The map-making was supervised by Aaron Arrowsmith, a
leading London map publisher but the connection to Longman would crop up again
later. Cooke only produced three more maps before disappearing from the scene
for a few years, but not before he published an intriguing map of Plymouth as
well as an excellent manual of geography.
However, before John Cooke could proceed he had to settle his personal life. In May 1809 he spent at least a month in prison again for debt and probably lost his apprentice. A handwritten letter to the County of Middlesex Justices is extant in which from John Robert Thompson alleging that his Master, John Cooke Engraver, has neglected to instruct him adequately, is absent for long periods and has been the past five weeks in prison for debt. How the case was settled is, as yet, unknown. However, the facts mirror to some extent what we know of John Cooke at this time. He could have been visiting Plymouth or Totnes.
The first map to link John Cooke with Devon, and more especially Plymouth was A Plan of the Town of Plymouth Dock. This map was surveyed, drawn, and published by T Richards of Totnes, Devon and was published in October 1810 (19). This very detailed map had belonged among the St Aubyn family papers: a family associated with Devon and Cornwall and who still lease parts of St Michael’s Mount, previously part of their property from 1660. The imprint and signature clearly indicate that John Cooke had previously done work for the Admiralty. The John Cooke referred to here was certainly not local, he might not have visited Plymouth, but he executed the plan on behalf of an influential Cornish client with land in Devon and seems to have come into contact with a local publisher, not well-known for cartographical output.
Of
the 21 cartographic works[11] identified
as engraved by a John Cooke of either London or with no address, all of these
can be assigned to a period up to 1812 (entries 1-21 in the Cartobibliography) and range from the set of charts of the Coast of Ireland, to A General Synopsis Of Geography, by John
Cooke Late Geographer to the Admiralty.
This Synopsis of Geography, published in 1812, was printed for James Cooke at his Bloomsbury address (21). It is a complete manual and guide to the drawing of maps, with historical introduction, geometrical figures and discussion of projections and illustrated with 20 copper plates, most dated 1811 and signed by John Cooke.
This
manual of geography also contains a beautiful frontispiece of the moon[12]
engraved, we are told, by Miss Mary Cooke from a drawing made from actual
observations ... under direction of William Kitchiner (Fig.7.). This engraving was probably printed and published
separately as a single sheet in autumn 1808. Imprints on all other engravings
are published by J Cooke or John Cooke; the title page has the imprint of James
Cooke.
Another James Cooke was apprenticed to William Cooke, bookbinder, from 1745-1753; William´s business being carried on by his widow, Mary, after his death in 1775. The London Daily Advertiser carries two announcements: 1 On Thursday [6 Apr] died at Pancras, Mr. Cooke, of Fetter-lane, bookbinder to the Honourable House of Commons (8 Apr 1775); 2. All persons having any demands on the estate of William Cooke, late of Fetter-lane, London, bookbinder, deceased, are desired to send an account and particulars thereof to Mary Cooke, his widow and administratrix, and all persons indebted to the estate are desired to pay the same forthwith or they will be sued without further notice. The business is carried on as usual, at the same place, by the widow, for the benefit of herself and small family ... (17 Aug 1775).
Besides
the Synopsis set of maps, only six
more maps signed by Cooke have been found which were produced after his
dismissal from the Admiralty in 1805 but before 1817. These include the four
maps for the Cyclopedia written and
produced by Abraham Rees, a map of the British Empire in the East and the map
of Plymouth Dock already mentioned.
At
some time between these dates John Cooke moved permanently to Plymouth. If he
had married we would expect to have a marriage entry or at least the
registrations of the births of children during this time. If, indeed, the Mrs
Cooke on the trade card of 1805 (Howell Street) was his wife we would expect to
find children listed. With no marriage certificate and no death certificate for
a Mrs Cooke that fits, the suspicion is that John Cooke was too busy to marry.
However, there is some evidence to imply that on 9th November 1809 John Cooke married Elizabeth Beecham of St Martin in the Fields. Certainly two people of these names married. John would have been 44 at the time but we have no information concerning the age of Elizabeth. It may be sheer coincidence, but from 1813 we find a married couple of this name in Stonehouse, Plymouth and we have the births of six children recorded.
The
preparation and publication of the Synopsis
would have required an incredible amount of work in 1811 and 1812. There is no
evidence that the Synopsis was ever
republished but there was an advertisement placed in the Royal Cornwall Gazette in January 1815. In it a local Penryn printer
and publisher, W Cock, announces the forthcoming publication early in February next of A General Synopsis of Geography to be
sold by subscription in 40 quarto numbers costing one shilling each. This was
to be published also by E Nile and Son,
and sold by S King, Dock. A Truro agent and well-known London companies
were also involved. There is no proof it ever appeared but Cooke would be
associated with Mrs Nile in the period 1817-1820.
Cooke’s last signed work had been the plan of Plymouth Dock of 1810 giving London as his address. It would be five more years before the next maps and plans appeared signed by John Cooke and they would all be connected with the Plymouth area.
[1] Tooley´s Dictionary of Mapmakers Vol. I; Map Collector Publications;1979;
p.295.
[2] I am indebted to Laurence Worms who provided
the details here about John Cooke´s birth and apprenticeship and for providing
me with a list of Cooke maps he had compiled to supplement my own list.
[3] Death announcement in the Middlesex Journal for April 1775.
[4] See, for
example, the more complete listing of John Cooke in British Map Engravers by Laurence Worms and
Ashley-Baynton-Williams; Rare Book Society; London; 2011.
[5] British Library 1609/4613 and 1651/802. There was a
second edition in 1806 published by P Mason of London (British Library
8805.ee.28.). A copy is available on-line at https://www.rct.uk/collection/1059212/the-elements-and-practice-of-rigging-and-seamanship-v-1
[6] I am grateful to Dr Shirley Atkinson who brought this
to my attention and provided the edition of the London Gazette. Online at https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/14034/page/1-
see 756.
[7] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1880-1113-5273.
[8] I am indebted to Dr Andrew Cook for providing
information about Cooke´s time at the Admiralty.
[9] While there the Americans
planned to kidnap the Prince, a plan George Washington personally approved.
[10] The
[11] Not including multiple maps in one work.
[12]
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