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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: cookster17 on Sunday 30 May 21 10:33 BST (UK)
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Hi everyone, I am looking to find more about my great-grandfather Richard Donald Cook (b. Port Adelaide, SA, Aug 25, 1912- d. 1984). There have been a few conflicting stories, and would like to try and get them clarified. There are plenty of bad news articles about him on Trove, and some info about his war records on NAA. He appears to have had children with at least 3 women, with 1 of them only coming to light after I got results back from Ancestry DNA.
Any info will be greatly appreciated ;D
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So from Trove:
May 1938 Kathleen Maude Cook uncontested divorce from Richard Donald Cook following her misconduct with Wm Tidswell.
Name: Richard Donald Cook
Spouse Name: Kathleen Maude Meekins
Marriage Date: 12 Aug 1931
Marriage Place: South Australia
Registration Place: South Australia
Registration Year: 1928-1932
Page Number: 338
Volume Number: 328
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So from Trove:
May 1938 Kathleen Maude Cook uncontested divorce from Richard Donald Cook following her misconduct with Wm Tidswell.
Name: Richard Donald Cook
Spouse Name: Kathleen Maude Meekins
Marriage Date: 12 Aug 1931
Marriage Place: South Australia
Registration Place: South Australia
Registration Year: 1928-1932
Page Number: 338
Volume Number: 328
Thanks :) I have managed go through Trove and have seen most things on there about him. Kathleen Maude Meekins appears to have been Richard's first wife, and I believe they had at least 1 child (Edward Meekins).
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The below record is already "opened" online but pretty much doesn't tell much.
SURNAME - COOK; GIVEN NAME(S) - Richard Donald; OFFICIAL NUMBER - P A 699; DATE OF BIRTH - 25 August 1912; PLACE OF BIRTH - [Unknown]; NEXT OF KIN - [Unknown]; SERVICE/STATION - South Australia; REGISTRATION DATE - 12 February 1931
This below record you can request to have opened, tho it does come with a fee, sometimes the information on these records are limited and other times they can give you a great insight into them. As he appears to have only been in the service for a few months the record might give you information on why, such as medical grounds etc. It should also state wife / next of kin, address at the time of signing up and occupation etc
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=6410810&isAv=N
Service Australian Army
Name COOK, RICHARD DONALD
Service Number SX8818
Date of Birth 25 Aug 1912
Place of Birth PORT ADELAIDE, SA
Date of Enlistment 13 Jul 1940
Locality on Enlistment HACKNEY, SA
Place of Enlistment ADELAIDE, SA
Next of Kin COOK, BETTY
Date of Discharge 24 Oct 1940
Rank Private
Posting at Discharge 2 AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
Prisoner of War No
Honours None for display
https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=672302&c=WW2#R
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There is a Family Tree on Ancestry (caution) that shows Kathleen Maud Meekins as the spouse of William Ernest Squire Tisdale,(of misconduct fame) child Edward Thomas Meekins. Another tree shows 2 more children Peter John Cook 1941-2008, Arthur Anton Cook 1937-2012 and 4 more chn all listed as Private, so probably living.
Also another 3 "husbands" to KMM.. bit complicated really! You might need to contact the owner of the Tree showing 4 Private names to see if they agree or not to give you information.
shume australia
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Hi,
You have not really told us out of the known relationships that Richard had, where you fit in.
BETTY mentioned in the Military record would be Beatrice here- 1942
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48902638
But you have all the TROVE information, so this is not new to you
Who else, (no longer living) do you know of?
Sue
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Hi,
You have not really told us out of the known relationships that Richard had, where you fit in.
BETTY mentioned in the Military record would be Beatrice here- 1942
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48902638
But you have all the TROVE information, so this is not new to you
Who else, (no longer living) do you know of?
Sue
Hi Sue, the Peter Cook mentioned above is my grandfather, he is the son of Richard Donald Cook, and Elizabeth/Betty/Bessie/Beatrice Georgina Smith :)
I had thought Edward Thomas Meekins was the son of Richard and KMM? As he was born 1930, and they married in 1931, but no not so sure.
Richard Donald had younger brother, Ernest George, but seems he changed his surname to Wood, likely due to being brought up by foster parents?
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So you know of 2 women with whom Richard had a relationship producing children.
1 Meekins
2 Beatrice Georgina, she was your grandfather, Peter's mother
Who were the siblings of your grandfather?
What is the date of birth of the DNA match whose identity you did not know of previously?
This may tell you when the third relationship took place-before, between of after the other two.
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So you know of 2 women with whom Richard had a relationship producing children.
1 Meekins
2 Beatrice Georgina, she was your grandfather, Peter's mother
Who were the siblings of your grandfather?
What is the date of birth of the DNA match whose identity you did not know of previously?
This may tell you when the third relationship took place-before, between of after the other two.
My Grandfather's siblings are George, Arthur, Richard, Malcolm, Eugene, Michael, Shirley, Dianne, Pauline, and Rosemary.
The DNA match was born in 1946 (I don't have exact date)
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So 11 children in the family.
Were you considering a link between this event in early March and the newly found DNA person?
Is this identity the one you are seeking?
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/35688033
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/35688336
Sue
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So 11 children in the family.
Were you considering a link between this event in early March and the newly found DNA person?
Is this identity the one you are seeking?
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/35688033
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/35688336
Sue
I'm not sure the dates match up in regards to the DNA match. The mother of the DNA match is known, and apparently was born around 1903, making her relatively old when the DNA match was born?
Could it be possible that if there was a rape involved of an 18 yo, that the DNA match was raised by an older relative?
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He appears to have had children with at least 3 women, with 1 of them only coming to light after I got results back from Ancestry DNA.
Any info will be greatly appreciated ;D
I'm not sure the dates match up in regards to the DNA match. The mother of the DNA match is known, and apparently was born around 1903, making her relatively old when the DNA match was born?
Could it be possible that if there was a rape involved of an 18 yo, that the DNA match was raised by an older relative?
Maybe I'm not getting something here. ;D
So the father of DNA was Richard Donald Cook.
The mother of DNA you know and have the name and birth date.
She becomes woman 3. Correct?
What exactly are you looking for?
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He appears to have had children with at least 3 women, with 1 of them only coming to light after I got results back from Ancestry DNA.
Any info will be greatly appreciated ;D
I'm not sure the dates match up in regards to the DNA match. The mother of the DNA match is known, and apparently was born around 1903, making her relatively old when the DNA match was born?
Could it be possible that if there was a rape involved of an 18 yo, that the DNA match was raised by an older relative?
Maybe I'm not getting something here. ;D
So the father of DNA was Richard Donald Cook.
The mother of DNA you know and have the name and birth date.
She becomes woman 3. Correct?
What exactly are you looking for?
I am looking for information in general about the life of Richard Donald Cook.
The person who I discovered via Ancestry DNA match does not know who her father is, and is only a theory that it is Richard Donald Cook.
I only have vague information about the mother of the DNA match, and she seems to have been a lot older than a lot of mothers were at that time.
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Depending on how important the matter is to you and the DNA match , I would consider a subscription here.
https://www.genealogysa.org.au/
South Australian records are not easily accessible and are a bit sparse in content, but this organisation may hold material of help to you. Members have access to help from library staff and other useful resources.
Sue
ADDING.
It is good that you are careful about the privacy of those involved, but without so much as a name for the 1906 woman, it is hard for people here to help.
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Depending on how important the matter is to you and the DNA match , I would consider a subscription here.
https://www.genealogysa.org.au/
South Australian records are not easily accessible and are a bit sparse in content, but this organisation may hold material of help to you. Members have access to help from library staff and other useful resources.
Sue
ADDING.
It is good that you are careful about the privacy of those involved, but without so much as a name for the 1906 woman, it is hard for people here to help.
The information I have about the mother of the DNA match is that her name was Elizabeth Bethune born in Penola around 1905.
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Well, I can see the birth of Elizabeth Jane in 1905 in the district of Grey. Father Alexander James Bethune.
So are you needing information about the family.
Elizabeth Jane Bethune is seen still using to be the surname Bethune in 1943, so one would say unmarried.
Sue
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Well, I can see the birth of Elizabeth Jane in 1905 in the district of Grey. Father Alexander James Bethune.
So are you needing information about the family.
Elizabeth Jane Bethune is seen still using to be the surname Bethune in 1943, so one would say unmarried.
Sue
Thanks for that information :)
I will look in to the Genealogy SA membership
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The Electoral Roll for SA are only available for limited years.
From 1939 to 1943, Elizabeth Jane Bethune was at 57 Penzance Street Glenelg, and was a waitress.
Mother of Elizabeth died in hospital in 17 March 1946. You will get her name here
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/93152549
Her father died suddenly in Penola when his wife was in Adelaide and his son and daughter, it says, were working elsewhere. This to me means means Elizabeth, the daughter was unwed.1928
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/147206807
Sue