Richard Donald Cook 1912-1984

[cookster17]

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 

[shume]

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

[cookster17]

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).

[giblet]

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

[shume]

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

[sparrett]

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

[cookster17]

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?

[sparrett]

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.

[cookster17]

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)