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Name: COOKE, Shirley Victor
Birth Date: 21 Nov 1887 Ennistimon, Ireland
Death Date: 7 Jan 1973 Sedgehill, Wilts.
Nationality: Irish
First Date: 1919
Profession: One of the most active members of the Legislative Council. A grand Irishman, upholding the best interests of the Africans
Area: Kinangop, Nairobi, Ruiru, 1930 S.V. Cooke, Lamu, 1922 Kericho, Hut - S.V. Cook 1925 ADC Kiambu, Hardy Estate, Langata
Book Reference: Last Chance, EAWL, Perham, Tignor, KAD, Red 25, Red 31, Hut, Curtis, Red 22, CO, Dominion, Nicholls, Askwith 1, Gazette, Red 19
General Information:
'Shirley Cooke and Alfred Dalton, both Irishmen, loved watching rugby. At one time Shirley lived on the Kinangop and we used to go up to the farm around Christmastime. My mother and I would give all the farm women and children little gifts and then we would all ngoma on the grass.' Source:- Mrs P. Tomalin
Perham - 1929 - DO at Kisumu - he is interesting. Embittered, like so many of these Kenya men who support Africans against settlers' demands, with a record of quarrelling with some of his superiors, he now lives under a cloud. He has twice been the subject of an inquiry, once at the instance of the settlers, in which case he came out with flying colours ........ I like him very much. Considering he is now put under Boulderson as a kind of punishment, both men carry it off extraordinarily well. I imagine Boulderson lets him off as lightly as he can. (Shirley Cooke's later career is interesting. He seemed to me to be so unhappy in Kenya that I broke my rule of not interfering in Govt. affairs by appealing, confidentially, to Philip Mitchell to get him transferred to the Tanganyika service. This he did, but I heard that this irrepressible Irishman soon got into trouble there. He later found his true vocation in politics and for many years was a vigorous member of the Kenya Legco, representing the Coast, supporting African interests and generally taking an individualistic line in politics. We became good friends. He died in England in 1973.)
Curtis - Paddy Schofield - Lamu in Inter War years - .......The only other Europeans in Lamu were the DC, S.V. Cooke, a bachelor ...……
Red 22 - S.V. Cooke, ADC, Marsabit CO 533/371/3 - Confidential Reports 1927 - Intelligent but insubordinate. Has recently been censured (not signed by applicant)
Dominion - District Officer - 1930 Askwith 1 - S.V. Cooke, another retired DC and the enfant terrible of the Legislative Council for his outspoken comments.
Gazette - 29/10/1919 - Register of Voters - Ukamba Area - Shirley Victor Cooke - Civil Servant, Meru
Tignor - 1925 - replaced Oldfield as DO at Ruiru.
KAD 1922 - Asst. District and Resident Commissioner
Gazette 20 July 1973 probate