Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 12.djvu/88

 Stanfield, Roberts, Prout, Stark, Harding Cotman, and Havell, and this, the favourite object of his life, ended with the twelfth number just before his death. Meanwhile in 1833 he produced 'Views of the Old and New London Bridges,' executed conjointly with his son, [q. v.], who also made the drawings. He also produced plates for Nash's 'Views in Paris,' Colonel Batty's 'Views of European Cities,' Baron Taylor's 'Spain,' Rhodes's 'Peak Scenery' and 'Yorkshire Scenery,' several for Stark's 'Scenery of the Rivers of Norfolk,' and one of 'Southampton,' after Copley Fielding, for the 'Gallery of the Society of Painters in Water Colours.'

Cooke was one of the original members of the Society of Associated Engravers, who joined together for the purpose of engraving the pictures in the National Gallery, and two plates from his hand were in a forward state at the time of his death. He likewise attempted engraving in mezzotint, and in that style executed a plate of 'Arundel Castle,' after Turner; but it was not a suc cess, and was never published. He died of brain fever 27 Feb. 1834 at Barnes, where he was buried.

 COOKE, GEORGE (1807–1863), actor, was born in Manchester on 7 March 1807. After performing Othello in amateur theatricals, he quitted the mercantile firm of Hoyle & Co., with which he had been placed, and began in March 1828 his professional career at Walsall. Under Chamberlayne, the manager of the Walsall Theatre, he remained eighteen months, playing in Coventry, Lichfield, and Leamington. He then joined other managements; played at Margate, at Doncaster, September 1832, where he was a success, and appeared in Edinburgh on 16 Oct. 1835 as Old Crumbs in the ‘Rent Day.’ In 1837 he appeared at the Strand, then under the management of W. J. Hammond, playing on 10 July 1837 Mr. Wardle in Moncrieff's adaptation, ‘Sam Weller, or the Pickwickians.’ He accompanied Hammond to Drury Lane in October 1839 in his disastrous season at that theatre. Cooke married in 1840 Miss Eliza Stuart, sister of the well-known actor. After playing engagements at Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham, he appeared at the Marylebone in 1847, when that theatre was under the management of Mrs. Warner. Here he played the Old Shepherd in the ‘Winter's Tale,’ Sir Oliver Surface, Colonel Damas, and Major Oakley. Previous to his death, which was by suicide, 4 March 1863, he was playing secondary characters at the Olympic.

 COOKE, GEORGE FREDERICK (1756–1811), actor, was born, according to an account supplied by himself, in Westminster 17 April 1756. Soon after his birth he lost his father, who was in the army, and went with his mother, whose name was Renton, to live in Berwick, where he was educated. Here, after her death, he resided with her two sisters, by whom he was bound apprentice to John Taylor, a Berwick printer. While still a schoolboy he conceived from the performances of travelling companies a strong fancy for the stage, and took part with his fellows in rough and unpretending performances. In 1771 he went to London and afterwards to Holland, probably as a sailor or cabin boy, returning to Berwick in 1772. His first appearance as an actor was in Brentford in the spring of 1776, when he played Dumont in ‘Jane Shore.’ In 1777 he joined in Hastings a company under a manager named Standen. In the spring of the following year he played in London at the Haymarket, which, out of the season, was opened for a benefit, appearing as Castalio in the ‘Orphan.’ Between this period and 1779, when he joined Fisher's company at Sudbury in Suffolk, Cooke was seen at the Haymarket during the off-season in more than one character, but failed to attract any attention. After performing in many midland towns he appeared, 2 Jan. 1784, in Manchester as Philotas in the ‘Grecian Daughter’ of Murphy. In Manchester he stood in high favour, and he met with favourable recognition in Liverpool, Newcastle-on-Tyne, York, and other northern towns. While still young he fell into habits of drinking. After living for some months in sobriety he would disappear to hide himself in the lowest haunts of dissipation or infamy. In Newcastle the admiration for Cooke, according to the rather reluctant testimony of Tate Wilkinson, his manager, amounted to frenzy (Wandering Patentee, iii. 23). On his first appearance in York, 29 July 1786, he played Count Baldwin in ‘Isabella,’ Garrick's alteration of Southerne's ‘Fatal Marriage,’ to the Isabella of Mrs. Siddons. During the years immediately following Cooke played with various country companies, studying hard when sober, acquiring much experience, and obtaining a reputation as a brilliant and, except in one respect, a trustworthy actor. On 19 Nov. 1794 Cooke made his appearance at Dublin in ‘Othello.’ He sprang at once to the