Exhibition: The History of Walton Hall

Cook - Family 2

There is a second Cook family buried at Walton – Matthew Cook (1823-1913), his wife Maria (1844-1921) and their son Henry (1878-1885). It is not known whether they were related to the first Cook family discussed in this narrative. Matthew Cook was born in Quainton near Aylesbury in about 1823. In 1841 aged 15 he was working as a farm servant. In 1859 he married Mary Hancock in Little Missenden and their son Thomas James was born four months later. He was still living in Quainton in 1861, described as an agricultural labourer. He was home alone on census night - there is a note on the census stating, “wife out visiting”. Mary and their young son Thomas were in fact recorded at the home of Mary’s brother Joseph Hancock and his family in Preston Capes, near Daventry. Joseph had been widowed only three weeks earlier, so it seems Mary, who was described as a housekeeper, was there to offer support to the recently bereaved family.

There is a death registered at Newport Pagnell for a Mary Cook in early 1864 and at the end of that year Matthew re-married. His second wife’s name was Maria Eastment. She was born in Walton and was the daughter of farm labourer Daniel Eastment and his wife Martha. Maria was baptised at Walton on 16 June 1844 and was approximately 16 years younger than Matthew. The couple’s first child, a daughter named Ellen Maria, was baptised in Little Linford in 1865.

In 1871 Matthew and Maria were living in the village of Milton Bryan(t) near to Woburn. Matthew was working as a Game Keeper and Maria was a (Straw) Plaiter. Matthew’s son 13 year old Thomas James, from his previous marriage to Mary Hancock, was recorded with them alongside three more children aged between two and six years. Straw plaiting was an industry which thrived in the counties of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire in the nineteenth century. It involved plaiting straw to produce products such as hats, mattresses and ornaments and was a job usually done by women and children.

By 1881 the family was living in Walton and seven children were recorded. Matthew was once again working as a labourer. Four years later in 1885 the Cook’s youngest son Henry died aged only six years. He was buried at Walton and the inscription on his grave reads: “We have loved since and lost awhile”.

In 1891 Matthew and Maria were still living in Walton, Matthew was working as an Agricultural Labourer and the couple had two more children. Several of the older children had left home. By 1901 Matthew, who was in his seventies, had become a Gamekeeper again and the family were living in Milton Road, Walton, very close to Walton Hall (possibly in Walton Lodge Cottage) which suggest he worked for the estate at this time. Matthew and Maria’s youngest son Frederick was their only child included in the household at the time and he was working as a baker. Ten years later in 1911 the couple were living in Wavendon. Matthew had retired and was listed as a Pensioner (domestic). According to the census the couple had raised ten children in all, although two (including Henry) had died.

Matthew Cook died aged 85 on 13 December 1913 and was buried at Walton. Maria died in 1921 aged 77 and was buried with her husband.