THOMAS COOK
100 Years
Thomas Cook Snr. was born in 1908 in Walkaway, a small village near Geraldton in Western Australia, to Bessie and Charles James Cook.
He was just three years old when his mother passed away suddenly from a heart attack and was subsequently placed into the care of The Salvation Army, along with two of his siblings.
Thomas spent much of his childhood growing up in The Salvation Army Boys' Home in Collie, before finding work on a local dairy farm as a teenager. He later described this as his 'first happy years'.
After learning to box and winning a major tournament in Bridgetown, WA, Thomas decided to try his luck at boxing in Melbourne.
Thomas arrived in Melbourne and got a job at the Joyce & Howe Boot Factory where he met his future wife Doris, who started in the boot trade as a machinist at the age of 13. Still competing regularly in boxing tournaments, Thomas remained undefeated for his first seventeen fights before being knocked out.
After fighting and winning a few more bouts, Thomas Cook, reconsidering his career options, hung up his gloves in pursuit of a profession in boot making.
100 Years
Thomas Cook Snr. was born in 1908 in Walkaway, a small village near Geraldton in Western Australia, to Bessie and Charles James Cook.He was just three years old when his mother passed away suddenly from a heart attack and was subsequently placed into the care of The Salvation Army, along with two of his siblings.
Thomas spent much of his childhood growing up in The Salvation Army Boys' Home in Collie, before finding work on a local dairy farm as a teenager. He later described this as his 'first happy years'.
After learning to box and winning a major tournament in Bridgetown, WA, Thomas decided to try his luck at boxing in Melbourne.
Thomas arrived in Melbourne and got a job at the Joyce & Howe Boot Factory where he met his future wife Doris, who started in the boot trade as a machinist at the age of 13. Still competing regularly in boxing tournaments, Thomas remained undefeated for his first seventeen fights before being knocked out.
After fighting and winning a few more bouts, Thomas Cook, reconsidering his career options, hung up his gloves in pursuit of a profession in boot making.