Arthur Cobcroft

22 Jun 1866 in Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia Bornin

Ancestors

Agnes Hilda Cobcroft Father of

14 Oct 1920 in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia Diedin

Profile last modified 7 Jan 2018 | Created 19 Mar 2015

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Biography

Arthur Cobcroft was born at Windsor, NSW, in 1866.[1][2] He was the son of George Alexander Cobcroft and Caroline Jasper, and his siblings were Richard William, George, John Frederick, Caroline, Henry, Harvie, Alice, and Ada. He had brown hair and eyes and stood 5 feet 11 1/2 inches tall.[2]

Arthur married Eliza Ellen McQuade in Sydney during 1895.[3] At the time he was a butcher[4] and she was the proprietor of the Commercial Hotel at Windsor.[5] She divorced him in October 1901 on the grounds of domestic violence.[6]

in 1911 he married a second time to Olive Isabella Petrea Gronvold at Burrowa, NSW.[7]

He died at his home at 23 Loftus Street, Leichhardt, NSW, on the 14th of October, 1920.[8][9] His death was widely reported as being caused by heart failure brought on by excessive laughter at seeing the different in commodity prices between 1915 and 1920 - perhaps the laughter was caused by a stroke or similar attacK?[10] He was buried in the Waverley Church of England Cemetery.[11]

Arrest for keeping a still, 1901

Arthur was arrested for keeping a still and sentenced to pay £100 or serve 12 months hard labour in jail. An image of his prison document can be seen on the NSW State Records and Archives website.[2]

SEIZURE OF A STILL AT WINDSOR. A HEAVY FINE.[12]

WINDSOR, Tuesday. Senior-sergeant Boyd and his officers, Constables McCarty and Byers, made a raid on the premises of the Commercial Hotel, Windsor, on Thursday last, the 14th instant, where they found two stills in working order, one being in full work at the time of the seizure. When the police arrived at the hotel on Thursday, they found the gate leading into the yard locked.

Arthur Cobcroft, the licensee of the hotel, being in the yard. Senior-sergeant Boyd demanded admittance, and Cobcroft asked the sergeant to wait until he got the keys and opened the gate. Constables McCarty and Byers immediately scaled the fence and called upon Cobcroft to stand and kept him until the sergeant went round and gained admittance through the hotel. The premises were then searched, and the two stills with a quantity of foment and spirit in several stages were seized and taken possession of Arthur Cobcroft, the licensee of the hotel, was arrested and brought before the Police Court this morning, and charged with keeping a still for distilling spirits without first having a license for keeping the same from the Colonial Treasurer, or other person appointed by the Governor.

Mr. R. B. Walker appeared for the accused, who pleaded guilty. Mr. Walker asked the Bench to inflict the lowest penalty as it was the first offence, but the Bench fined the accused £100 and costs, or in default 12 months' hard labor in Parramatta Gaol. The Bench compliment Senior-sergeant Boyd and his officers upon the successful manner in which the raid was carried out.

Divorce from Eliza

DIVORCE COURT (Before Mr. Justice Walker.)[6]

COBCROFT v. COBCROFT (part heard.) Mr. C. A. Walker (agent for Mr.William Walker and Son, of Windsor) appeared for Eliza Ellen Cobcroft, formerly McQuade, who sought for a dissolution of her marriage with Arthur Cobcroft on the ground of repeated assaults and cruel beatings. Respondent appeared on his own behalf. Henry Day, an orchardist residing at Windsor, said he stayed at the Commercial Hotel kept by the petitioner and respondent for three months.

Respondent was very abusive in his language to the petitioner, and in his threats. He threatened to shoot her on one occasion, and on another threatened to stab her with a carving knife. On one occasion he had a carving knife in his hand, and he said he would rip her up. Petitioner showed witness her arms, and they were dark with bruises. She had heard respondent use very bad language at the dining-table, and had seen people leave the table in consequence of the language used by the respondent. This closed the petitioner's case.

Respondent then went into the box, and absolutely denied the truth of the evidence given against him that day. He said he never ill-treated his wife. He had quarrelled with her. When he left Windsor he parted from his wife on the very best terms. He asserted fearlessly that the main part of the evidence given against him was a "concoction of fabrications." He had maintained his wife, and a few weeks before his arrest he gave her a cheque for £30. Shortly afterwards he gave her £4. Every shilling he could lay his hands on he gave to his wife.

Mr. Walker : Mrs Cobcroft was the proprietress of the Commercial Hotel at Windsor when you married her ? Respondent: Yes. And she owned all the furniture ? — Yes. You brought no money into the hotel ? — Yes, I did. How much ? — That's my business, and not yours. Petitioner, re-examined, said that with regard to the £30 cheque given to her by the respondent it was the result of the sale by the respondent of a mare belonging to her. Mr. Walker : Did respondent bring any money into the hotel ? Petitioner : Not one penny, for he had no money. He was a butcher, and said he had £70 to collect, but he never collected one penny of it. She supported respondent, and the hotel had been hers ever since his arrest. According to the law she had to get the license put in the name of her husband, but since he was arrested she had the license transferred back to herself. She did not know where respondent got the £4 which he gave to her. Will you explain the statement of Constable Taafe that you kissed the respondent in Windsor Gaol ? — When respondent was arrested he was taken to Windsor Gaol. She was very much upset, as any woman would be, at her husband being taken up, and felt very sorry. She did not like to see any one in gaol. Respondent sent for her and she went to see him. When coming out of the gaol respondent caught hold of her and kissed her 50 times. She did not go up to respondent, and put her arms around him. It was he who did so.

The respondent then addressed the Court. His Honor said the evidence of the petitioner was detailed and specific, and had been corroborated by her witnesses. Against that there was the simple denial of the respondent, who said the evidence was a tissue of fabrications, and that the case had been trumped up against him. Respondent was evidently a man of low mind and violent temper, and instead of controlling his temper had allowed it to control him. The result was the petitioner's home was made intolerable by his exhibitions of violence. The respondent had been guilty of cruelty, and on that ground he had not the slightest hesitation in saying that the petitioner had proved her case. Therefore, he pronounced a decree nisi, returnable in one month.

Sources

↑ Birth registration: NSW BDM 16291/1866 COBCROFT, ARTHUR, father: GEORGE A, mother: CAROLINE, district: WINDSOR ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 NSW State Records and Archives website. Index to Gaol Photographs. COBCROFT Arthur, born: 1866 Windsor, Gaol: Goulburn, date: 04-09-01, photo no: 1507, page: 185, series: NRS2232, item: [3/5973]. Retrieved from https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/index_image/2232_a006_a00603_5973000185r ↑ Marriage registration: NSW BDM 4410/1895 COBCROFT, ARTHUR, MCQUADE, ELIZA E, district: SYDNEY ↑ News in Brief. (1895, August 10). Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved January 7, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66447566

Mr. Arthur Cobcroft has given up his butchering business at Wilberforce. ↑ News in Brief. (1895, August 24). Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved January 7, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66447682

The license of the Commercial Hotel, Windsor, has been transferred from Eliza McQuade to Arthur Cobcroft. ↑ 6.0 6.1 DIVORCE COURT. (1901, October 19). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved January 7, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14417025 ↑ Marriage registration: NSW BDM 4965/1911 COBCROFT, ARTHUR, GRONVALD, OLIVE I P, district: BURWOOD ↑ Death registration: NSW BDM 17823/1920 COBCROFT, ARTHUR, father: GEORGE A, mother: CAROLINE, district: PETERSHAM ↑ Family Notices (1920, October 16). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 12. Retrieved January 7, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16870843

COBCROFT,---October 14, 1920, at his residence, 23 Loftus-street, Leichhardt, Arthur Cobcroft aged 54 years. ↑ DEATH FOLLOWS LAUGHTER. (1920, October 18). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved January 7, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16870966

Mr. Arthur Cobcroft died at his home at Loftus-street, Leichhardt, on Thursday last. He was reading an old newspaper of 1915 date, and was comparing the prices of various commodities with those of to-day, when he suddenly burst into laughter at the great difference. He appeared to be unable to control himself, and eventually collapsed and died. Dr. Nixon pronounced that death was due to heart failure caused by excessive laughter. Mr. Cobcroft was well known as a trainer of coursing dogs. He was 54 years of age. ↑ Family Notices (1920, October 16). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 7, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16870780

COBCROFT. — The Funeral of the late Mr ARTHUR COBCROFT will leave Wood, Coffill's Mortuary Chapel, 310 George-street, city, THIS (Saturday) MORNING, at 9 o,clock, for Church of England Cemetery, Waverley. ↑ SEIZURE OF A STILL AT WINDSOR. (1901, June 19). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved January 7, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14392075

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