Thomas Somers-Cocks

Thomas Somers-Cocks (5 February 1815 – 30 August 1899) was a British Conservative Party[1] politician and a banker. He was a founding member of the Canterbury Association.

Early life

Cocks was born at Thames Bank, Marlow, Buckinghamshire. His parents were Thomas Somers-Cocks (b.1769), a banker of Thames Bank, and Agneta Pole-Carew, 5th daughter of Sir Reginald Pole-Carew and sister of William Pole-Carew.[2] Lord Somers as head of the family was chosen as his godfather. His father's oldest sister, Mrs Vernon, became his godmother.[3] He received his education at Christ Church, Oxford, but did not obtain a degree.[2]

Cocks became engaged to Sarah Louisa Wynne just before he turned 27.[4] They married on 24 May 1842. She was the daughter of Charles Griffith-Wynne and the sister of Charlotte Griffith Wynne, who married John Robert Godley.[2]

They had three children: Thomas Somers Vernon (1850–1932), Alfred Heneage (1851 – ca 1930/31) and Alice Agneta (1853–1899).[5]

Canterbury Association

He attended the inaugural meeting of the Canterbury Association on 27 Mar 1848, joined the management committee and became the banker for the group.[2]

Politics

Somers-Cocks was elected at the 1847 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for borough of Reigate in Surrey.[6] He was re-elected in 1852,[7] and held the seat until he stood down at the 1857 general election.[1][8]

Death and commemoration

His wife died in the 1894 influenza epidemic.[9] Cocks died on 30 August 1899 at Thames Bank, Great Marlow.[2] Somers Place in the Christchurch (New Zealand) suburb of Spreydon is named after him.[10] Mount Somers / Te Kiekie, a mountain in the foothills of the Southern Alps, was named after him. Subsequently, the name Mount Somers was used for a nearby village and a railway branch line.[2]

Notes
  1. Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 252. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  2. Blain, Michael (2007). "The Canterbury Association (1848–1852): A Study of Its Members' Connections" (PDF). Reverend Michael Blain. p. 21. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  3. Cocks 1999, p. 159.
  4. Cocks 1999, p. 165.
  5. Cocks 1999, pp. 166, 184, 189.
  6. "No. 20766". The London Gazette. 20 August 1847. p. 3031.
  7. "No. 21345". The London Gazette. 3 August 185. p. 2129.
  8. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
  9. Cocks 1999, p. 184.
  10. Harper, Margaret. "Christchurch Street Names S" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. p. 59. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
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References
  • Cocks, J.V. Somers (1999). A History of the Cocks Family (PDF) (Revised ed.). Ashhurst, New Zealand: J. Somers Cocks. ISBN 0-473-06085-X. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Charles Somers-Cocks		 Member of Parliament for Reigate
1847–1857		 Succeeded by
William Hackblock
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