Archibald William Cooke - Boy Drowned in Freemans Bay

A local carpenter checking his boat in St Mary’s Bay came across the body of a boy lying in the mud near the timber booms moored nearby. The Water Police were called and found the dead boy wearing shirt and trousers with braces, whilst his boots, socks and jacket were on the beach close by.

St Marys Bay 1878. Looking east from Acheron Point
 showing the small bay to the east of St Marys Bay and reclamations,
  with Smales Point and Queen Street Wharf in the background
Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 4-1374

The body was taken to the morgue and later identified by his parents as Archibald Cooke aged 10. Archie had failed to return home after going out to play on the Saturday afternoon, and after their own search efforts had failed to find him, they had reported him missing that evening.

At the Inquest, the carpenter and the Water Policeman advised that they had on a number of occasions seen boys bathing and playing on the logs. This was a dangerous practice but little could be done to stop it.

A local boy and friend of Archie’s was asked to give evidence at the Court. George McKeown, also 10, had met with Archie around 4.30 pm Saturday 16 May and the two boys had gone for a swim in Freemans Bay and then for a run along the logs. George said he had then gone over to look at some horses and when he returned, he couldn’t find Archie anywhere and returned home. He admitted to being afraid that Archie had drowned but was too scared to say anything, because he would have been punished for playing on the logs.

The Court heard that Archie could not swim and it appeared as though he had slipped whilst playing on the timber booms and drowned.

A verdict of "found drowned" was returned, with the recommendation that means be taken to prevent children from playing on the logs within the booms.

Anglican Division A, Row 1,

Plot 53: Archibald William Cooke (10) 1886     damaged headstone

            Francis Wrentmore Cooke (53) 1893 – Tourist Agency Manager – pleurisy & Brights

This headstone is badly broken, details from records & placing of words assumed.

In Memory of

little ARCHIE W. B. COOKE

who was drowned May 15th 1887

in Auckland Harbour

aged … yrs.

Sources, Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/
NZ Herald, XX111 issue 7639 17 May 1886
 NZ Herald, XX111 issue 7640 18 May 1886
Image: St Marys Bay 1878 Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 4-1374 

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