A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Cooke, John Murray
COOKE. (Lieut., 1841. f-p., 19; h-p., 1.)
John Murray Cooke is second son of the Rev. Wm. Cooke, M.A., Vicar of Bromyard, co. Hereford.
This officer entered the Navy, 9 Feb. 1827, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Asia 84, Capt. Edw. Curzon, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. Codrington, under whom he fought at the battle of Navarin, 20 Oct. following. He continued to serve on the Mediterranean station, as Midshipman and Mate, in the Brisk and Wasp sloops, both commanded by Capt. Thos. Smith, and in the Britannia 120, flag-ship for some time of Sir Pulteney Malcolm, until Feb. 1835; after which we find him employed for four years on board the Rattlesnake 28, Capt. Wm. Hobson, on a surveying expedition to Australia and New Zealand, and intrusted with the performance of Lieutenant’s duty. On his return to England in- 1839, he became attached to the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings. For his subsequent services in China, where in the Blenheim 72, Capt. Sir Humphrey Fleming Senhouse, he witnessed all the chief operations including the capture of the forts in the Boca Tigris the fall of Canton, &c., he obtained a commission dated 8 June, 1841. He then joined the Nimrod 20, Capt. Joseph Pearse; and from 31 March, 1842, until paid off in Jan. 1845, he was employed, in the East Indies, on board the Pelican 16, Capt. Philip Justice. His last appointment was, 25 Feb. 1846 to the First-Lieutenancy of the Electra 14. Capts. Wm. Heriot Maitland and Hon. Fred. Wm. Pleydell Bouverie, in which vessel he has been ever since serving in North America and the West Indies. Owing to the illness of Capt. Maitland, Lieut. Cooke appears to have acted for eight or nine months by the authority of his Admiral, as Commander of the Electra. Agent – J. Hinxman.