Born in St Alphonsus parish, Scotland Road, Liverpool, on 1 September 1919.

Studied at St Joseph's Seminary, Upholland, Lancs.

Ordained to the priesthood in June 1946.

Previous parishes include:-

English Martyrs, Litherland (9-years),

Our Lady's, Eldon Street (2-years),

St Annes's, Overbury Street, Liverpool (5-years),

Our Lady of Sorrows, Stopgate Lane, Walton, Liverpool, as curate from 1963 to 1967;

St Thomas of Canterbury, St Helens 1967 to 1973,

and St Oswald's, Padgate 1973 to 1977.

He joined Fr Ashton at Birchley St Mary's in August 1977, and remained there till his death in September 2007.

A great sportsman in his day, Fr Cook was a keen cricket fan and passionate Evertonian (which, with Fr Ashton being a Liverpool supporter, led to some interesting comments during the many years the two were together at Birchley).

Highly articulate, Fr Cook always had a powerful voice that easily carried throughout the church at Birchley.  He never needed to use the speaker system, and many of his sermons were superb.  

Fr Cook was always a great advocate of Walsingham - and took Annual Pilgrimages there from St Mary's parish for many years.    When he celebrated his Golden Jubilee at Walsingham in 1996 he was made an Honorary Chaplian to the Marian Shrine there (see our Walsingham section for more details).

In 2007, subsequent to increased illness, Father Cook stayed for a short time at Ince Blundell Nursing Home, Crosby, Merseyside, and passed away on 24 August 2007.  His body was received into St Mary's church on the evening of Sunday 2 September before his Requiem Mass the following day, celebrated by Archbishop Patrick Kelly, and burial in Birchley St Mary's graveyard.