Edward Henry Alcock was born 20th August, in 1854, in Sydney, N.S.W., the son of Thomas and Martha Mary Alcock, both of England.1
In 1852 Thomas & Martha Alcock immigrated to Australia.
Thomas Alcock was originally a Nottingham lace manufacturer, and founded in 1853 the Sydney firm of Alcock Bros. Ltd., with his brother J. A. Alcock, Soft goods and Fancy Warehousemen, Pitt-street, Sydney [later York & Barrack streets, Sydney, in 1892].
Thomas’s father had long been connected with the lace-making industry, both in Mansfield (Nottinghamshire) and in Worcester.
Edward Henry Alcock was educated in London at a private school and served an apprenticeship there, returning to Sydney in 1879, to enter the warehouse firm of Alcock Brothers, Ltd., serving as a clerk, traveller & warehouseman.2
On 28th April 1886, at St. Mark’s, Darling Point, Edward Henry Alcock, eldest son of Thomas Alcock, Esq., “Springfield,” Darling Point, was married to Fanny E. Prescott, daughter of Henry Prescott, of “Ringswould,” Glenmore-road [Paddington].3
Children of the marriage were:
Mabel Gertrude, born 1887, Randwick district
Dorothy M., born 1889, Randwick district
Phillis/Phyllis R., born 1901, Randwick district
Margery A., born 1904, Ryde district
Jeffrey/Geoffrey E., born 1906, Ryde district4
Edward Henry Alcock’s father, Thomas Alcock, died of heart disease on 17th August 1902, at his late residence, “Springfield,” Darling Point, aged 72 years. He was buried at Waverley cemetery, leaving three sons. After his death the firm was floated into a limited company, and Edward Henry Alcock was appointed manager.
‘He [Thomas Alcock] was well known in Sydney as the senior partner of the firm of Alcock Brothers, warehousemen, York street [York & Barrack street]. The deceased gentleman was born in Worcester in 1810. Until his departure for Australia in 1852 he followed the business of a lace manufacturer, his father having been long connected with that industry both in Mansfield (Nottinghamshire) and in Worcester. On arrival in Sydney the late Mr. Thomas Alcock, together with his younger brother Mr J. A. Alcock, established the business with which he was connected until his death. Mr J. A. Alcock now represents the house in London. The firm originally opened business in Pitt-street, but in 1892 removed to the premises in York-street, which they now occupy. The deceased gentleman was in his earlier years actively interested in the volunteer movement and was always a liberal patron of cricket. In business circles he was known not less for his kindness and generosity than for his straightforwardness and integrity.’5
On 6th February 1904, Edward & Fanny’s daughter, Margery, was born at “Claines,” Beecroft.6
In 1905 Edward Alcock was elected to the committee of the Beecroft School of Arts.
In 1906 he was elected as vice-president to the Beecroft Progress Association, and as treasurer to the Beecroft Literary and Debating Society.7
In 1907 he was on the Beecroft St. John’s Anglican church committee, as well as being a churchwarden.8
In 1908 he was elected as president of the Beecroft Progress Association, replaced C. C. Tucker who had resigned. He also became a vice-president of the Beecroft Musical Society.9
In 1909 he resigned from the Beecroft School of Arts. He was mentioned as being one of the most popular men the district for the good he contributed to the Beecroft community.
He and one of his daughters took a trip to the Continent, returning in November.
That year he was also elected to the committee of the Beecroft Progress Association and was elected a people’s warden of Beecroft St. John’s Anglican church.10
On 18th October 1910 Mabel Alcock, oldest daughter of Mr. E. H. Alcock, of “Claines,” Beecroft, was married in St. John’s Church, to Mr. Albert Muhs, only son of Mr. M. Muhs, of Lewisham.11
In 1911 he was elected president of the Beecroft Progress Association and re-elected unanimously the following year. Also, in 1912 he was re-elected a churchwarden of St. John’s Anglican church.
Mrs. Alcock, of “Claines,” Beecroft, advertised for a general servant that year.12
In 1913 Edward Alcock was elected vice-president of the Beecroft Progress Association.13
On 14th April 1920, in St. John’s Anglican Church, Beecroft, when Mr. Ralph A. Watts, fourth son of the late Mr. P. Watts and Mrs. Watts, “Yamba,” Summer Hill, was married to Miss Dorothy Alcock, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Alcock, of “Claines,” Beecroft.14
On 27th June 1932, at his residence, “Claines,” 64 Beecroft-road, Beecroft, Edward Henry Alcock, died, aged 77 years, leaving behind his wife Fanny and children: Mabel, Dorothy, Phillis, Margery and Jeffrey. He was buried in the Church of England Cemetery Rookwood.
Prior to his retirement, he was senior partner of the firm of Alcock Brothers, Ltd., soft goods warehousemen, of Clarence-street, Sydney.
At the time of his death he was a churchwarden of St. John’s Church. In local affairs he was also a member of the Beecroft Bowling Club.15
His recreations: bowls and cricket; his politics: Nationalist; his creed: Anglican.
In 1933 was announced the engagement of Margery Alcock, younger daughter of Mrs. and the late Edward Alcock, of “Claines,” Beecroft, and William Alvin, younger son of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Nelson, “Tiverton,” Gilgandra.
The Alcock family was well-known in Gilgandra due to their many holidays spent there.16
On 26th June 1938, at her residence, “Claines,” 64 Beecroft Road, Beecroft, Fanny, relict of Edward Henry Alcock, died, aged 75 years.17
Bibliography
1 NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages; “Who’s Who in Australia,” 1927.
2 Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 29 Jun 1932
3 Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 22 May 1886
4 NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
5 Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 19 Aug 1902; Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 20 Aug 1902;
Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, Sat 23 Aug 1902; Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, Sat 30 Aug 1902
6 Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW, Tue 23 Feb 1904
7 Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 31 Jul 1905; Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 20 Jan 1906; Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 8 Dec 1906
8 Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 13 Jul 1907
9 Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 22 Feb 1908; Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 31 Oct 1908
10 Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 13 Mar 1909; Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Wed 14 Apr 1909; Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 1 May 1909; Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 27 Nov 1909
11 Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 22 Oct 1910
12 Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 23 Mar 1912; Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 4 May 1912; Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat May 1912
13 Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 22 Mar 1913
14 Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Sat 1 May 1920
15 Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 28 Jun 1932; Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 29 Jun 1932
16 Gilgandra Weekly and Castlereagh, Thur 26 Oct 1933; Gilgandra Weekly and Castlereagh, Thursday 30 Jun 1932
17 Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 30 Jun 1938
NOTE: Additional information contained within Beecroft Cheltenham History Group website and book ‘Beecroft and Cheltenham, the Shaping of a Sydney Community to 1914’.