# Douglas Cooke

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For the British World War I flying ace, see [Douglas Graham Cooke](/source/Douglas_Graham_Cooke).

**Sir James Douglas Cooke**, [FRCS](/source/Fellowship_of_the_Royal_College_of_Surgeons) (1879 – 13 July 1949) was a [Conservative](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)) politician from England. He served as the British Conservative politician for [Hammersmith South](/source/Hammersmith_South_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) In 1931, he became a member of Parliament, where he remained until 1945.[1] He was knighted in the [King's Birthday Honours list in 1945](/source/1945_Birthday_Honours).[2][3]

## Personal background

James Douglas Cooke was born in 1879 in Melbourne, Australia, the eldest son of John Cooke, a [pastoralist](/source/Pastoral_farming) who had lived in New Zealand.[4] In 1907, Cooke married Elsie Muriel. Together, they had one son and three daughters.[1] Elsie was the daughter of General James Burston and the sister of Major General [Samuel Burston](/source/Samuel_Burston) of Melbourne. Cooke lived in London until his death in 1949.

## Professional background

Cooke was educated at Melbourne University, where he qualified in medicine and surgery, receiving his [Bachelor of Medicine](/source/Bachelor_of_Medicine) in 1901, and Bachelor of Surgery a year later.[1][4]

After immigrating to England, he joined the [Royal College of Physicians](/source/Royal_College_of_Physicians) in London in 1903, became a [Member of the Royal College of Surgeons](/source/Fellowship_of_the_Royal_College_of_Surgeons) on 12 Nov 1903, and a Fellow on 1 June 1905.[4] He served in the First World War in the [Royal Army Medical Corps](/source/Royal_Army_Medical_Corps).[1] He also ran a medical practice in [Stanmore, Middlesex](/source/Stanmore,_Middlesex).

## Political career

Prior to becoming an MP he had unsuccessfully contested [the Peckham division of Camberwell](/source/Peckham_(UK_Parliament_constituency)), at the [1929 general election](/source/1929_United_Kingdom_general_election).[5] At the [1931 general election](/source/1931_United_Kingdom_general_election) he contested Hammersmith South for the Conservatives. This was a seat the party had lost to [Labour](/source/Labour_Party_(UK)) in 1929 by just over 400 votes. Cooke defeated the incumbent [Dan Chater](/source/Dan_Chater) by 12,638 votes to regain the seat for his party.[6] He retained it in [1935](/source/1935_United_Kingdom_general_election) with a reduced majority of 6,068, defeating local councillor [W T Adams](/source/William_Thomas_Adams).[7]

## References

1. "Sir Douglas Cooke", *The Times*, (London), Thursday, 14 July 1949, page 7, Issue 51433

1. *British Medical Journal*, Volume 1945 1:S129 Supplement 2118, published 30 June 1945

1. [*Supplement to the London Gazette*, 14 June 1945, page 2934](http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37119/supplements/2934/page.pdf)

1. Brown, G. H.; and Munk, William. (1930) *[171 Lives of the Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of London, 1826-1925](https://books.google.com/books?id=8UprAAAAMAAJ&q=%22James+douglas%22+Cooke+++australia+melbourne+1879)*, Publisher: The College, pp 637

1. *Dod's Parliamentary Companion 1936*. London: P. S. King & Son, Ltd. 1936. p. 337.

1. *The Times House of Commons 1931*. London: The Times Office. 1931. p. 22.

1. *The Times House of Commons 1935*. London: The Times Office. 1935. p. 38.

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