Miss Martha COCK (1779–1867)
St Mary Magdalen section: Row 16a, Grave D67
Martha Cock
Died March 8,
1867,
Aged 87 years
[actually 88]
Footstone:
M. C.
Martha Cock was born in Oxford on 8 February 1779 and baptised at St Mary-the-Virgin Church two days later, and her younger sister Charlotte Cock was born on 10 February 1781 and baptised there the next day.
They were the daughters of William Cock and Martha Dodd, who were married at St Peter-in-the-East Church on 1 June 1776. Martha’s father was described as the servant of the Warden of All Souls College at the time of her younger sister’s birth.
On 30 December 1801 Martha was a witness at the wedding of her sister Charlotte Cock to Thomas Hewlett in St Mary Magdalen Church. This implies that the Cock family had then moved to that parish.
In 1802 Martha’s father William Cock appears to have moved to St Giles’s parish, where he worked as an auction agent until at least 1816. The Martha Cock buried in St Cross churchyard on 30 September 1806 may have been Martha’s mother.
By 1820 William Cock had retired, and was described as a gentleman of that St Giles’s parish in 1820 and 1830.
It appears that he then moved to Beaumont Street, and his daughter Martha probably moved with him. He died on 15 June 1836 was buried in St Mary Magdalen churchyard on 21 June. The following death announcement appeared in Jackson’s Oxford Journal on 18 June:
On Wednesday last died, at the advanced age of 87 years, Mr. William Cock, of Beaumont-street, in this city. Mr. Cock was formerly remarkable for his adherence to the Blue party in all elections for this city.
The Charlotte Hewlett who died in St Michael’s parish at the age of 67 in December 1849 is likely to be Martha’s married sister: her death is recorded in the St Mary Magdalen parish register, but it is unclear where she was buried.
At the time of the 1851 census Martha Cock (who would have been 72, but who stated that she was 67) was an annuitant, living in alone in part of 71 St Giles’s Street.
In 1861 Martha (82, but recorded as 78) was described as a fundholder, and was a lodger at 53 St John Street.
Martha Cock died in 1867:
† Miss Martha Cock died at Beaumont Buildings at the age of 87 (according to the register, but she was actually 88) on 8 March 1867 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 13 March (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).
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