CAPTAIN CHARLES LEVER COOK

Newhaven/Dieppe Passenger Ship Captain

By Michael Budge

Captain Charles Lever Cook was at the time of his retirement the Commodore of the English vessels on the Newhaven to Dieppe route. His last command was the "Worthing". He had captained many other vessels in the fleet including the "Paris" and the "Newhaven". He was captain of the "Newhaven" during the 1914-1918 war, and for his service at that time he was awarded the MBE. His father and all his brothers were in the service of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway. His father Joseph was a boilermaker at the Marine Workshops. His brothers William, Joseph and Allen followed their father as boilermakers. His other brother John Lever Cook (my grandfather) was a coppersmith and became Foreman Plumber at the Marine Workshops.

The second photograph shows Captain Cook and his fellow officers on the SS "PARIS" (IV). W Lidbetter and E Biles also became captains.
RALPH FAMILY of DENTON ISLAND. The RALPH family were related to the LEVER COOKS as follows, Catherine Ralph snr was the sister of Captain Charles Lever Cook and my grandfather John Lever Cook. In 1901 James and Catherine Ralph lived at 1 Sefton Terrace, Denton Island. with their children James, Joseph, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, John, Catherine and William. In 1911 they were living at 2 Church Hill and there were more children. George aged 23 who was an Assistant schoolmaster, Emily Annie aged 7 and Louisa aged 5. James the son was listed as a clerk in the Steam packet office and John as a telegraph messenger for the Post office. Michael Budge.