The life and times of Edmund Cox
Edmund Blachford Cox 1853-1931
It is not often that a newspaper devotes three long columns to an obituary, but Cambridge’s Waikato Independent did just that when it came to writing up the life of Edmund Cox.
The paper had already published a short obituary on September 12 1931, but three days later a much more fulsome account appeared. Cox had retired from farming life to live in Cambridge and was immersed in community, church and sporting activities in the town and the obituary reflected the esteem in which he was held.
Edmund Cox was a son of Alfred Cox who featured in last week’s Dead Tell Tales.
He first came to live in the Waikato when his father bought into the Rukuhia Estate and brought his family to live in Lake House in 1873.
Lake House is the oldest house still standing in Hamilton West, on Lake Crescent.
Edmund was born at Windsor, New South Wales, and ‘‘was a true colonial’’, the Independent’s definition being ‘‘educated at Dunedin High School and at the Nelson College and [possessing] the true British qualities of integrity and delight in hard work, along with the resourcefulness and adaptability which colonial life develops’’.
In 1877 Cox married David Anne Wilkin, whom he had known since childhood, and in 1879 they returned to Canterbury for a while to manage a business for his father.
By 1888 they had moved back to the Waikato to manage ‘‘Freshfields’’ near Taupiri, owned by his uncle-by-marriage, Ernest Gray.
After Gray sold the 11,000-acre estate to TC Williams, Cox remained as manager.
In 1906 the estate was divided up into smaller farms and Cox and family moved to Roto-o-rangi; but not before they had been farewelled at a large gathering of people from Taupiri, Huntly and Gordonton with eulogistic speeches detailing the immense contributions the couple had made to the community, sports, church and school.
The newspaper’s obituary contributor described him as ‘‘a real man, full of manly interests; keen about the sort of things which captivate most men’’ (remember this was the 1930s!), and enumerated all the sports with which he was involved: athletics, horse racing, hunting, patron of the St Andrew’s Tennis Club, life member of the Cambridge Tennis Club; president of the Cambridge Athletic Union.
He captained the Taupiri cricket team, helped set up the Roto-o-rangi Hockey Club, represented both Waikato and Auckland provinces at rugby.
He was on the Taupiri and Roto-o-rangi school committees, chairman of the Kirikiriroa Road Board, on the Mangapiko Drainage Board and a Justice of the Peace.
His wide knowledge of horses and cattle ‘‘combined with his balanced judgment’’ meant he was in great demand as a judge at shows. The cultural realm also featured: he performed in plays, sang at concerts and in church. And even gardening, after their retirement to Cambridge: ‘‘he was expert in the cultivation of both flowers and vegetables’’.
Cox was a devout Christian, though not ‘‘ultra pious’’: for him his religion ‘‘was manifestly the mainspring of his whole life and character’’.
He was involved with St Andrew’s Church, Cambridge, for many years and after his death a special memorial service was held in his honour.
Some of the family also settled around Cambridge.
The obituary commented ‘‘his big family of children and grandchildren have themselves shown the influence of his life and character; for his sons and daughters are among our most highly respected citizens, and it is significant . . . that he, himself a farmer . . . should have children the majority of whom are either farmers or are married to farmers’’.
The obituary ended: ‘‘No man could be more missed from every sphere of local life and interest . . . It is for us to show our appreciation of him by seeking strength and inspiration where he sought them, and by following the noble example he has given’’.
Anne died just 22 days after Edmund and was buried with him at Cambridge Cemetery. They were survived by three daughters and four sons, their youngest son having been killed at Gallipoli.
■ Note: Many thanks to Cambridge Museum staff for copying their biographical notes for me.
■ And Edmund’s wife’s first name was David – presumably in honour of one of her ancestors.
■ Edmund’s middle name appeared in newspaper and official records as Blackford, Blanchford, Blankford, but Blachford was taken off his headstone.