W. H. Cock

William Hendy Cock (19 February 1873 – 2 February 1938) was an English clergyman, novelist and writer. He argued for humane treatment of animals and authored a book defending a future life for animals from a Christian evolutionary perspective.

Biography

Cock was born in Helston and obtained a B.Sc from the University of London in 1902. He held certificates in chemistry, mathematics and physics. He took honours in geology and in 1900 became a Fellow of the Geological Society of London. He was ordained as a Deacon to Exeter Cathedral in 1904. Cock was assistant chaplain of St. Luke's College from 1904 to 1911, chaplain of Exeter City Workhouse from 1907 to 1911 and curate of St Matthew's Church, Exeter from 1910 to 1911. He was vice-principal of Warrington Training College from 1911 to 1916. His last novel was John Noalex, Priest. He moved to Weston-super-Mare and retired in 1926. A reviewer commented that "no one can read the book thoughtfully without feeling that we owe a great deal more than we usually show to animals". In 1937, he returned to the topic in his book Animals and a Future Life which defended animal intelligence and the existence of a future life for animals based on a Christian evolutionary perspective. He stated that "animals not only exhibit intelligence and skill, but many other human characteristics... They display individuality, ingenuity, imagination, and self-control; show fidelity, sympathy and gratitude; exhibit curiosity, suspicion, pride, disgust and jealousy; seek pleasure and try to avoid pain". His thesis was that as animals are personal beings that possess a mind there is no major observable difference between the highest animals and primitive man than there is between primitive man and the highly developed man.

Spiritualism

In 1915, Cock authored Life in the Physical and Spiritual Worlds which combined psychical and spiritualist phenomena within a Christian resurrection framework. Cock examined first-hand reports and records from the Society for Psychical Research.

Personal life

Cock married Mary Isabel Baines in 1912. He died suddenly from a heart attack in Weston-super-Mare in 1938, aged 64. An obituary described him as a "prolific author, having published many theological works as well as in later years, a succession of novels with a religious theme".

Selected publications