William Cooke

William Cooke (c. 1620 – 1703), of Highnam Court, Gloucestershire, was an English politician. He was a Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Gloucester in 1679 and 1689 to 1695.

Biography

William Cooke, the eldest son of Sir Robert Cooke of Highnam Court and his first wife Dorothy Fleetwood, was born c. 1620. His mother was the daughter of Sir Miles Fleetwood of Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire, Receiver of the Court of Wards, and his wife Ann Luke. His younger brother, Edward Cooke, was a Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury.

Cooke was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1636. William Cooke succeeded his father to the manor of Highnam, which was just west of Gloucester. The Cooke family had been at Highnam Court since 1597, when his grandfather, Sir William Cooke, married heiress Joyce Lucy, daughter of Sir Thomas Lucy.

On 30 March 1648, Cooke married Anne Rolle, daughter of Dennis Rolle of the manor of Stevenstone in Devon. The couple had nine sons and seven daughters.

He became a freeman and alderman for Gloucester in 1672. He was a Commissioner of Inquiry for the Forest of Dean in 1673, 1679, 1683, and 1691.

William Cooke was elected to the House of Commons, as Member of Parliament for Gloucester, and served from March 1679 to July 1679 and, again, from 1689 to 1695.