Hero's headstone unveiled

It has taken awhile, but 143 years after his death, young James Cocks’ headstone was unveiled at a ceremony at Te Wheau (Stables Landing) in December.

James died in 1865, aged 18, after making an heroic journey the year before to save his neighbour’s life.

In 1864, he made a 25-kilometre round trip to Port Albert on foot and by boat to fetch the doctor to Mrs Edith Marcroft, who was in labour with her first child. As a result of his exertions that night, James caught a chill which led to his death from consumption the following year. He was buried in a lonely grave near his parents’ store at Stables

Landing, overlooking the Kaipara Harbour.

Mrs Marcroft’s son, William, arrived safely and was the first European child born at Te Wheau. Jimmy Cocks became the first settler to die there.

The headstone on his grave on the original Cocks’ property – now Pauline Stables’ farm – was broken by a fertiliser truck more than 50 years ago before it was fenced off from stock. In 2003, descendants of both the Cocks’ and Marcroft families visited the site of Jimmy’s grave, after Pauline, who is also a volunteer at the Albertland and District Museum, organised a reunion. They made the decision then to have the headstone restored. Steve Linton, of Wellsford Memorials, carried out the work free of charge.

Descendants of both the Cocks and Marcroft families attended the recent unveiling, which was performed by Dave Witheford, himself a Marcroft descendant.

James Cocks’ cousins Kirsten Warnock (left) and Ginelle Cocks perform the unveiling. Photo: Pauline Stables.