By the Pleasing Countenance of My Superiors

By Michael Williams

An early settler in Australia, Thomas Cook began as a Police Magistrate in the small town of Dungog during the convict era. Often involved in controversy, the life of Thomas Cook tells us much about this early period of Australian history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Williams
• Release date: Jun 26, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301534760

Michael Williams

Michael Williams (PhD, University of Pennsylvania) is Emeritus Senior Professor of Old Testament Studies at Calvin Theological Seminary, a member of the NIV Committee on Bible Translation and the Chairman of the NIrV Committee. He is the author of Deception in Genesis, The Prophet and His Message, Basics of Ancient Ugaritic, The Biblical Hebrew Companion for Bible Software Users, How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens, Hidden Prophets of the Bible and is editor and contributor of Mishneh Todah. His passion is to provide curious believers with knowledge of the Old Testament and its culture so that they may grow in their comprehension and appreciation of redemptive history and be adequately prepared to promote and defend the faith through word and action. Michael resides in Florida with his wife, Dawn.

Book preview

By the Pleasing Countenance of My Superiors

The life of Dungog Magistrate Thomas Cook, J.P.

by

Michael Williams

The estate of Thomas Cook, Auchentorlie, near Dungog

from the Illustrated Sydney News, August 5th, 1854

Copyright 2013 Michael J. Williams

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By the Pleasing Countenance of My Superiors

Thomas Cook, Esq. J.P. was one of many immigrants of middling income and status who early in their life threw in their lot with the young Colony of NSW. Like many, Thomas Cook made his contribution without achieving a major place in the history books or leaving behind enough of a record to present a complete picture of his life. Nevertheless, sufficient can be found to provide some fascinating glimpses of the man, the magistrate and of the village of Dungog in the mid-nineteenth century.

An good image of Thomas Cook as a magistrate can be built up from the chance survival of the Magistrates Letterbooks of the Dungog Court in which is preserved much of his official outward correspondence, particularity from 1837 throughout the 1840s, dealing with a wide range of issues.¹ From these letters Thomas Cook, Esq. appears an active and intelligent