| Archive for nmfhssouthport.myfreeforum.org North Meols (Southport) Family History Society |
| Barbara Cawker |
Alfred Cobham M.A. J.P.Alfred b 1858 was my Gt Uncle. He was the son of Ro(d)ger Cobham and Ann Leadbetter. In Ann's funeral report of April 1926 it said she was the Mother of Mr Alfred Cobham, Southport's Honorary M.A.I found a reference card in the Library relating to his death reported in the SV of 18 Sept 1930 "SOUTHPORT J.P.'s TRAGIC DEATH.. which took place under distressing circumstances at his residence East Street Southport." He had been ill, had undergone an operation, became depressed, knew he had cancer and "was found hanging in an outhouse at the rear of his residence." There was a great long list of tributes to him... "known as the Working Man MA the honour was conferred upon him by the Cambridge University in connection with the jubilee celebraton of the local lectures in July 1923." He'd left school aged 9 but was self educated and for over 30 years had attended lectures - all the subject were listed! "He had a problem housing all his certificates"...... "He was a poineer in the organisation of the Workers' Education Movement in Southport and his work for that Association and the University Extension Society was honoured by Southport students in 1922 when they presented him with his portrait, a robe and a monetary gift. The portrait was hung in the Southport Art Gallery." The next edition of the Visiter gave a long account of the Inquest and the following edition gave a very full account of his funeral which took place at Chapel Street Congregational Church. The Mayor and Corporation were there along with everybody that was anybody in the town, and county and they all appear to have sent floral tributes. He' was obviously very highly regarded and was made a J.P. a few months before his death - he was 73 when he died. A few years ago, an old "Auntie" told me my Mum had an uncle whose portrait hung in the Atkinson Art Gallery. Well now I know who he was. I visited the Art Galley but they can only search their records by the Artists name and not the subject - so no help there. I wonder what happened to that portrait. Didn't know I was going to discover Gt Uncle Alf when I headed "back home" last month! |
| Dotty |
BrilliantThanks for sharing that info with us. You never know someone maybe able to help you with the portrait...only time will tell.Dotty 
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| Jane |
That would make a good article for the society magazine |
| BrianG |
I hope this link works - it's to an essay by Alfred Cobham:
http://tinyurl.com/yjl4zfq [EDIT - changed the URL as previous one had a few pages omitted; essay starts at p 206] |
| ray green |
He thought Karl Marx was the zenith of social evolution! Seems all that book learnin' was a bit of a waste. |
| Barbara Cawker |
Alfred Cobham M.A. J.P.I will do an article for the magazine Jane. The Visiter reports are so full of information it's certainly worth sharing more about him. |
| Dotty |
HindsightI'm sure he was a visionary man for the times...things change but you can't take away that, for a self-taught bloke he did good (as they say!).Dotty 
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