John William Cook

John William Cook
Occupation	Publican
Years active	1871-1877
Known for	Lillerie Hotel
Home town	Lillerie

John William Cook was a publican in the Ballarat district, 1871-1877>.

History

Cook's first attempt to get a license for the Lillerie Hotel was rejected by Captain Pasco of the Licensing Court:

John Wm. Cook’s application for a publican’s license for the Lillerie hotel, was refused on the ground that the hotel is situated within about a mile and a-half of the Mount Emu hotel. Captain Pasco intimated that it was not intended that public-houses should be soear each other on the same line of road. The applicant appealed to the bench to grant the license, stating that he had invested all his means in the premises in question, and that he had a family of ten children to support. Captain Pasco intimated that keeping a public-house with the view of supporting a family was not a very desirable way of obtaining support, and that surely there were more laudable ways of getting a living... At the close of the sitting, Mr Cook enquired of the bench if the license would be granted supposing the public signed a petition in recommendation. Captain Pasco intimated that petitions could not be entertained, as by attending to such petitions the power to grant licenses would be taken out of the hands of the bench and left with the public.

Cook successfully appealed the decision at the June 1871 Court hearings:

J. W. Cook applied for a publican’s license for the Lillerie hotel, Lillerie; Mr Stoker appeared for the applicant. The license had previously been refused, and this was a renewal of the application. Mr Stoker produced a memorial signed by 54 persons, residents of Lillerie and the surrounding localities, recommending that the license be granted, showing that the hotel was situated on the road to Stockyard Hill, and giving a very good character to the applicant. After hearing what Mr Stoker had to say in the case, as also the evidence of the police, the bench decided to grant the license

In August 1871 Cook had a booth at the Annual Chepstowe, Mortchup and Lillerie Ploughing match, and later entertained all the guests at the hotel.

Cook's license was renewed in December 1873.

In June 1874 Cook was granted permission to move his license from an old hotel to a new one, but no further details were supplied.

His license was renewed again in December 1875, but the newspaper report gave no further details.

The hotel was destroyed by fire in November 1877:

Cook's hotel, at Chepstowe, was burned down today. The chimney caught fire about half-past seven, and ignited the shingles. The furniture was destroyed, except a sewing-machine and a [?] crockeryware. Only two persons were in the neighborbood at the lime, except Mrs Cook, and could render no assistance. The building was of stone, with a wooden roof.