Born: 1875 (Moonta, South Australia)
Died: 1954
Biography:
Kate Cocks MBE JP (born Fanny Kate Boadicea Cock; 5 May 1875 – 20 August 1954) was a welfare worker and one of the first female police officers in South Australia. She is best known for her work with unmarried mothers and their babies. The Kate Cocks Memorial Babies Home was named after her in honor of her tireless efforts.
Early Life:
Kate Cocks was born Fanny Kate Boadicea Cock in Moonta, South Australia. Her father, Anthony, was a miner, mine manager, and engineer, while her mother, Elizabeth, was a school teacher. Anthony was originally from a mining district near Camborne, Cornwall, England, and had emigrated to the Colony of South Australia before marrying Elizabeth George from Auburn. Kate Cocks was home-schooled after her family moved to a farm near Quorn. She had two brothers, Frank and Wellesley.
Professional Life:
In 1900, Cocks returned to the Yorke Peninsula area to teach at a school in Thomas Plains for a year. She then moved to the suburbs of Adelaide to teach at the Edwardstown Industrial School from 1898 to 1949. Cocks served as the schoolmistress and sub-matron there.
In 1903, Cocks joined the State Children’s Council as a clerk. The council had been formed in 1886 as part of the Destitute Persons Amendment Act. In 1906, she was appointed as the state’s first probation officer for juvenile first offenders. Cocks dedicated herself to working with troubled youth, aiming to rehabilitate them and provide them with a second chance.
In 1915, Cocks made history as she was transferred from the Children’s Welfare Department to the South Australian Police Department. This move was initiated by Chief Secretary A. W. Styles. On 12 November 1915, she was formally appointed, along with Miss Annie Ross, as South Australia’s first female police constables. Their responsibilities included dealing with female offenses related to youth sexuality, alcoholism, prostitution, and solicitation.
Although newspapers at the time reported Cocks as the first female police officer in South Australia, Australia, the British Empire, and ‘probably in the world’, two officers had actually begun their duty in New South Wales five months earlier in July 1915. Nevertheless, Cocks’ appointment was groundbreaking and paved the way for more women to join the police force.
In 1920, Cocks was appointed as the principal police matron, and in 1924, she became the Principal of the Women Police. Under her leadership, the women’s police force expanded to include up to twelve female officers by February 1932 – the largest number in any Australian force at that time. By June 1934, Cocks had succeeded in having fourteen female officers, double the number of the nearest force in NSW. Her dedication and leadership in the field were recognized by the Commissioner, who awarded her five honorable mentions.
After a long and successful career, Cocks retired in May 1935 to take care of her mother. Her legacy as a pioneer for women in law enforcement and her work with marginalized communities continued to inspire generations to come.
Awards:
– MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire)