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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the National Archives' website and collection contain the names, images and voices of people who have died.

Some records include terms and views that are not appropriate today. They reflect the period in which they were created and are not the views of the National Archives.

Portrait of Joseph Cook

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  4. Joseph Cook

Joseph Cook

Joseph Cook was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1913 to 1914.

About Joseph Cook

Portrait of Joseph Cook

  • Born: 7 December 1860
  • Died: 30 July 1947
  • Partner: Mary Cook
  • Political party: 
    • Free Trade Party
    • Liberal Party of Australia (As PM)
    • Nationalist Party
  • Image: NAA: M3614, 15

Joseph Cook was 31 in 1891 when he became Labor member for Hartley in the New South Wales parliament. He was a minister in George Reid’s Free Trade government 3 years later. He joined the first federal parliament in 1901 as a Free Trade member and, despite being described as having ‘no glow’, held the federal seat of Parramatta for 20 years.

Joseph Cook and Mary Cook meet the people of Parramatta

Joseph Cook (second from left) and Mary Cook (right) meet the people of Parramatta, New South Wales on 2 November 1913, the 125th anniversary of its foundation. NAA: M3614, 8

A man of great determination, he was quick to make the most of 2 major re-alignments of political parties in the parliament’s first 2 decades. In 1909, he became Minister for Defence, after taking a key role in the fusion of non-Labor parties that year. In 1917, he led the Liberal Party in a merger to form the Nationalist Party and served as Minister for the Navy and as Treasurer in William Hughes’ government.

Joseph Cook was Australia’s 6th Prime Minister, taking office in 1913 with a Liberal Party majority of only one seat in the House of Representatives. On leaving politics, Cook served as Australia’s third High Commissioner in London from 1921 to 1927.

Did you know?

Joseph Cook:

  • was one of the ‘Australian Lincolns’ - those prime ministers whose early poverty meant they had left school early to work
  • was a founding member of New South Wales Labor Party, then a member of the other 3 major parties from 1901 to 1921
  • lost government in the first double dissolution of Commonwealth parliament in 1914
  • was dubbed ‘the most humourless’ of the prime ministers

In this section: Joseph Cook

  • Fast facts
  • Timeline
  • Before office
  • Elections
  • During office
  • After office
  • Partner
  • Key people
  • Records

Learning Resources

Original records and material to help students with their research.

Record

Letter from Professor Edgeworth David to Prime Minister Cook urging further funds to complete the Mawson expedition.

Request for further funds for the Australasian Antarctic Expedition – letter to Prime Minister Joseph Cook

This is a letter from Professor Edgeworth David to Prime Minister Cook, urging further funds to complete the Mawson expedition.

Record

A minute paper regarding a nurse who enlisted in World War I under her maiden name.

Restrictions on married nurses – nurse uses maiden name to enlist

This is a minute paper regarding a nurse who enlisted in World War I under her maiden name.

Record

A letter regarding the celebration of Empire Day in New South Wales.

Celebration of Empire Day in New South Wales

A letter from NSW Premier William Holman to Prime Minister Joseph Cook, from 23 April 1914. It outlines the arrangements for the celebration of Empire Day.

Records about Joseph Cook

View selected National Archives' records about Joseph Cook

View records

Explore Prime Ministers

Portrait of Andrew Fisher

Andrew Fisher

1908–1909
1910–1913
1914–1915

Portrait of William Hughes

William Hughes

1915–1923

Portrait of Stanley Bruce

Stanley Bruce

1923–1929

Old Parliament House, Canberra

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