John Coke (EICo)

Major-General Sir John Coke KCB JP DL (pronounced Cook; 1806–1897) of the 10th Regiment Bengal Native Infantry was a soldier of the East India Company Army, who raised in 1849 the 1st Regiment of Punjab Infantry, renamed in 1903 55th Coke's Rifles. Major-General Coke received the Delhi medal and clasp, and was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. The dates of his later commissions are – Brevet Major, 1854; Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel, 1858; Colonel, 1858; and Major-General on retirement. He was J. P. and D.L. for the county of Hereford, and was High Sheriff of Herefordshire for 1879.

He was born 17 November 1806, the 7th son of the Rev. Francis Coke, the only surviving issue of the Rev. Richard Coke, who was born 5 July 1763 and was B.A. of Baliol College, Oxford, and also admitted BA at Cambridge, where he took his Master's degree. He took Holy Orders in 1786; was presented to Gladestry, co. Radnor, in 1810, by the Prince of Wales; and to Sellack, co. Hereford, in 1821, by the Dean and Chapter of Hereford ; Magistrate for the county, and Prebendary of Piona Parva in the cathedral church of Hereford. In 1791 he married Anne, youngest daughter of Robert Whitcombe, Esq. (of the ancient family of Whitcombe, of Eastham, in the county of Worcester), by Winifred, eldest daughter of Richard Hooper, Esq., of the Whittem, Herefordshire, said to be descended from John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester, who suffered at the stake in Queen Mary's reign. The Rev. Francis Coke was constantly resident at Lemore, Eardisley, Hereford from the time of his marriage, in 1791, up to that of his death. He died at Bath 30 April 1831, but was buried at Eardisley. His wife died 6 April 1826; she had a large family of fifteen children, seven only of whom survived. A tradition in the Coke family of Trusley, Derbyshire, states that the founder of it was one Cook or Coke, who was employed in the service of Henry de Ferrars, Superintendent of William the Conqueror's horse armourers and farriers. They are said to have been located near Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire, in some unknown feudal capacity. Whether their original residence was in Derbyshire or Staffordshire, it appears that on the marriage with the Owens they resided in the latter county, and continued there till they changed their residence for Trusley, soon after their marriage with the Odingsells. See also George Coke (d.1646), Bishop of Hereford and John Coke(d.1644) statesman. Armourials include crescents, with the sun as crest.

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