Thomas Cocking, Draughtsman
(fl. c. 1783-1791)
Draughtsman
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Pierce Egan in his "Sporting Anecdotes," says in a notice of Francis Grose: "The Captain had a funny fellow of the name of Tom Cocking, one after his own heart, as an amanuensis, and who was also a draughtsman of considerable merit." In the Introduction to the first volume of the "Antiquities of Scotland," published in 1789, Grose says: "It is necessary to inform the reader that the following were drawn under my inspection by my servant, Thomas Cocking, a young man who promises to make an accurate draughtsman." Cocking made twenty drawings for this work. He accompanied Grose to Ireland in 1791, and made a number of drawings which were engraved in the "Antiquities of Ireland." They are:—"Brown's Castle," "Castleknock," "Simmons Court Tower," "Timon Castle," "Jamestown Church," "Lanesborough Abbey," "Ballyhaunis Abbey," "Urlaur Abbey," "Boyle Abbey," "Castle Coote," "Roscommon Castle," "Tulsk Abbey," "Bahy Castle," "Ballindown Abbey," "Ballymote Castle," "Ballinafad Castle," "Ballysadare Abbey," "Benada Abbey," "Court Abbey," "Meemlick Castle," "Newtown Castle," two views, "O'Gara's Castle," "Sligo Abbey," two views, "Newcastle, Co. Down," "Dromahaire Castle," "Castle of Castletown," "St. Mary's Church and Castle, Drogheda," "Castlemore," "Slane Abbey," "Clonshanville Abbey," "Clontuskert Abbey," "Donamon Castle," "Castle John," "Kilmaine Church," "Loughglyn Castle," "Roscommon Abbey," " Ballyhara Castle," "Naul Castle." Some of Cocking's original drawings are in the Royal Irish Academy.