Rodney Cockburn

Rodney Cockburn (21 October 1877 – 28 September 1932) was a South Australian journalist, whose regular feature on the State's placenames was the basis of a popular reference book.

History

Cockburn was born in Kent Town, South Australia, a son of George (c. 1835 – 2 December 1909) and Mary Cockburn (née Stewart) (c. 1844 – 10 May 1880).

His father, born in Alloa, Scotland had served in the Royal Navy, then around 1860 emigrated to South Australia, where two half-brothers had already settled. He completed his apprenticeship as a printer at the Register, where he continued to work for over 48 years. He named his son Rodney, appropriately born on Trafalgar Day, for his last ship, the HMS Rodney, which was in turn named for Admiral Rodney.

He was educated at Flinders Street State school, and joined the Register as a "library boy" around 1892, and was elevated to the literary staff, where he was rated "one of the best journalists in Australia" and "the smartest journalist of his years, column-crowding the dailies", before he was made an "excellent sub-editor"

When in July 1914 the Peake government decided to institute a South Australian Hansard office, a function which had previously been contracted to the local press, Cockburn was selected assistant to Fred Johns's leader. He served in that position for nearly forty years, until forced by ill-health to retire. Cockburn was admirably suited to the job, as he was noted for his speedy and accurate shorthand. The work entailed not only recording the proceedings of the two houses of Parliament, but also of the various committees, notably the Public Works committee. Nevertheless, the position clearly allowed of time and facilities to pursue private research, as Johns produced a huge number of concise biographies of notable Australians which became a series of reference books, and Cockburn the voluminous notes on the histories of South Australian towns and geographical features, and consequentially the work for which he is remembered today, the manuscript of which the Mitchell Library acquired in 1936.

In August 1916, at the height of World War I anti-German sentiment, Cockburn was appointed to the South Australian Nomenclature Committee, which was given the hugely popular task of expunging place names of Teutonic origin or association from the State's map. Their deliberations resulted in the Nomenclature Act of 1917 and their consequent wholesale replacement (see List of changed names).

The death occurred at his home in Malvern yesterday of Mr. Rodney Cockburn. assistant leader of the "Hansard" staff and secretary or Royal Commissions. Mr. Cockburn was 55. He had been in indifferent health for some time. Not until sheer physical weakness compelled withdrawal from active duties did Mr. Cockburn's tireless industry and unquenchable enthusiasm show any diminution. He was reluctant to apply for what proved to be his final leave, but was forced to do so by increasing ill-health. Even then his abounding cheerfulness was not conquered, because he contemplated an early return to duty. Throughout the past year, although in ill-health. Mr . Cockburn continued to perform his task with the same meticulous care and ability that had always distinguished whatever work he undertook. He was a pattern of system and reliability. Collapse At Work At Port Augusta, about the middle of May, Mr. Cockburn collapsed while on the way to Western Austria with the Public Works Committee. He was forced to return to Adelaide, and the respite gained during the Committee's absence permitted at least a temporary recovery. Mr. Cockburn continued at work until towards the end of July, when he applied for sick leave. It was only then that he realised that he would never resume his duties, and he had resolved to fill in the rest of his days on his nomenclature, the unpublished records of which made an orderly array on the shelves of his room. Where Mr. Cockburn's ability was so invaluable to the Public Works Committee was in the rare gift of being able to select quickly the essential points in voluminous evidence and give them lucid presentation. He had a flair for significance and relevancy in material for public consideration. Tribute From Colleague Sir. Fred Johns, author of "Who's Who in Australia," and leader of the "Hansard" staff, who was his colleague for 40 years, yesterday wrote the following tribute to his friend:— "The passing of Mr. Rodney Cockburn, widely and favorably known as the State's authority on nomenclature, and highly esteemed for his many lovable qualities, bright and breezy nature, and sparkling wit and humor, will be keenly felt by old comrades, and particularly by those who knew him intimately in his professional and private life, and in the public service of the State. Born at Kent Town on Trafalgar Day. 1877, he was given his Christian name after the great English Admiral Rodney, who was raised to the peerage for defeat of the combined French and Spanish squadrons off Martinique late in the 18th century, his father, the late George Cockburn, having had his first experience in the navy on board H.M.S. Rodney. George Cockburn served in the China War under Sir Day Bosanquet. who about fifty years after" became South Australia's Governor. "For close on forty years, Rodney Cockburn and I were fellow-workers together. I therefore knew his worth and character, his exceptional talents, his genuineness, his enthusiasm for work as well as for play, the joy of his company, the constancy and strength of his friendship. His temperamental faults, and who hasn't them?—were overshadowed by his excellences. We were contemporaries for about twenty years on the old "Register," when the Grenfell street journal saw flourishing days, and was a power in the land. When in July. 1914. the Peake Cabinet decided to establish en official "Hansard" staff, we left journalism on our appointment to Parliament House. The "Register" Office was one of the best schools in Australia anyone could have passed through. So on quitting newspaper life Cockburn was admirably equipped for his new duties. During his more than eighteen years' connection with the Government service, he rendered loyal and brilliant work. or great capacity, untiring industry, with cheerful co-operation, conscientious and thorough, never shirking responsibility, he always gave of his best and often, from a high sense of duty — unfortunately for his indifferent health in recent years — exceeded the limitations of bis physical powers. Through his death the Government has lost one of its ablest officers. "Cockburn's lifelong literary hobby was South Australian nomenclature. An unquestioned authority on the subject. In which he displayed absorbing interest, he gave generous and notable service to the public through the newspapers, and as a member of the Nomenclature Committee, which was appointed by the Government during the War. Cockburn has left in manuscript an entire revision and enlargement of his well-known work, which was originally published in the "Register," a quarter of a century ago. Through his interest in, and close study of aboriginal lore, and his extensive knowledge in connection with place names of bis native State, Rodney Cockburn has left an enduring record of historic value. With a literary colleague, he collaborated in the authorship of the 'Pastoral Pioneers of South Australia' (two volumes), published in Adelaide some years ago, which were acknowledged to be a valuable contribution to our biographical literature."

He has been mentioned as reporting lacrosse activities for The Register under the pen-name "Canadia".

Other interests

In his younger days he was a member of the North Adelaide Cycling Club. He was also a lacrosse player and official, serving as secretary of the South Australian Lacrosse Association for several years. .

Family

Rodney Cockburn married Marguerite Elizabeth Stapleton "Reta" Guerin (1883 – 5 January 1918) on 15 October 1910. Reta was a daughter of well-known accountant Herbert Robin Guerin, an AEI alumnus. He married again, to Ruby Ethel Adams Farmer ( –1954) on 1920. They had one son:

• Alexander Stewart Cockburn (1920 – 2009)

Alexander "Fid" Cockburn (1866–1943), Isabella Cockburn (1867–1903), George Stewart Cockburn (1869–1905), James Ralph Cockburn (1871–1900), Mary Cockburn (1873–1909), Walter Cockburn (1875–1903), and Margaret "Maggie" Cockburn (1879–1912) were siblings.

Bibliography

• Rodney Cockburn Nomenclature of South Australia Adelaide [S. Aust.] : W.K. Thomas &​ Co., 1908.
• Rodney Cockburn What's in a name? : nomenclature of South Australia : authoritative derivations of some 4000 historically significant place names [Glen Osmond, S. Aust.] : Ferguson Publications, 1984 ISBN 095925191X
• Rodney Cockburn, A. Dorothy Aldersey Pastoral Pioneers of South Australia Lynton Publications, Blackwood, S.A., 1925

See also

• Geoffrey Manning (1926–1980) Place Names of South Australia made available on-line by the State Library of South Australia.