Cooke, Robert, 1768-1814

Robert Cooke (1768–August 1814) was an English organist and composer, and from 1802-1814 organist of Westminster Abbey. Cooke was born in Westminster, London, son of the organist and composer Benjamin Cooke; he succeeded his father as organist of the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields in 1793. He was appointed organist at Westminster Abbey on the death of Samuel Arnold in 1802 and was master of the choristers of the Abbey by 1805.On 22 or 23 August 1814 he drowned in the River Thames near Millbank; it was supposed he took his own life. He was buried in the west cloister of Westminster Abbey. Cooke wrote an Evening Service in C (1806), and a collection of chants for the choir of the Abbey. He also wrote an "Ode to Friendship", and several songs and glees, of which a collection of eight was published in 1805.