A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF
JAMES LESLIE DARCY COOK 28.07.17 - 23.07.07
As the 2007 National Pigeon Show come to an end, so did the life of one of our greatest pigeon fanciers Mr Darcy Cook. Darcy passed away on the 23.7.07. His last night was spent in a warm bed eating chocolates, drinking strawberry flavoured milk and watching football.
Darcy was named after the great Middleweight Boxer, Les Darcy and was born at Merewether Beach Newcastle on the 28.7.1917. He was the sixth child of James Edward and Rose Ann Cook. His brothers were Roy, Brendan, Vaughan, and his sisters Norma and Vera (all now deceased).
In 1922 Darcy’s father retired and the family moved to Croydon Ave, Croydon Park.
It was a big bungalow set on two acres containing an orchard and two tennis courts. This is where he started his love of tennis and also an even greater love of birds, in particular Jacobin pigeons and over the years many other varieties. The Jacobin was his favourite. He thanked god for this beautiful bird and often said, “If there are no Jacobins in heaven I’m coming back”.
Darcy went to school at De La Salle Brothers, Ashfield. He did not like piano lessons preferring a tennis racquet. He was an excellent tennis player, playing the Blackwell Cup and one year won the Fox Memorial Singles, one of the prestigious titles in Sydney at the time but did not get much encouragement from his father. He had great delight in riding his pro bicycle on the Old Putty Road from Sydney to Newcastle.
His friend Les Muir, Muirs Motors introduced him to Cecille and they married in 1942. She is presently residing in Chesalon Nursing Home Parramatta. Darcy and Cecille had two daughters, Sandra and Vivienne. They live at Padstow where he loved to socialise in doubles matches on his tennis court. They moved to Concord taking his prized birds but not the tennis court.
Darcy owned a butcher shop, but preferred his chicken farm beside his home at Kenthurst the best. It was very full on for the girls who were not allowed to socialise until the eggs were all packed and ready for the Egg Board. He dearly loved Kenthurst and often said the only way he would leave there would be in a box. (Darcy funeral procession took him back to Kenthurst to forfill this wish). He was in and out of hospital over the last few months but always loved to return home to Kenthurst Road.
Darcy was a Australian Master Breeder of Jacobins. He made many precious friends through his beautiful pigeons – he was one of the greatest pigeon breeder’s in Australia and is in the American Hall of Fame for his dedication and work to the breed.
He was well known for his start performance on Burkes Backyard. Who could ever forget those famous pigeon calls and jokes on the show. He was certainly a great joke teller. He would say, that he wanted to leave someone after a talk with a smile on their face and laughing. He just loved to tell a joke and often family and friends had to pretend that it was the first time they had heard it when it might have been the third or fourth.
Darcy’s descendants are his daughters, Sandra and Vivienne, grandchildren Julian, Yasmin, Karim, Trent, Kamran, Paul, Louise and great grandson Kai Alexander. We all loved him and are thankful and appreciative of his good humour. His words “Son” and “Pet” are locked in our minds forever.
He was a great character in more ways than we can mention – To us, A True Australian Legend. Who said you can’t live to be a ripe old age eating chocolates, biscuits and spending half your life in a pigeon cage.
We are all privileged to have known this great man.
He will be very much missed by us all.
