Sidney A. Cook

Sidney A. Cook

Sidney A. Cook was an officer in the Diamond T Motor Truck Company in Chicago. He served as President of the Theosophical Society in America during the years 1931–1945, and international Vice President of the Theosophical Society headquartered in Adyar, India, from 1946 to 1959.

Early life

Sidney Cook was born in Needham Malket, England on May 18, 1887. His wife Ellen Mary __ was born in Yoxford, a village in the east of Suffolk, England.

A son, Aubrey John Cook, was born in Canada on November 26, 1913. He died in Chicago on March 5, 1928 and was buried three days later.

Theosophical work

Following the birth of his young son Aubrey in 1913, Mr. Cook began "the search which led him to Theosophy and his long years of service to the Society." He became a member on February 8, 1914.

President of American Section

Sidney A. Cook in 1931

He made a donation to create the Aubrey Garden in memory of his son.

Sidney A. Cook packing to leave Olcott, March 15, 1946

International Vice President in Adyar

Sidney and Etha Cook with Olcott staff on March 15, 1946

International President Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa asked Mr. Cook to join his administration (1946-1953) as Vice President. On March 15, 1946, Mr. Cook and his wife Etha left for India. On August 15, 1947 at 8 a.m., he chaired a celebration of the first day of India's independence, held in the Headquarters hall. Speakers also included C. S. Trilokekar, Srimathi Rukmini Devi Arundale, and Dr. G. Srinivasa Murti. The hall was specially decorated with flags of all nations, and August 15-16 were observed as national holidays.

One of projects that Mr. Cook coordinated in Adyar was the publication of the Collected Writings of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. The editor, Boris de Zirkoff, wrote to a friend from Los Angeles,

The collaboration with Adyar is splendid just now; nothing more to be desired. Sidney A. Cook is at it with hammer and tong, and is doing fine.

When Mr. Jinarājadāsa, suffering from ill health, retired from the presidency in 1953, Nilakanta Sri Ram was elected to succeed him. Mr. Cook continued in his position as Vice President.

Sidney A. Cook, standing, under banyan tree. C. Jinarājadāsa is at right, with Etha Snodgrass Cook and Rukmini Devi Arundale at left

Later years

According to Joy Mills,

In 1959 he took up residence once again in Chicago, becoming chairman of the Theosophical Investment Trust, the establishment of which, although an achievement of Perkins' administration, had long been a cherished dream of Cook's. His beloved Etha had died in India in May, 1949; soon thereafter he was married to Dr. Jocelyn Todd-Naylor from England, who had nursed Etha during her final illness. Failing health took Cook with his wife to her home in England, where he spent his final years quietly, passing away on August 4, 1965.

Writing

Like other Presidents of the American Section, Mr. Cook served as editor of section periodicals, The Theosophical Messenger and The American Theosophist. He also wrote many articles for those and other Theosophical journals. The Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals lists 287 articles by or about Sidney A Cook and another 59 under the initials SAC.