Kate Cocks
Life of a pioneering policewoman in the early 1900’s
Fanny Kate Boadicea Cock was born in Moonta East in 1875, to Cornish parents, Anthony Cock and Elizabeth George. The family later changed their name to Cocks and the future policewoman become known as Kate.
In around 1877, the family moved to Quorn in the Flinders Ranges where farming debts were accrued and Elizabeth was forced to work as a teacher.
In 1888, when Kate was 13 the family returned to Moonta. Soon after Kate was sent to Victoria to live with relatives.
In 1900 Kate trained to be a teacher, and at the age of 25 was posted to Thomas Plains, east of Kadina.
In 1901 she joined the South Australian State Children’s Department as a teacher and assistant matron at the Edwardstown Industrial School. During her three years service she witnessed extreme poverty, as well as cruelty to children.
In 1906 she was appointed as a Juvenile Court Probation Officer. Her work as a probation Officer extended to patrolling Adelaide streets and parklands. This formed the basis for the premise that women police would be a worthwhile addition to the police force. She was in this position for nine years.
In 1915, Kate and Annie Ross were sworn in as South Australia’s first Women Police. They worked at the Adelaide Railway Station, Port Adelaide and the wharf area, red light districts in the square mile of Adelaide. As Kate did not drive, she had to rely on the police car’s called “Black Marias”
Her job description was:
“To keep young children from the streets, especially at night; to assist in the prevention of truancy from school; to watch newspapers and furnish reports of persons apparently endeavouring to decoy young girls by adverts or by other means; to patrol railway stations and wharves when long distance trains and steamers come in, to patrol slum neighbourhoods, look after drunken women and to obtain assistance for their neglected children; to keep an eye on reputed brothels and on the wine shops and hotels frequented by the women of the town in order to prevent young girls being decoyed and drugged with liquor; to protect women and girls in public parks and when leaving work in the evening.”
In 1930, she helped establish the Methodist Girls Home for unmarried mothers, which were initially two cottages behind her Parkside home. Within two years they had to look for larger premises. The Brighton Girls home was established in the beachside suburb of Hove.
In 1935, Kate retired and was awarded the M.B.E. for her police and social work.
Kate continued as Superintendent at the girl’s home until 1950, and the homes became attached to the Adelaide Central Mission. Upon her death, the homes adopted the name of the ‘Kate Cocks Memorial Babies and Girls Home. Kate died in 1954.
