Norman to Under-Secretary of State
Hucclecote
Gloucester
27th Septr 1861
Sir,
A poor woman in this neighbourhood has a son named George Cook, who, in 1849 or 1850, was hired by The Hudson's Bay Company, and went in their service to Vancouver's Island; where she has reason to believe that he still remains; and therefore I conclude that he is now in the service of the Government. His mother is in great distress because she has had no tidings of him for many years, and has at length applied to me to help her to procure whatever information can be obtained respecting him.
May I ask you to be so kind as to cause inquiries to be made whether any such person as George Cook appears on the books as a GovernmentManuscript image servant, and how a letter can be sent to him. His present age appears to be about Thirty-one.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your very Obedient Servant,
Robert Norman

The Under Secretary of State
Colonial Office
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir F. Rogers
First enquire of the Hudson's Bay Co.
ABd 28 Sepr
At once.
FR 28/9
Other documents included in the file
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Rogers to H.H. Berens, Hudson's Bay Company, 4 October 1861, forwarding copy of the letter and asking whether they have any information regarding the whereabouts of George Cook.
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Elliot to Norman, 14 October 1861, advising that Cook appeared to have remained a servant of the Hudson's Bay Company, employed in the coal mines at Nanaimo, and suggesting that a letter could be directed to him at that place.