Mr Gilbert William Cook (Saloon Steward, 1st Class) ¹ was born in Weymouth, Dorset, England in early 1880 and baptised on 28 March that year in Melcombe Regis, Dorset.

He was the son of William Robert Cook (b. 1858), a merchant seaman, and Anna Maria Gooden (b. 1858) (2), natives of Weymouth and Plymouth respectively who were married in Somerset in 1877. His known siblings were: Sidney Arthur (b. 1877), Ernest John (b. 1882), Netley Alma (b. 1885), William Robert (b. 1887), Margaret Anna (b. 1890) and Beatrice May (b. 1894).

Gilbert first appears on the 1881 census living with his family at 4, Look Out in Wyke Regis, Dorset and on the 1891 census at 1 Belmont Street, Wyke Regis. His mother passed away in 1896 and the remaining family, minus Gilbert who was presumably at sea, appeared on the 1901 census still living at 1 Belmont Street. By the time of the 1911 census Gilbert is still absent from the family home, now 13 Franklin Road, Weymouth, and his father is by now described as a pleasure boat proprietor.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, Cook gave his local address as 23 Bridge Road, (Southampton). His last ship had been the Olympic and as a saloon steward he received monthly wages of £3, 15s.

Gilbert Cook was lost in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

His father continued to live in Weymouth, at 13 Franklin Road, until his death on 22 June 1933.