Obituaries Australia

The news of the death of Mr. Emanuel Cohen, which took place at his residence, Gover-street, North Adelaide, early on Sunday, morning, will be received with regret by not a small section of the community. The deceased gentleman was well and widely known, and was greatly esteemed not only socially but by all who had business transactions with him. The late Mr. Cohen left London in the East-Indiaman Coromandel for Melbourne, on April 26, 1852, reaching the sister colony in August of the same year. Towards the end of the same month he came on to Adelaide. The break out of the Victorian diggings attracted Mr. Cohen as it did many others at that juncture, and being a youth 17 years of age fresh from London he left for the capital of the sister colony and then made for Forest Creek. Gold digging did not prove as successful as he could have wished, and he took a position in charge of stores at Forest Creek, Bunkers Creek, Loddon, Bendigo, Maryborough, Avoca and Tarrangower. He was in business when the township of Sandhurst was first opened, with his former school teacher, the well-known author, B. L. Farjeon. Growing tired of life on the diggings in 1856, Mr. Cohen came back to Adelaide, where he passed the rest of his life. He was best known in connection with buildings in the city, and during his long residence here he had expended over £50,000 in buildings and improvements within the municipal boundaries. Thirty-two years ago he pulled down three shops opposite the Globe Hotel in Rundle-street and rebuilt them. He built the Monster Clothing three-storied building at the corner of King William and Hindley streets, converted two shops into the International Hotel in Bundle-street, and built the warehouse occupied by Messrs McLean Bros. and Rigg in Hindley-street. Among his latest efforts in this line was the transformation of the old Commercial Bank into the suite of offices now known as Comstock Chambers, and securing the lease of Messrs. R. H. Wigg & Co.'s premises in King William-street he converted the building into two shops, one of which is now occupied by Taylor's oyster saloon. Mr. Cohen was one of the original promoters in the building of the Adelaide Arcade, and he was sent to London by his co-directors to purchase the whole of the glass, the marble tilings for the floor, and the electric lighting plant. In 1858 the deceased gentleman married Miss Benjamin, sister of Mr. P. Benjamin, who was sub-editor of the Register. He leaves eleven children, five daughters and six sons. One daughter is married to Mr. L. Moss, the others being–Misses S. R. L. and E. Cohen. The eldest son, Mr. B. E. Cohen, is manager of the jewellery department of Messrs. P. Falk & Co.; the next, Mr. M. Cohen, is in the Architect-in-Chief s office, Perth; whilst the third, Mr. S. E. Cohen, manages the jewellery department of Messrs. Hoffnung & Co., Sydney. The other three sons are Messrs. P., L., and F. Cohen. Mr. Cohen, who was in business for nine years at Goolwa, was attacked by pleurisy some little time back, and on top of this came cancer. During his illness Mr. Cohen, who was 60 years of age, was attended by Dr. J. C. Verco. The funeral takes place at 3 o'clock to-day.