Henry Cook (1824 – 1893) was a Gosport man who started a mission for sailors, having been saved from drowning whilst in a storm in the Mediterranean onboard a Royal Naval frigate, to bring the Gospel message to local sailors and fishermen in Portsmouth Harbour and surrounding coastlines.

He started a school named ‘Cook’s Ragged School’ for boys and girls in 1858 in the High Street. These children being ‘ragged’ looking had poor clothing, some without shoes.

In 1873 his mission extended to provide premises in Stoke Road for seafarers and their families, to enjoy an alcohol free reading & coffee lounge for refreshments and social meetings.

In 1889, Henry Cook set up a Seaman’s Mission in Deaville, France.

The Mission Halls built in Portsmouth and Gosport before he died in the 1893, were more recently demolished to be replaced by the latest Hall now standing in South street, Gosport in 1969.

The picture above was taken in 1958 and shows the Mission Hall in South Street, Gosport. The George & Dragon pub is seen on the left which remains today.

The current Hall ‘The Henry Cook Centre’ is pictured below at it’s opening in 1969, when it was known as ‘Bethel Mission’.

In 2001 Waterside Church took on the responsibility as trustees of the charity, renaming the Hall ‘The Waterside Centre’.

In 2018, new trustees of the charity, renamed the Hall ‘The Henry Cook Centre’, preserving the identity of the charity and it’s founder.

To book our Hall for group meetings or events, please go to the Hall Management page.