The date and place of Joan Massinger (or Messenger)'s birth is not known but she was close to her family for all of her life.

[2] She married John Cooke and they lived in the area of Gloucester known as Mary le Crypt.

She continued to collect the rents until her death and resisted requests that the lands should be transferred in her lifetime.

[1] Joan created a tripartite deed of 1539, deemed to be the school's founding charter.

[3] A full account of the couple and their good works is described in the book by Roland Austin published in 1939 "Crypt School".