Nelson Ripley Cooke AM (21 December 1919 – 7 February 2018)[1] was an Australian cellist who was principal cellist at the London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras during the 1950s and 1960s.
Cooke was born in Bellbird, New South Wales, Australia.
[2] He began playing the cello aged 8, having previously been a piano player.
[3] During the Second World War, Cooke served in the Australian Defence Force, during which time he visited Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
[1] In 2011, Cooke was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the New Years Honours List.